Mary Seacole

This resource describes Mary Seacole and her contribution to medicine and healthcare. It looks at her life, why she went to Turkey to help soldiers injured in the Crimean War, and what happened as a result of her work.

Teachers may wish to use the resource to discuss the similarities and differences between Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale. Comparisons can be made between traditional remedies used by Mary Seacole and medicines today, in both Britain and Jamaica. Discussion could take place that exploring continuity and change across time and culture. The resource also provides opportunities for discussion linked to the citizenship curriculum, for example social justice, access to healthcare and media.

Key Stage 1 Curriculum Links

• History: Unit 4 - Why do we remember Florence Nightingale?
• Citizenship: Unit 4 - People who help us

Expectations for Learning

At the end of the learning journey most children will have a greater understanding of Mary Seacole and will:

• know some of the main events in Mary Seacole’s life and be able to recount them
• be able to sequence events from Mary Seacole’s life
• be able to give at least one reason for her actions
• use pictures and resources on the internet to find out more about Mary Seacole
• look for similarities and differences between today and the past
• answer questions about people/events in the past using pictures and written sources  

Inspiring Learning For All learning outcomes:

• Knowledge and understanding - Increased knowledge of Mary Seacole and understanding of her contribution to healthcare
• Attitudes and values - Understanding and appreciation of different approaches to medicine across time and culture
• Enjoyment, inspiration and creativity - Learning presented as a creative process. Presenting information that inspires children to learn
• Skills - Establish prior knowledge on the subject, and confidence in developing and using e-learning resources. Develop research skills for teachers and pupils. Teachers develop skills, knowledge and understanding about working with museum collections
• Behaviour and progressions - Opportunities for future e-learning. Finding out more from linked resources.