School Visits to New Hall Mill

New Hall Mill is a perfect destination for school groups to explore a wide range of engaging topics, including history, local heritage, traditional technologies, science, and environmental issues. For many, it’s their first encounter with living history and rural heritage, expanding their appreciation of Britain’s history and cultural landscape. A visit provides more than just a glimpse into the past; it brings learning to life in a tangible and memorable way that books, TV, and video cannot achieve, making the Mill an enriching and educational resource.

History

Our fascinating heritage site allows visitors to step back in time and see how communities once lived and worked, using water power, a process central to local economies before industrialisation. Students can explore the journey from wheat plant to flour, see traditional farm implements and milling technology in context, and get hands-on experience by hand milling flour with our quern. A vivid, sensory experience deepens understanding of historical periods such as the Industrial Revolution, Tudor England, or medieval life.

Renewable energy

Watermills promote sustainability by showcasing how natural energy sources were harnessed long before fossil fuels, encouraging reflection on the importance of renewable energy and sustainable practices, and the importance of preserving traditional knowledge in our modern world.

Creativity

The unique sights, sounds, and smells of our historic watermill can spark curiosity and imagination. Students often return to school inspired to write stories, create artwork, conduct projects, or explore local history further. On this website you'll find a growing collection of stories connected with the mill, and its artefacts, which can be drawn on for further inspiration.

The National Curriculum

The following suggestions show how a visit to New Hall Mill can be linked to the National Curriculum for primary schools. You will find numerous resources to support these areas of study on this website, e.g. works of art, recipes using wholegrain flour, history, habitat and environment, etc.

Key Stage 1

• History: Local history – pupils study changes within living memory and significant local places. A working watermill is an ideal local site, illustrating how communities’ ways of life and work (e.g. farming, milling) changed over time. Students can learn how the mill and the miller were part of village history and compare it to modern food production. (Curriculum focus: KS1 pupils learn about significant people, events, and places in their own locality.)
• Science: Plants and Seasonal Change – observing seed-to-plant growth of cereal crops (wheat/corn) and how grain needs water, light and warmth. Everyday Materials – identifying wood, metal, stone, water etc. (mill wheel, millstones, buildings, ponds and stream). Pupils can sort and compare the mill’s materials, noting properties (hard/soft) and how they are used. Habitats/Living Things – exploring the ecosystem around the mill and its meadows and paths (plants, insects, birds). (Curriculum focus: KS1 pupils observe seeds grow and compare materials like wood, metal, rock.)
• Geography: Local environment and fieldwork – using maps, compass directions, and observational skills to study the mill’s setting (stream, pond, valley, meadow). KS1 curriculum lists key physical features such as stream, valley, soil, vegetation and human features like farm, village. A mill visit can reinforce terms: “stream/river” (source of power), “valley”, “meadow”. Pupils note land use (agriculture, settlement) and use directional language (e.g. mill next to stream flowing south).
• Design & Technology: Mechanisms and Structures – building simple models with wheels/axles, levers or gears to understand how the mill’s wheel and machinery work. KS1 DT requires using wheels and axles in products. Pupils can design a toy mill with moving parts, learning how wheels turn and sacks are lifted. Cooking & Nutrition – understanding where food comes from. KS1 learns the basics of a healthy diet and that food comes from farms, connecting the mill’s flour to bread and diet.
• English: Speaking and Listening – asking questions and discussing what they see at the mill (e.g. describing the watermill’s functions, motion). Writing – KS1 pupils practice writing sentences and stories about real experiences. The curriculum calls for writing narratives about personal experiences – for example, a diary or recount of a mill visit. Pupils also label diagrams of the mill or write simple instructions (e.g. “How to turn the mill’s wheel”). Reading – reading simple non-fiction (pictures and captions about mills) and poems or stories set in the countryside.
• Art & Design: Drawing and Painting – sketching the mill, pond, and scenery to develop observation. KS1 art requires using drawing, painting and sculpture to share ideas. Pupils can paint the mill or its grounds, exploring texture (water ripples, wood grain). Craft – making cardboard or clay models of the mill or building a collage of the rural scene. They can study artists who painted the mill, rural industry, and local landscapes, comparing techniques (patterns, line, colour) as suggested by the KS1 art programme.

