Lake and Gorge
Lake and Gorge
Creswell Crags is a limestone gorge honeycombed with caves, including Britain's only known Ice Age rock art. The gorge is part of the Creswell Heritage Landscape Area and incorporates a Museum and Education Centre. Since 2005, Creswell Crags has been delivering a pilot project to provide young people at risk of exclusion from school with an alternative environment in which to learn.
‘It introduces culture and heritage to kids that normally wouldn't go anywhere near a museum’
The museum is one of a number of sites based within the Creswell Crags Heritage Area on the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire border, a limestone landscape of considerable significance.
‘A specific and relatively unique environment’
The museum had successfully undertaken projects with youth groups in the area, primarily those within former mining villages, and wished to progress this work to find ways of involving hard to reach groups.
The project offers an extra dimension to the alternative curriculum and takes the focus out of school for students at risk of exclusion. Students would develop practical skills such as environmental management outdoors during the tourist season, but would also experience the museum environment out of season. Both environments have the advantage of not having a 'classroom' feel. Developing self-motivation and initiative is an important part of the project, so students are not pressured to turn up.
Creswell Case Study