This Teacher Fellowship programme is funded by the Visible Crown project in partnership with the Historical Association. The Visible Crown project is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

This funding ensures that attendance, accommodation and catering will be covered for all participants for the programme. Travel costs will be reimbursed.

The programme will be led by experienced history teacher educators Hannah Cusworth and David Rawlings. Participants will work closely with the programme leaders and the Visible Crown academic team, drawing on their professional expertise to extend their understanding of how to teach the history of the Caribbean and develop resources for classroom use.

The aim of this programme is to build a community of history teachers committed to developing their understanding of the British Empire through focussing on the Caribbean. In particular, it seeks to reframe how the topics of empire and decolonisation are taught in schools by considering the continued role of the British monarchy in former colonies.

The programme is split into multiple stages, which are outlined below.

Preparation

• • Once accepted onto the programme, we would expect participants to undertake some preparatory reading and complete introductory tasks.
• • Participants are expected to organise their own travel to Southampton for the residential and submit an expenses request.

 
Residential

• • The programme begins formally with an in-person residential from 11–13 September 2025 in Southampton. Attendance is compulsory and contribution to discussions is expected.

 
Online course

• • The programme continues in the autumn term with an 8-week online course which will take place from September to January 2026. Participants are expected to take an active part in the online course, posting and commenting in response to others each week. We expect a minimum of 3 hours each week to be spent reading, preparing for and participating in the online course discussions.

 
Resource development

• • Attendance is compulsory at a one-day workshop on Saturday 10 January 2026 to explore and agree course outcomes. Following this, participants will be expected to work on their outcome resource with support from the course leaders.
• • Outcome resource development and reflection. We would expect draft resources to be submitted in Spring 2026. Once feedback has been received, participants are expected to incorporate any revisions and trial the resource in class before submitting their final resource in Autumn 2026.

 
Resource editorial and publication

• • If participants wish for their resource to be published on the HA website, and provided it is assessed up to standard, they are expected to engage fully with the revision and editorial process until Spring 2027.

You will be awarded a Historical Association Teacher Fellowship on the successful creation and submission of a written resource for the benefit of other teachers by the end of the programme. Work will be assessed by a selection panel including representatives from the HA and project team. Please note that copyright for any material you produce during this programme will be assigned to the HA.

The programme is open to all UK secondary history teachers with a minimum of 3 years’ experience teaching history (including this academic year). Please note that greater weight will be given to those in state-funded schools. There are up to 10 places available on the programme.

Applicants must ensure that they have approval from their senior leadership team before applying and being accepted onto the programme. You will be asked to supply your headteacher's contact details should we need to contact them for a reference.

Successful applicants will need to be members of the HA at the time of commencing the programme (either individual or school membership).

Essential criteria

• • Commitment to enhancing the teaching of this subject in your school
• • Enthusiasm for your history teaching and developing your subject knowledge
• • An ability to plan rigorous and engaging learning
• • An ability to write for an audience of other teachers
• • Commitment to completing the programme and submitting an outcome resource

Desirable criteria

• • A reasonable background and working knowledge of the period
• • Experience in sharing your work with other teachers
• • Experience leading CPD or mentoring other teachers

 
Successful applicants will be expected to do some preparatory reading for the programme and will be supplied with a reading list accordingly.

Applications for the programme will be open until 10:00 on Monday 9 June 2025

Fill out the online application form here 

In addition to asking some personal information and reference details, the application form will ask the following questions.

• 1. Tell us why you want to join the programme, what you and your school hope to gain from your involvement, and why you think you are a suitable person to participate in this programme (maximum 5,000 characters, including spaces)
   
• 2. Outline a series of teaching activities or lessons that you are particularly proud of, reflecting upon how and why this has been a success. If you are unsure about the kind of thing you might choose, you could refer to Teaching History's Triumphs Show articles for inspiration (maximum 4,000 characters, including spaces)
   
• 3. Please submit an example of a teaching resource that you have written or worked on, e.g. lesson resource, scheme of work, curriculum map or other planning document. Ideally this would be the resource referred to in Question 2 above, and should preferably cover an aspect of the Teacher Fellowship content.
  
  

Applicants can expect to hear back from the selection panel by the end of the summer term.