General

When considering planning for any topic perhaps the first question should be to question your rationale for teaching this topic and how it relates to wider issues such as diversity, learning outside the classrooms, and whether to teach history discreetly or as a part of meaningfully linked cross curricular approach. In this section, you will find articles, guides, resources that will support you to develop your planning and helping children to make progress.

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  • A History of the World: 100 objects that tell a story

    Article

    ‘A History of the World in 100 Objects' was the most creative, imaginative and dynamic development in primary History Education for thirty years. It ties in perfectly with and supports the government's draft NC for History...

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  • A view from the classroom

    Article

    The end of one school year and the beginning of a new one is always a time for reflection. If it coincides with moving classrooms and changing key stage too, as I am from KS1 to KS2, there is a good opportunity to sort out resources, and plan a fresh...

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  • Archaeology: A view from the classroom

    Article

    Please note: this article pre-dates the current National Curriculum and some content and references are outdated. Perhaps it is the earthiness of the ground beneath our feet which arouses pupils' curiosity. Or maybe, the idea of the unexpected with the hope of finding something precious or unusual, that is so engaging about archaeology....

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  • Archives in Primary History

    Article

    In this series of podcast Sue Temple, Senior Lecturer in Primary History at the University of Cumbria looks at the value of using archives in the primary history classroom:

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  • Artefacts and art facts: images of Sir Francis Drake

    Article

    Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content and links may be outdated. Editorial note: This article reveals the power of the Internet in helping us all, adults and children, to bring portraits like Drake's to life. So, as you read, follow the links.

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  • Asking the right questions. A study of the ability of KS2 children to devise and use questions as part of their own research

    Article

    Enquiry is an essential part of teaching history in the primary classroom. Asking and answering questions and selecting information relevant to the focus of an enquiry are important skills for young historians. Children often have much experience in answering questions in history and much has been written about developing children’s...

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  • Bring on the iPad revolution

    Article

    The opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic games celebrated change whilst demonstrating the challenges revolutions have on the world. From green pastures to belching chimneystacks, from post-war Britain to the World Wide Internet and text messaging, the way society interacts is changing at an incomprehensible rate. The same could be...

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  • Britain from the Iron Age to Robin Hood

    Article

    ‘...if children are to ever fully appreciate history the development of historical time has to be central to our teaching methodologies' This lesson aims to provide an overview of this period, developing pupils' sense of chronology and their understanding of cause and consequence. The context for these ideas comes from...

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  • Britain, Europe and the World?

    Article

    Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated. With the current debate on what content we should teach, and especially with the focus on pupils understanding the history of Britain before they leave school, it is perhaps pertinent to ask how this should link...

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  • Case Study: Historical information and the local community

    Article

    The ICT revolution A paper register, a pink-lined A4 mark book and a written school log book are surely historical artefacts? The transition from paper to digital technology continues, changing the world of the classroom teacher whose working life like mine, began in the print age when digital-based education was...

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  • Curriculum Planning: which non-European society might we offer at school?

    Article

    A non-European society that provides contrasts with British history - one study. chosen from: early Islamic civilization, including a study of Baghdad c. AD 900; Mayan civilization c. AD 900; Benin (West Africa) c. AD 900-1300. That's quite clear then - there's a choice between early Islam, Central America or...

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  • Doing History with Objects

    Article

    IntroductionI was talking about ‘Doing History' with historical artefacts and objects with a young teacher when she closed the discussion with the statement ‘It's alright for you, you're old, your house is full of old things - how do I get them?' Alas - I had to agree with her,...

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  • English Heritage's Heritage Explorer

    Article

    Diogenes - Waving not drowning: English Heritage's Heritage Explorer [THINK BUBBLE, has burst, r.i.p... Diogenes, a curmudgeonly Ancient Greek cynic, has taken its place. The original Grumpy Old Man Diogenes typically looks back to a mythical golden age] Introduction Unfortunately I'm old enough to remember a time when primary school...

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  • Extending Primary Children's thinking through artefacts

    Article

    Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated. A research project was carried out with Maltese primary school children at San Andrea Infant and Middle school to see if learning strategies could accelerate pupils' cognitive development. The research involved a range of historical sources:...

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  • Film: Making an effective History curriculum

    Article

    Richard Kennett is a senior leader, teacher, blogger, text-book author and member of HA secondary committee. In November 2018, Richard visited the Yorkshire History Forum to talk about his school’s experience of reviewing and re-planning their Key Stage 3 curriculum. This film is of Richard’s keynote speech at the Forum....

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  • Helping pupils to view historical film critically

    Article

    Introduction: The teaching potential of film Films about historical events seem like the nearest thing we can give our pupils to a time machine. In commercial film, the physical appearance of the past has often been carefully researched, thus a snippet from Gladiator, for example, can give pupils some idea of...

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  • History, artefacts and storytelling in the 2011 primary curriculum

    Article

    Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated. This article will argue that although history can seem a ‘hard' discipline for young children, it can be made accessible and exciting through telling stories about objects. The article does not contain advice about obtaining objects:...

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  • How diverse is your history curriculum?

    Article

    The past was full of diverse people and our students are entitled to learn about this diverse past. History lessons should enable students to see their connection to the past and to understand the world today. Here are a list of questions for history teachers to use to support a...

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  • Ideas for Assemblies: Lest we forget

    Article

    Over the next three editions of Primary History our assemblies pages will be linked to the theme of commemorating the First World War. We have found that while many teachers wish to remember these events in school, they are unsure how to approach the subject with primary aged children. It...

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  • Including the Muslim Contribution in the National Curriculum for History

    Article

    History education has a key role to play in creating the informed, critical attachment of young people to the nation and in creating the feeling that young people belong and can participate in national life. The Curriculum for Cohesion Team, comprising Muslim and non-Muslim academics and community leaders, believes that...

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