Editorial

Read Primary History 87

This edition is the second to be produced during the pandemic and hopefully the last. Potentially when the summer edition comes out we will be looking back at this most strange of times. My admiration goes out to all the committed, hardworking and exhausted class teachers trying to find ways to engage children now that the days are dark and short and the novelty of remote learning has long gone. A heartfelt thank you and well done to all of you who have contributed so steadfastly to supporting children’s learning. If history teaches us anything it is that it is cyclical, that humans periodically need to re-examine and re-experience situations, but that also, difficult times can be overcome. We hope that this edition will give you some ideas to build on and develop once a more normal teaching situation returns.

Pedagogy

Helen Crawford explains what to consider in relation to the new EYFS. Tim Jenner, the new History Subject Lead for Ofsted shares some observations that provide useful points to consider when evaluating our own practice. Tim Lomas contributes suggestions to develop effective feedback and assessment.

Practice

George Skinner and Judith Peel share a wonderful project that their village school undertook to remember wartime evacuees. The project clearly inspired the children and came to involve the whole community. Darius and Carol Jackson shared a ‘Mantle of the Expert’ activity that encouraged children to compare the contributions of Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings looking across the periods. This developed creativity and problem solving. Tracey Wire and Kate Thomson demonstrated how to use archives for a local history project.

Subject knowledge

Alf Wilkinson links a long-ago volcanic explosion in Iceland to Bronze Age climate change, enabling us to look at wider environmental concerns. What do a crime writer, a pair of married archaeologists, monumental construction and golden treasure have in common? Susie Townsend will lead you through ancient Sumer to find out. And how about curry, now a British staple: how did it make its debut in Britain? Find out about Hannah Glasse and Sake Dean Mahomed. Finally, Penelope Harnett explores the ancient village of Eyam and the sacrifices the villagers made in a previous plague situation.

Our anniversary this edition is Decimalisation Day, 15 February 1971 (fifty years ago). Ask those that remember what their favourite coin was. Personally, I still mourn the loss of the silver sixpence whose largesse would allow the purchase of several bars of chocolate.