London School one of the first to investigate new coins

Rivers Academy West London will be one of the first schools in the country to receive this lesson and get to investigate and touch the new King Charles coins

This exciting lesson explores the heritage and history of coinage, looking at their designs, their production and where they are used across the globe. It is a history, art and design curriculum-linked lesson, and is aimed at Year 6 primary and Year 7 secondary students.

Using imagery of the monarch on coins is a tradition which dates back thousands of years. This lesson allows pupils to discover more about the history and rich heritage of coinage in the UK, and why, with the recent change of monarch, the coins we all know and love are changing.

Rebecca Morgan, director of collector services, The Royal Mint said of the initiative:

“This really is a momentous occasion, and it is fantastic that students will have the opportunity to learn about the history and significance of this change with this live lesson. The Royal Mint is proud of the important part it plays in the management of the UK’s coinage and to share this with so many pupils across the UK and the globe really is very exciting.

Coins are miniature works of art, they tell us so much about history, and at such a pivotal time, it’s wonderful to see young people engaging with the coins bearing the new effigy of King Charles III and learning more about the role The Royal Mint plays in this transitional time. We also hope this encourages younger people to start their own coin collections.  With the first 50p going into circulation this week, it’s accessible to everyone and is a great time to start a new hobby.”

Luke Homer, principal at Rivers Academy West London, said: “We were thrilled that our Year 7 students were able to take part in this live lesson and to be one of the first schools in the country to learn about, investigate and touch the new coins. It’s important our students understand the history and heritage of coinage and this lesson ensured it was done in a way that was fun and interactive. 

“Rivers Academy West London is part of the Aspirations Academies Trust and our curriculum for pupils in Years 7 and 8 injects Applied Transdisciplinary Learning into the weekly timetable. This involves combining elements of different subjects and applying them to a real-world context to bring learning to life. This live lesson with the Royal Mint was a perfect example of how this works in practice. 

“At Rivers Academy West London, we also take cultural capital very seriously and the live lesson allowed us to bring a real world experience into the classroom virtually. The quality of it was superb and was as effective as being at the Royal Mint in person.”