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Teaching the Ancient Greeks
Primary History article
Ancient Greece has been part of the primary national curriculum since its inception in 1991 so you may already have a viable scheme of work and classroom resources in place. However, this is not a reason for eschewing the opportunity to review what you are doing, especially to explore how...
Teaching the Ancient Greeks
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Literacy, text-genres and history: reading and learning from difficult and challenging texts
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum.
This paper examines the application of TEXT-BREAKER to a year 3 class being taught a history text in the Literacy hour. The context was the Romans, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings in Britain Study Unit of the National Curriculum for History (DFE, 1995). Within...
Literacy, text-genres and history: reading and learning from difficult and challenging texts
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Victorian child labour in textile factories
Lesson Plan
Please note: this free resource pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum. For more recent resources see:
Victorians (Primary History article, 2014)
Scheme of work: Sarah Forbes Bonetta
Scheme of work: Brunel
What was life like for workhouse children in the early nineteenth century?
The aims of the lesson were for children...
Victorian child labour in textile factories
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Film: What is a curriculum?
Article
In this short film Steve Mastin outlines the HA's approach to curriculum plans and what to look for in a good scheme of work.
Film: What is a curriculum?
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Urban spaces
Lesson Resources
Please note: these free resources pre-date the 2014 National Curriculum. For a more recent resource see Scheme of work: Local history - the story of our high street.
1. Urban spaces near you: cross-curricular work
History, Literacy, Art & Design, Science: ideas and activities. Citizenship too. These materials are based on...
Urban spaces
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Teaching the Romans in Britain: a study focusing on Hadrian’s Wall
Primary History article
The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain is a unit of work in the Key Stage 2 history curriculum – and focusing on Hadrian’s Wall is one of the optional aspects suggested for study; although I would argue that the ‘successful invasion and conquest by Claudius’ aspect should be...
Teaching the Romans in Britain: a study focusing on Hadrian’s Wall
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Alternative Suggestions to the QCA Planning
Briefing Pack
In the light of recent uncertainties about the new Primary Curriculum, we at the HA felt that it might be helpful to teachers in schools looking to adapt next year's planning to have a few alternative ideas at their fingertips. Those topics identified contain links to medium term plans that are...
Alternative Suggestions to the QCA Planning
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The Coronation of King Charles III
Resources for Key Stages 1 and 2
2023 will see the first coronation of a British monarch for 70 years. Only those now in their 70s or above will remember the last one. The UK is the only country in Europe still to carry out a coronation, a ceremony that has its roots in traditions over a...
The Coronation of King Charles III
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Identifying the potential of history in teaching Citizenship at KS1 and KS2
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the current National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Following the publication of the QCA guide ‘Citizenship and PSHE at KS1 & 2’ (QCA:2000) which identified history as being a suitable vehicle for the teaching of the non-statutory citizenship framework in primary schools, and...
Identifying the potential of history in teaching Citizenship at KS1 and KS2
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Indus Valley KS2 Commonwealth Institute resources
KS2 Indus Resources
When the Indus Valley was first included in the English National Curriculum, the Commonwealth Institute, London, commissioned a teaching & activity pack, published 1995. Its' sections covered key questions and aspects of the topic, offering a choice of activities andapproaches. It was recommended by QCA (QCDA) in the 1998 non-statutory...
Indus Valley KS2 Commonwealth Institute resources
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How to teach chronology
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum. For more recent resources see:
Chronology: Developing a coherent knowledge (2014)
Scheme of work (KS2): Chronology: Books through time
Scheme of work (KS2): Chronology: Numbers through time
Britain and World timeline 4000-2000BC
Britain and World timeline 2000BC to 0BC
Britain and World timeline, 0BC...
How to teach chronology
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Monitoring, evaluating and planning the History National Curriculum: the role of the QCA
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum.
The role of the History Team at QCA includes keeping under review the curriculum, assessment and qualifications. We have been involved in consulting on and providing advice to the DfES on the revisions to the National Curriculum, we have worked with the...
Monitoring, evaluating and planning the History National Curriculum: the role of the QCA
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Teaching sensitive subjects: slavery and Britain’s role in the trade
Primary History article
See also:
Teaching Slavery - HA guide
Slavery in Britain
Sarah Forbes Bonetta - scheme of work
Teaching Emotive and Controversial History
Diversity guidance for primary teachers and subject leaders
Slavery is a part of our history, and its impact can be seen in the statues of influential men, the...
