Between its beginning in 2014 and its AHRC funding in 2023 the ancient schoolroom grew steadily, both in terms of the number of events held and in terms of the number of activities offered.

In January 2016 there were two days of ancient schoolroom. We lost the Roman food and the gift shop on offer in 2014 but added a workshop on Roman graffiti. Four schools sent groups (totalling 75 children and 9 teachers), and c. 35 people (children and parents) came independently, including a large group of homeschoolers. Nineteen volunteers produced the event, including several from outside Reading.

In June and July 2017 there were seven days of ancient schoolroom. We regained the Roman food and the gift shop, kept all the other activities from earlier years, and added Latin, Greek, and a workshop on Roman inkwells. Eight schools (including three subsidised by Reading’s Widening Participation programme) sent groups (totalling 203 children and 9 teachers), the Reading branch of the Young Archaeologists’ Club sent 33 children, and c. 30 people (children, parents, and trainee teachers) came independently. Twenty volunteers produced the event, some coming from as far as Edinburgh for the experience.

In January 2019 there were three days of ancient schoolroom. We lost the Roman food (permanently, we fear) but kept all the other activities from 2017 and added a workshop on the Roman calendar. Two schools sent groups (totalling 64 children and 4 teachers), and c. 20 people (children and parents) came independently. Fifteen volunteers produced the event, some coming from as far as the Netherlands for the experience.

In January 2020 there were six days of ancient schoolroom. We kept all the activities from 2019 except the calendar workshop and added pottery painting, pen making, geometry, and spoken Latin, the last provided by a magnificent team from the Oxford Latinitas Society. Three schools sent groups (totalling 76 children and 6 teachers), and c. 60 people (children and parents) came independently, including a group of homeschoolers. Twenty-eight volunteers produced the event, several coming from outside Reading.

The ancient schoolroom had to close during the pandemic but reopened in 2023.