Today was absolutely fantastic and the children were still buzzing about it when they got back to the classroom. I couldn't fault you one bit. It was interactive, engaging, funny and factual. Thank you so much for your time and effort! The children will definitely remember their facts about the Great Fire of London now! (Chestnut Park Primary, November 2023)
The children LOVED Harry from the moment he appeared out of the cupboard! Harry skilfully engages all the children to act out and be involved in the learning. He shows great care in making sure children feel confident and comfortable taking part. I had one boy repeating to me over and over again, 'I just did not thing that man was going to be so funny!' Harry made us all laugh and we went away with lots to talk about (Axbridge CofE First School Academy, November 2023)
A great 'Brunel' session - bringing history to life with great engagement for the children, good pace and memorable experiences (St Francis Catholic Primary School, November 2023)
We loved the Anglo-Saxon workshops and the children really enjoyed being able to act out the battle between King Alfred and Guthrum. It really helped enhance their understanding and deepen their knowledge of the Dark Ages! Always fun to meet a real life historical character who can bring to life the event from history (Uphill Village Academy, November 2023)
This morning was amazing as always. A massive thank you for being so inspiring. The children and staff had a great morning and the children loved being in role with all the different characters. Already looking forward to working with you again at a later date (St John and St Francis Church School, November 2023)
It was fantastic to welcome Harry to our school to learn all about the Great Fire of London. The children were so engaged throughout and absolutely loved all the opportunities to dress up and get into character as someone from 1666. They all learnt lots and have enjoyed sharing those facts with others since. (Haywood Village Academy, October 2023)
The children really enjoyed the session. One parent commented that her daughter couldn’t stop talking about it, another parent said how much their child loved being wrapped up as a mummy. Many of the children have chosen to use Professor Jones as a character in their quest story writing. The children have said how they loved being involved in the session and one particularly loved learning about Howard Carter’s life. The session was perfectly aimed at my Y3 class, they could use their existing knowledge to contribute but they also brought away lots of information and facts that they have enjoyed using in their project work – information about the River Nile, Egyptian Gods, Tutankhamun, Howard Carter and mummification. Thank you for a fantastic afternoon (Worlebury St Paul's Church School, October 2023)
We've just said goodbye to Harry AKA Jethro from 1666, and the children are really buzzing! What a marvellous morning of poo mixing, fire taming and fact finding it was. Harry has the magical knack of encouraging every single child to participate, from the hyper keen to the incredibly nervous, so they all come out feeling wonderful afterwards. This was a great way to consolidate our learning from the term, but Harry also managed to impart more historical knowledge to add to what had already been taught, to make it a truly wonderful experience. We'll certainly be seeing Jethro again next year!
(Churchill CofE Primary School, October 2023)
It was amazing! A great introduction into our Maafa topic for Y6. Thank you so much.
(Churchfield Church School, September 2023)
'I love how we all dress up it really makes me remember the facts about the topic.'
'I like that we had to chant those songs, it makes me want to know more about it and stuff. I'm going to go home and do more research.'
'I like it when we use a song, then everytime I hear that song it reminds me of this and the topic so I remember the information.'
'It's crazy how people used to do that to other people and some people were lower down in the community that others. It's so weird to me that you could actually buy other people to do your boring jobs.'
'It is so mean that they used to stamp the slave people so they were owned by another person and they didn't swap them, imagine doing that now. You'd go to prison for just that 1 thing and they treated them really badly and made them slave which is 100 times worse as well.'
'It's awful to think that people did that to others. It was a really good morning though, I learnt so much, when are we doing more lessons about it? I am really interested now. It's brutal.'
'Well I can't believe that the jammed so many people in the boat to sell. Like they actually sold and bought humans. What about their families? How did the police let them do that? Was there not any law? Or was it just allowed? I'll have a look at the weekend.'
(Y6 Children, Churchfield Church School, September 2023)
Many thanks for today. The children had such fun and have learned so much. They keep asking when Jethro will come back and they are pretty convinced that he is going to return another day!
(Oldmixon Primary School, September 2023)
Thank you so much for today, you were amazing as Samuel Pepys' servant telling us all about 'The Great Fire of London.' The children loved it! (St Martin's CofE Primary School, September 2023)
Thank you so much for today – my little boy is in Year 2 and told me very excitedly, on the way home, all about how Mr Twit had come to visit - “he had a long beard with old food stuck in it and everything!” He loved it and has come home keen to read more Roald Dahl books.
(Parent at St Mary's CofE Primary, September 2023)
Thanks so much for coming in and putting on the amazing workshops. The children absolutely loved their time with you and clearly learnt so much, as we keep on being told fascinating facts about 1666! The workshop was the perfect way to kick off our Great Fire of London topic and get the children engaged and excited to learn more (Birdwell Academy Primary School, September 2023)
We invited Earnwald the Saxon back to HVA for the third successive year and we cannot think of any better way to kick off our learning theme. The children are involved and engaged throughout and the level of knowledge they gain and then take back with them to the classroom is second to none. Earnwald ensures he uses a lot of the rich historical vocabulary that introduces the children to the Anglo-Saxons and in turn, makes our job as teachers a lot easier. Most of all, the children have lots of fun in the sessions and love the dressing up elements and acting out key events from the era. Highly recommended.