Key Stage 2

• History: Chronological study and local industrial past – investigating how the watermill fits into broader British history. KS2 pupils build chronologically secure knowledge of local history and see links between local and national developments. For example, learning about milling in the 18th–19th centuries (the Victorian era) and how mills affected rural communities. Pupils examine primary sources (e.g. old photographs) and discuss changes (horse power → water power) over time. (Curriculum context: KS2 emphasizes linking local history to national history.)
• Science: Forces and Mechanisms – KS2 science covers forces (Year 5) and simple machines (Year 6). Pupils learn that gravity causes objects to fall and explore resistance (water/brakes). The mill demonstrates these: water’s force (gravity) turns the wheel, and gears/levers multiply force. (Curriculum: KS2 Forces content includes gravity, friction and how pulleys/gears allow a smaller force to have a greater effect.) Materials Science – discussing durability (stone vs wood vs metal) in the mill’s construction. Living Things/Habitats – Year 6 study classification; pupils can survey plants and animals in the stream, pond, and meadow habitats around the mill.
• Geography: Rivers and Water Cycle – KS2 covers physical geography including streams and the water cycle. Pupils learn how water flows from hills to mills, part of the cycle (rain → river → energy). Settlement and Land Use – studying the village and farmland: types of settlement, land use (farms, industry) and economic activity (trade of flour/grain). KS2 also covers natural resources: discussing water as a resource and food production. Mapping and Fieldwork – using OS maps or Google Earth to locate the mill, or conducting simple surveys of surrounding geography.
• Design & Technology: Mechanical Systems – designing working models that use gears, pulleys and cams (mill machinery). KS2 DT explicitly teaches understanding of mechanical systems (gears, pulleys, levers), which directly relates to how the watermill’s gears transmit motion to millstones, how the miller controls water speed and the position of the millstones, and how the grain sacks are raised to the top of the mill building. Structures and Materials – strengthening a model mill structure (exploring stability) and choosing materials (e.g. waterproofing a cardboard wheel). Cooking & Nutrition – KS2 also covers food processing and seasonality. Pupils learn how grain is grown, harvested and milled into flour, and how seasonality affects harvest. They could bake bread from milled flour, linking back to the mill’s purpose.
• English: Writing: KS2 pupils write for different purposes. At a mill, they might write detailed explanations or reports (e.g. “How a Watermill Works”) or persuasive texts (e.g. a brochure promoting the historic mill). The curriculum emphasizes composing clear texts with accurate grammar. Drama & Speaking: Pupils could role-play as millers or villagers, developing spoken language skills and storytelling. Reading: Studying historical fiction or non-fiction about rural life, and interpreting information from signs/plaques at the mill.
• Art & Design: Sketchbooks and Techniques – recording observations (e.g. perspective drawings of the mill building). KS2 curriculum expects creating sketchbooks and mastering drawing/painting with varied materials. Pupils can use pencil, charcoal or paint to capture the mill’s textures (stone, water). 3D work: modelling a section of the mill in cardboard, clay, or wood, improving sculptural skills. Art History: They might study artists/architects who depicted industrial or rural scenes (KS2 includes great artists and designers), comparing how technology and nature are represented in art.

Sources: UK National Curriculum (2024) programmes of study for primary History, Science, Geography, Design & Technology, English, and Art.

Notes

Please note that groups can only visit the Mill by prior appointment. Please contact the Secretary for further information.

Note that we don't usually run the waterwheel during group visits because of the additional preparation, staffing, and safety requirements. However, if appropriate for the age group, we can sometimes run our vintage diesel engine which powers our combined milling machine. Please discuss your requirements and preferences when contacting us.