A Day in the Life of a Young Sheffield Steel Worker

This resource provides an insight into how work life in the Sheffield steel industry has changed since Victorian times.

Short audio responses from steel workers and 'Little Mesters' and spoken extracts from the White Report of 1865, are accompanied by a quiz and related questions and quotes for classroom discussion.

The resource investigates perceived traditions within the steel community such as changes in work wear, conditions, training and what people spend their first pay packet on. It can be used by schools to investigate ‘changes’ using snapshots from three eras – Victorian times, the 1950s and the 2000s.

KS1 Curriculum Links

• History: Chronological Understanding, Organisation and Communication
• Literacy: Speaking and Listening, Drama and Writing
• ICT: Unit 2A – Communicating Information

KS2 Curriculum Links

• History: Units 11 & 12, Life in Victorian Britain, Unit 18, What it was like to live here in the past.
• Literacy: Speaking and Listening, Drama and Writing
• Art: Unit 3C, Can we change places, Unit 9, Visiting a Museum or Gallery

KS3 Curriculum Links

• History: Unit 1:2 Finding out about History, Unit 11, Industrial Changes, Action and Reaction
• Literacy: Speaking and Listening, Drama and Writing

Generic Learning Outcomes:

• Knowledge and Understanding: Learning facts or information, how museums work and deepening understanding
• Skills: Intellectual (thinking and making judgements), Communication (writing, speaking, drama), Information Management (locating and using information)
• Action, Behaviour, Progression: What people do and have done
• Attitudes and Values: Opinions and attitudes towards people and organisations