(Haywood Village Academy, September 2023)
Thank you for the visit from 'Earnwald' the Saxon - The children were so captivated by you. It was a fantastic experience for all of them and I am sure we will be welcoming you back to our schools in the new year (The Huntspill Primary Academies, July 2023)
I just wanted to thank you so much for truly entertaining us all this morning and making our Pirate Day incredibly memorable and special. The children loved meeting a 'real' pirate and couldn't stop talking about you! They loved walking in to the classroom and spotting you hiding behind the board, watching us through your telescope and discovering you had taken the treasure chest, It was totally brilliant! We had so much fun acting, singing, dancing and playing games and your interesting stories had us all gripped! (Blagdon Primary School, June 2023)
Thank you for a fantastic morning - the children were saying how much they enjoyed the 'Islamic Golden Age' session and how they now really understood the story of Arabian Nights from your re-enactment! A brilliant way for them to retrieve all the knowledge gained this term. Thank you again - and hopefully see you soon! (Worle Village Primary School, June 2023)
Another success story from 'cadcharacters!' We try and have Harry come in every year to bring our history to life for our young learners. This year, he came as the fearsome and brave Bjorn Magnusson: Viking warrior. We were not disappointed. He has a way of making history funny, exciting, engaging and memorable. With a variety of artefacts that children can feel and hold, a wealth of stories and tales from the era and lots of pure silliness and hilarity. I cannot recommend this experience enough for your school. The children loved every minute and learned so much about the Viking age. A real highlight of our Summer term - thank you (Burrington CofE Primary School, June 2023)
We couldn't be more pleased with the wonderful experience that our children enjoyed this week. Harry was engaging, enthralling and came fully equipped with a variety of stories, artefacts and a wealth of information about the Victorian age and the inventor Isambard Kingdom Brunel. He brought the history to life in such a fun way! His behaviour management was excellent and being an experienced teacher/Headteacher, he perfectly judged the audience participation and was able to spot children who were happy to take part in each role and also support children who were not as confident to perform. We will definitely be having him back with another 'cadcharacter' (Burrington CofE Primary School, June 2023)
Thank you for such a fantastic Viking workshop on Wednesday. The children loved it and it really brought our topic to life, especially being able to look at and hold a number of the props. As well as being engaging and funny, the session was packed with historical learning and included lots of things we have covered and will be learning in the next few weeks. The mix of activities, storytelling, role play and discussion was just right and it was a fantastic addition to our Viking topic. The children have been talking about it non-stop since! Thank you so much again (Axbridge CofE First School Academy, June 2023)
Year 4 had a fantastic time when Harry visited, in the perfect role of an Anglo-Saxon! Harry was so knowledgeable and gave his knowledge to the children in such an engaging and child-friendly way. He had an extremely kind manner towards the children and made everything so fun and exciting. What we loved was that Harry made sure every single child felt included and made sure everyone left the room with brand new knowledge. We will definitely recommend you to other colleagues and of course, topics for us in the future! Thank you again for coming and being so great (Bournville Primary School, May 2023)
I just wanted to say a huge thank you for coming to Hutton as Mr Squires, the Victorian Headmaster yesterday. We all really enjoyed your lessons and it made the day much more memorable and interesting for everyone. One of the Reception class described you as 'the man who made us laugh' which I thought was brilliant! Look forward to working with you again in future.
(Hutton CofE Primary School, 150th Celebration, May 2023)
Harry’s visit absolutely captivated our Year 3 and 4 children. His subject knowledge was excellent and he used this to create a relevant and engaging drama that allowed all children to participate. It was a truly memorable experience that brought Brunel’s story to life! (Sidcot Junior School, May 2023)
Thank you Harry! The children are loving learning with you.
Thank you so much Eddie, your visit and videos have really brought this learning enquiry to life!
Thank you for all of your excellent videos. I think the children will always remember 'Eddie the Explorer.'
