This writing competition seeks to encourage young people to express their creative sides alongside a strong understanding of a historical period, event or theme. This year despite restrictions, further lockdowns and uncertainty the number and quality of entries remained high, as well as being imaginative, exciting, well researched and a...

The HA Virtual Branch is a great way to keep your history up-to-date, whether you are working or relaxing, all from the comfort of your home. The Virtual Branch is free and open to everybody, and recordings of the talks are made available online after the event for HA members....

In the autumn 2021 edition of HA News we have a number of articles looking at aspects of membership, including a history of HA membership (it's all gone a bit meta!), but we also have some stories that will appeal to all. There's a short history of Berlin to tie in...

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing as the news began to reach me about there being a terrorist attack in the United States. It didn’t seem real and if I hadn’t been working in Westminster where these things are taken very seriously, I might not...

On 5 July 2021 the government launched a consultation into proposals for reform of initial teacher training in England following a review of the market. The recommendations are part of wider reforms to initial teacher training. The proposals outlined in the consultation included the extension of courses to allow for...

We are pleased to announce the shortlist for this year’s Young Quills. You can read the young people's reviews of each book via the link from the book title: Books in the 5–9 years category:  Title Author Publisher Children of the Benin Kingdom Dinah Orji  Dinosaur Books Ltd Daisy and the...

Ofsted writes: The study of history can bring pupils into a rich dialogue with the past and with the traditions of historical enquiry. In this report, Ofsted have: outlined the national context in relation to history considered curriculum progression in history, pedagogy, assessment and the impact of school leaders’ decisions on provision...

6-9 years category: The Closest Thing to FlyingBy Gill Lewis, Oxford University Press 10-13 years category: Our Castle by the SeaBy Lucy Strange, Chicken House 14 years + category: The Stolen OnesBy Vanessa Curtis, Usborne Publishing  Highly commended: 6-9 years category: Winter of the Wolves By Tony Bradman, Bloomsbury 10-13...

So, we didn’t all get to pack into a room together and chat loudly and sort through our new canvas HA bag this year, but we did still have a conference. A second year done using digital technology rather than meeting up face-to-face – and a second success. We built...

In this Virtual Branch talk best-selling author and renowned historian Marc Morris joined us to discuss the process of researching for, structuring and writing his new book The Anglo-Saxons: a history of the beginnings of England.  Drawing on a vast range of original evidence - chronicles, letters, archaeology and artefacts - Morris's...