A free event to help Ipswich primary school teachers share their love of history with their pupils will take place later this month.

The Continuous Professional Development (CPD) day will take place on Thursday, November 21, at St Peter's by the Waterfront church in College Street.

It is a building chosen by Thomas Wolsey as the chapel for his planned college.

It is being organised by the Wolsey 550 project an initiative led by business organisation Ipswich Central and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund along with other businesses and organisations in the town.

Wolsey 550 aims to improve social mobility and aspiration in Ipswich with a focus on young people and by promoting awareness of the town's history as one of the oldest Anglo-Saxon towns.

Over a 550-day period from autumn 2023 to last month a series of vents, exhibitions, activities and a major education programme took place over a 550-day period to promote the legacy of Ipswich's most famous son.

Following a community grant from Suffolk County Council's £2 million Ipswich Investment fund which will allow the work of Wolsey 550 to continue until March 2025. 

Thomas Wolsey 550 have teamed up with local education consultant and teacher Dale Banham to develop free-to-use online educational resources alongside the CPD day.

Running from 9.30am to 3.30pm the CPD day will discuss recent Ofsted guidance, give teachers access to free schemes of work and explain how culture and the creative sector can help improve pupils’ performance.

Places on the course are limited and must be booked in advance with refreshments and lunch provided.

State schools can claim a contribution of £130 towards the cost of cover for one teacher per school who attends the event. 

Education and opportunities lead with the Thomas Wolsey 550 project, Hannah Houghton said: “ I guarantee that anyone who comes along on 21st will go home with a whole suite of materials, ideas and links that will really help them bring history to life in the classroom – while absolutely meeting the requirements of the national curriculum and Ofsted’s most recent guidance for teaching history."