(St Anne's Church Academy, May 2023)
Sid the Air Raid Patrol Warden was great from start to finish. From the initial email stages, down to the day itself. WW2 is a heavy subject with lots of knowledge required. Harry used acting and getting the children involved to tell sections of the historic war. He brought in many resources and the children had great fun! Harry was in character from the moment the children entered inspecting the windows etc
(St Andrew's CofE Primary School, April 2023)
Wow, what a way to hook our Year 1 and 2 pupils into a brand new topic! Every child was enthused from start to finish. Harry carefully weaves historical concepts into the session whilst encouraging the children to learn, actively participate and have fun. The children are now very eager to learn more about The Great Fire of London. Would highly recommend Harry to any school! (Worle Village Primary School, April 2023)
Thank you so much for yesterday's visit from Eddie the Explorer ~ another amazing character from you. The children and teachers were so inspired and it is all the children are talking about. Thank you again ~ you were simply brilliant! (St Anne's Church Academy, April 2023)
Your portrayal of the Greek soldier was fantastic and really brought Ancient Greece to life for the year 5s. They thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on experience and getting involved with Ancient Greek life. The session was both educational and fun and will be one that they will remember - thank you.
(Winscombe Primary School, April 2023)
The children loved your visit thanks and are still talking about it days later. We've had feedback from parents to say that the children were excited to talk about Don Thomas at home - far more so than about any other experiences they've had this year. The children particularly enjoyed the parts about the astronaut training and what life is like in space. We've had lots of comments about 'sticky ketchup' and making sure that astronauts are careful with the toilet vacuum tube! The visit really helped to consolidate the learning that we've carried out on space and it was fantastic to see how excited the children were to share their knowledge and learn new facts too. Thanks Don Thomas for bringing our topic to life!
(West Leigh Infant School, March 2023)
Harry (Sir William) was absolutely fantastic and had the children hooked for the whole hour and 20 minutes. The children learnt so many facts about castles and castle life in such a fun and unique way. The children had a jousting battle and learnt medieval dancing as well as exploring and using the artefacts and props. Harry pitched it perfectly for Year 2 classes and the children have not stopped talking about him for the whole week. They cannot wait for him to visit again! (Portishead Primary School, March 2023)
World Book Day - 'The Jolly Postman' by Allan and Janet Ahlberg and 'The Butterfly Lion' by Michael Morpurgo. 'Thank you so much for today. It was absolutely brilliant and feedback has been so positive!'
(St Joseph's Catholic Primary and Nursery School, March 2023)
Thank you for the extra efforts you put into ‘becoming a new character’ by visiting the site in Westonzoyland and therefore being able to fulfil the role so well. It was a fantastic wow starter activity to our next history unit on the Battle of Sedgemoor. The pupils and staff learnt so much and the interactive nature of the session meant that the children’s recall of the event was much better. They enjoyed taking on the roles of rebels and members of the monarchy at the time in such a fun way. The opportunity to all join in with a March, dance or battle meant everyone had a part to play and the children weren’t just sat watching. Thanks again for a great session (St John and St Francis Church School, February 2023)
Dear Jethro ..........
'Thank you for visiting us and teaching us about the Great Fire of London. It was great fun'
'My favourite part was when the potty got stuck on my friends bottom'
'My favourite bit was when the rat was in the potty'
'It was funny when someones shoe came off. Thank you for coming to see us'
'I liked the bit when I was squirting the water'
'You were funny I liked you visiting us and now I miss you' (Becket Primary School, Y1 February 2023)
The children absolutely loved having you visit us and they talk about it all the time! We've just finished our children's comments for our reports and you have been mentioned a lot! Thank you.
(Becket Primary School, February 2023)
Thank you so much for today! The children loved learning all about Henry Viii, his wives and Tudor life. They were all so engaged and were still talking about it for the rest of the day. It was a pleasure having you join us (Haywood Village Academy, January 2023)
Thank you for visiting Reception class as Eddie the Explorer/Antarctica. The session was very informative, fun and engaging. The children enjoyed the afternoon and have been pretending to be explorers in the classroom with binoculars and cameras since your visit. They have also used boxes to build a boat which got stuck in the ice just like Shackleton's ship! (Kingshill Church School, January 2023)
It was great to have a visit from a 'real' Roman for our Year 3 children. Both classes had a fab morning and were engaged and enthralled with the workshop. Super value for money and an easy way to inspire and launch our new project (St Mark's Ecumenical Anglican/Methodist Primary School, January 2023)
Feedback from the Y2 children - 'I like how Jethro made the learning funny.' 'I thought he had lots of things we could touch from long ago.' 'I liked being the flames.' 'I thought the secret book was magical and I wanted to read Samuel Pepys' letters.' Feedback from staff - 'Harry always bring history to life and makes learning fun and engaging - thank you.' (St Francis Catholic Primary School, January 2023)
Thank you so much for the great day. The children still talk about it now! They absolutely loved it and were truly inspired. It has transformed their history learning as they have a new found interest because of your engaging session! We look forward to you visiting again (Haywood Village Academy, January 2023)
Thank you so much for Friday. The children absolutely loved it and haven't stopped talking about 'Captain William Scott'. Harry provided a great interactive session for our Year 1 children. He got them acting, singing and making sound effects. The children loved learning about London through the medium of one of the Royal Guards. This experience has inspired them so much that they have continued their learning into the next week of school (Churchfield Church School, January 2023)