Teaching sensitive subjects: slavery and Britain’s role in the trade
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Developing early history skills and understanding through the EYFS
Primary History article
Read more like this:
EYFS scheme of work
EYFS Medium term plan: Toys and Games
Early Years Foundation Stage (article)
Early Years: learning about the past (article)
Using 'Development Matters' in the Foundation Stage (article)
For many children, going to nursery school is a key part of their day. It...
Developing early history skills and understanding through the EYFS
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The Olympics
HA Quick Guides
The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games look set to be an expression of an ultra-modern Britain. Yet they boast a legacy that dates back to Ancient Greece. There is a heritage of rich material for the primary history subject leader to mine and slot in alongside existing or newly...
The Olympics
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Effective Primary History Teaching, Challenges and Opportunities
Primary History article
“It’s like they’ve gone up a year!” This was the unprompted observation of a teaching assistant at Buckden Primary School last summer, supporting Giles Fullard, a secondary history teacher from Hinchingbrooke School, near Huntingdon leading a lesson with a year 6 class on “Was Boudicca Britain’s first hero?” The scheme...
Effective Primary History Teaching, Challenges and Opportunities
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Reading Sources Using Textbreaker
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Pages 8-9 detail how functional literacy's concept of genre resulted in the creation of Textbreaker to empower pupils to ‘read' all historical sources, but especially those previously thought too hard for them to tackle. Below is...
Reading Sources Using Textbreaker
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Did all Ancient Greek women stay at home and weave?
Primary History article
We tend to focus on the bigger picture in teaching on the Ancient Greeks – democracy; Olympic Games; architecture; theatre; myths and legends – but children love the minutiae of everyday life. And half of the population of Ancient Greece was female. So just what part in life did women play? And how different was it to that of men?...
Did all Ancient Greek women stay at home and weave?
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Researching History - Time travellers and Role Players
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
‘Ok children, time for history.'
Distant moans from the back of the class. Would I be surprised by this reaction? No, not if the teacher was diligently following the QCA guidelines for teaching history. Yes, if...
Researching History - Time travellers and Role Players
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Summary of Key Changes to Primary Curriculum for 2014
Briefing Pack
Following the publication of the final programmes of study and through talking to primary teachers at regional events, it has come to our attention that there is still a great deal of confusion surrounding the final programmes of study for history about what is statutory, what is not, what can...
Summary of Key Changes to Primary Curriculum for 2014
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Ankhu and Nebu of Deir el Medina
Primary History article
Perhaps the hardest skill to develop in history is a sense of period. What was it really like to live in Ancient Egypt? Who should we study? Or, in this case, which workers were typical? Were these craftsmen in Deir el Medina typical of all the workers in Egypt? Or...
Ankhu and Nebu of Deir el Medina
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Webinar on demand: Planning a Primary Platinum Jubilee
Webinar: 70 suggestions for a whole school celebration
This free member webinar offers lots of suggestions for a whole school celebration in primary schools from EYFS to Year 6. Find out about educational, engaging enquiry-based activities to enhance learning in EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 National Curriculum units, while having fun, marking 70 years of...
Webinar on demand: Planning a Primary Platinum Jubilee
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Roman Britain: a brief history
Reference guide for primary
This resource is free to everyone. For access to hundreds of other high-quality resources by primary history experts along with free or discounted CPD and membership of a thriving community of teachers and subject leaders, join the Historical Association today
From the founding of the city of Rome in the...
Roman Britain: a brief history
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Britain and the wider world in Tudor times
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum.
The first two articles in this series introduced three generic principles which might underpin planning a scheme of work in the KS2 History Curriculum. Article 1 (Jan 2001) drew on contemporary history to analyse and explain the principles. Article 2 (May 2001)...
Britain and the wider world in Tudor times
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The Roman army: Spy!
Lesson Plan
Please note: this lesson was produced as part of the Nuffield Primary History project (1991-2009) and pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum. It is part of a full sequence of lessons available here.
The year 5/6 class visited Julius Caesar's camp before he invaded Britain in 55 BC. I wanted the children to get...
The Roman army: Spy!
