Leamington school pupils first to test 'Covid-secure' educational escape room

YoYoJoy Escape Rooms has launched a new digital educational escape room, which has been tested for the first time with Covid-secure procedures by Year 4 and Year 6 pupils at Arnold Lodge School.

Pupils were the first to try the Egyptian-themed escape room which features three digital walls as a backdrop and one interactive screen to complete the puzzles and escape.

The session was led by Isabella James, Co-founder of the company who, in-character as an archeologist, helped the pupils to uncover the clues of King Tutankhamun’s tomb with fellow director Polly Evans who manages the technology behind the digital escape rooms.

She said: “We are so excited to be launching these brand new escape rooms, particularly using a local school to be the first to try it!

“Polly and I met at Playbox theatre before producing workshops for schools together for over 10 years. We decided to go freelance and try something different to create a new type of theatrical experience for pupils with these new escape rooms.

“We wanted Arnold Lodge to be the first to try the rooms as they have been incredibly supportive since we started working on the idea of educational escape rooms and the reaction from the pupils was fantastic – they thoroughly enjoyed trying it.”

The company is already planning future escape rooms for schools, including a World Book Day themed room inspired by classic children’s stories as well as a Stone Age room and a World War 2 code breaker themed room.

Isabella added: “We already have a number of bookings coming in from schools in the area wanting to experience a different and more interactive way for pupils to learn.

“All of our rooms are inclusive and appeal to different types of learners, encouraging creativity, thinking and listening skills, which is why they are already proving popular with local schools.”

Matt James, head of Juniors at Arnold Lodge School, said: “Working with YoYoJoy to help launch their first escape rooms and be the first to try it has been a pleasure – our pupils and teachers have thoroughly enjoyed trying to solve the puzzles.

“Polly and Isabella have created a new kind of learning experience for our upper Junior School pupils to try, which really helps pupils to get involved and work together to solve the problems in a fun environment.”

For more information on YoYoJoy visit https://www.yoyojoy.co.uk/ For Arnold Lodge School visit https://www.arnoldlodge.com/