51 fantastic Year 10 historians visited the Thackray Museum of medicine in Leeds on Wednesday 9th of March. Students observed a workshop on the History of Surgery linking with the Edexcel GCSE syllabus. This involved seeing the equipment used in surgery in the 1800s and experiences the ‘delightful’ aromas of the operation theatres. Students engaged in talks around the use and development of antiseptics and anaesthetics. This helped the students understand the development of these treatments over the industrial time period of which they study at GCSE history.

Students then had the opportunity to observe the museums exhibits to broaden their knowledge on the topic of medicine through time. They were able to see early developments of the X-Ray machine as well as various surgical equipment. This included looking at the improvement of preventions like vaccines and the use of antiseptics. Additionally, students were able to explore the causes of illnesses. This was done by walking along the ‘Disease Street’ in the museum. This allowed students to be transported back in time to the 1800s to see what it was like for people living in the Victorian age and understand how they came to the conclusions they did about health and disease.

Students also impressed using their first aid skills they had practiced in school by dressing themselves with bandages in the First World War style dressing station area. Staff at the museum were impressed with the knowledge shown by our students and the behaviour they displayed. The students displayed their understanding of what it means to be RASA PROUD.