8 minute read
Education
Make Dartmoor National Park’s medieval toothpaste
If you’re struggling with ideas to entertain young ones during the cold, wet and wintery days and dark nights, why not try making medieval toothpaste.
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Dartmoor National Park Authority has a wide selection of activities to entertain all ages throughout the year but have you ever wondered how our medieval ancestors cleaned their teeth? When we think of medieval times, we picture people with rotted and blackened teeth who used soot to polish them. Can you imagine a toothache with only the local blacksmith to pull out the off ending tooth? Ouch! However, twigs from the native hazel tree found in our upland Dartmoor oakwoods, were used as toothbrushes and called ‘cleaning twigs’. Follow the recipe below to fi nd out just how medieval people cleaned their teeth and to make your very own medieval toothpaste from herbs and rock salt. How does it compare with the toothpaste you use today? Health and Safety: although these recipes are not intended to be consumed do consider any allergies before using.
You will need:
• Pestle and mortar • Cloves • Rock salt • Fresh or dried herbs Method:
1. Ideally, gather some herbs from your garden if you have some growing. Otherwise, you will fi nd bagged herbs in most supermarkets. Put a small handful of cloves into the mortar. These can be whole cloves or ready ground. Cloves an analgesic which means they stop your nerves from feeling pain.
School Drive, Woolwell, Plymouth PL6 7TH 01752 696616 woolwell@bambinosdaynursery.co.uk www.bambinosdaynursery.co.uk 2. Add a small handful of rock salt and a little water. Salt will clean any infections from sores in your mouth and help things heal. You can experiment with different fl avours of toothpaste with different fl avours of herbs. Sage works well or rosemary, or mint of course, which we still use for fresh breath today. 3. Crush the contents with the pestle. This is hard work so stick at it. When you have a smooth paste, not too wet, wrap it in a leaf as there were no toothpaste tubes invented in medieval times. 4. Try it on your teeth. Either use your fi nger or carefully with the end of a small hazel twig. Rinse out and don’t swallow.
So, what do you think? Is it pleasant or did you pull a face? Will you swap it for the face? Will you swap it for the toothpaste you use today? toothpaste you use today? Would you have liked to Would you have liked to have lived in medieval times? If you had a toothache there were no dentists to fi ll in holes or give fi llings. Can you imagine having your teeth pulled out without an anaesthetic? Try this on your friends and family and see what they think. n
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Life in the 21st century places complex demands on young people, and we know that when GCSE-level students are considering which step to take next, it can feel like they have to make a choice between pursuing academic excellence or learning the vocational skills that will best prepare them for their future careers.
That’s why, in addition to our creative UAL Level 3 Extended Diplomas in Creative Practice, we’re the first non-private education provider in the South West to offer students aged 16 to 19 the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) alongside their Extended Diploma. The IBCP gives students a competitive advantage when entering Higher Education or moving directly into their chosen industry. Lauren Pemberton, who studied IB English Literature, IB Psychology and a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design, said: “Since coming to Plymouth College of Art instead of staying at Sixth Form at my old school, I feel like I really fit in. You’re allowed to be your own person here, whereas school felt restrictive.” Our students go on to establish careers across a range of disciplines - from writing their own bestselling books like Florence Given, who graduated in 2017 from our Fashion & Textiles course, to producing music videos for Cardi B, Dua Lipa and Kanye West like Pablo Jones-Soler who graduated in 2010. Other graduates have gone on to study at world renowned universities - Xanthe Burdett completed a UAL Foundation Diploma in Art & Design at Plymouth College of Art in 2014, and went on to study Education, English and Drama at Cambridge University. On Results Day in Summer 2021, Robyn De Jager, who studied IB Environmental Science and Systems, IB Psychology, and a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Art & Design, said: “Studying at Plymouth College of Art has been great. Compared to friends who stayed on at grammar school for Sixth Form, we’ve felt like we have been treated like adults and have developed better relationships with our teachers here at Plymouth College of Art.” The results our students achieve demonstrate the positive impact our creative learning environment has; in 2021 52% of Plymouth College of Art UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma students obtained a Distinction, which is equivalent to 3 A*s at A-level or 168 UCAS points.
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UAL Level 3 Extended Diplomas
We offer six different pathways to specialised creative qualifications, designed by artists, designers and performers. Awarded by University of the Arts London (UAL), they are equivalent to three full A-Levels or a maximum of 168 UCAS points, and are recognised by UCAS, and by creative industry employers. Pathways include: Art & Design Photography Film, Animation & Media Production Graphics, Illustration & Game Arts Fashion & Textiles Performing and Production Arts
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If an Extended Diploma is not quite right for you, we also offer a Foundation Diploma. This is a chance for students to spend a year discovering, experimenting and exploring across a wide range of disciplines – as well as maximising their chances of gaining a First if they decide to progress on to degree-level study.
Find out more about our Post-16 courses at one of our upcoming Open Days, or visit our website: www.plymouthart.ac.uk/study/pre-degree
City College students get industry experience at sell-out gig
Agroup of Live Events Production students from City College Plymouth were able to watch the arena set up when platinum-selling Nothing But Thieves came to Plymouth Pavilions to play their sell-out gig recently. Invited by the production team it was a rare chance for the students to witness fi rsthand everything that goes into a large event. Nothing But Thieves is one of a handful of huge performances at the arena. Live Events Production is a full-time level three diploma, one of many vocational courses off ered by City College. The advanced programme equivalent to A-levels provides students with the knowledge, understanding and skills that they need to prepare for employment or university study in related subjects. Students gain experience working on set, building stage, designing and rigging lights, engineering sound and performing stage management operations in a wide range of settings inside and outside of the college. Tanya Head, the college’s director of creative, science and digital industries, said: ‘The college prides itself on providing students with valuable industry experiences to support their developing skills and knowledge. The opportunity to attend the set-up for a high-profi le event such as this will be, undoubtedly, a memorable experience for these students and will motivate them to continue working hard to be a part of the industry they love. ‘On behalf of the students and staff , I would like to thank both Plymouth Pavilions, the promoter and the band themselves for facilitating this experience.’ The Nothing But Thieves gig has been eagerly anticipated since going on sale, the bands most recent album Moral Panic reached number 3 in the UK charts and includes the massive tracks ‘Is Everyone Going Crazy?’, ‘Impossible’ and ‘Real Love Song’. ‘It was great for us to be a part of what the students were able to experience today,’ said Eryn Coupe, arena supervisor. ‘My fi rst gig was at Plymouth Pavilions; I went on to study music management and have now come back to Plymouth to carry on my career. I hope to see some of today’s students back here working in the industry in the future!’ n
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