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War memorials as a local history resource
Primary History article
War Memorials Trust (WMT) is the charity that works for the protection and conservation of war memorials in the UK. It defines a war memorial as ‘any physical object created, erected or installed to commemorate those involved in or affected by a conflict or war' (WMT 2009, ‘Definition of a...
War memorials as a local history resource
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Eweka's story: Benin and Big Picture History
Article
The prospect of teaching Benin as a non-European Study within the time frame 900-1300 AD is challenging! Traditional oral evidence suggests that the critical event during this period in Benin's past was a transition from the Ogiso to the Eweka Dynasty, named after its first Oba, which resulted in it...
Eweka's story: Benin and Big Picture History
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History and SEND: free taster films
Article
Do you struggle to engage your lower attaining or EAL pupils in their history lessons? Are you finding it difficult to ensure and demonstrate progression in history with these pupils?
In this series of short films Sue Temple, assistant programme lead (BA hons and early years) at the university of...
History and SEND: free taster films
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Film: A conversation on Goethe with A.N. Wilson
Article
In Goethe: His Faustian life, award-winning biographer, critic and writer A. N. Wilson tells the spellbinding story of the life of Goethe. From his youth as a wild literary prodigy, to his later years as Germany’s most heroic intellectual figure, Wilson hones in on Goethe’s undying obsession with the work he would spend his...
Film: A conversation on Goethe with A.N. Wilson
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Teaching and learning about Grace O'Malley as a significant woman at Key Stage 1
Article
"Why are you so angry Grace?" Teaching and learning about Grace O'Malley as a significant woman at Key Stage 1
Grace O'Malley was an Irish queen in the Tudor period and her story provides insights about life in Ireland at the time of the Elizabethan conquests. Grace, also known as...
Teaching and learning about Grace O'Malley as a significant woman at Key Stage 1
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Things to remember when planning history - one subject leader's list
Article
This section uses a practical example from one school where the subject leader produced general guidelines to schools and planning and teaching history.
Things to remember when planning history - one subject leader's list
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Case Study: Gifted Pupils design new children's museum galleries
Primary History case study
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
In this article I will describe a G&T museum-based project which we have just trialled with three primary schools in the Ashton Bedminster primary school cluster in Bristol. It was a joint initiative between Bristol’s...
Case Study: Gifted Pupils design new children's museum galleries
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History is literacy: 'doing history' with written and printed sources
Primary History article
Introduction: English, Literacy & History - The Bullock Report
In 1975 the British government published a very great and wise man, Lord Bullock's report, on the teaching of English. Lord Bullock, a world-class historian, worked closely and intensely with distinguished figures in the teaching of English [literacy]. Lord Bullock, with...
History is literacy: 'doing history' with written and printed sources
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History, citizenship and controversy
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Y4 question their MP about nuclear waste policy; Y6 survey people in their community and school about a proposed casino in their town, and feed back the information to the local council; children decide to...
History, citizenship and controversy
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Engaging with controversial issues through drama
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
The idea of children actively participating in their own education continues to be central to drama education. This same idea is also fundamental to the underlying ethos of citizenship education.There is a side to drama...
Engaging with controversial issues through drama
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Case Study: Constructing women's past and gender perspective
Primary History article
Pupils as Journalists
Background of the Study
Historiography has expanded to include all social groups and identities in the community. The social historiographical approach became extremely important in the 20th century (Cooper, 2007, pp. 41-2). In parallel with social historiography and related second wave feminism, women began to write their...
Case Study: Constructing women's past and gender perspective
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Working with other subject leaders
HA Primary Subject Leader Area
History has often been described as an umbrella subject. This is because the nature of history means that we must learn something about the past and this something will encapsulate learning from other subject areas. However, while the history taught in your school can be enriched by other subject areas,...
Working with other subject leaders
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How do we ensure really good local history in primary schools?
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Primary History regularly contains articles from teachers who have taken some aspect of their locality and turned it into a really good activity. Hundreds of OFSTED reports as well, comment on really good practice in...
How do we ensure really good local history in primary schools?
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Animation case study: Indus Valley figurines
Primary History case study
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum.
Since the advent of animation software for schools, I wanted to trial an animation project, inspired by the quirky human and animal figurines, model wheeled carts and toys, all of terracotta, from the Bronze Age Indus Valley civilisation which clamour for clay...
Animation case study: Indus Valley figurines
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Refined, high-class and thrilling entertainment!
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum.
There is a huge range of moving image material that provides, or purports to provide, direct documentary coverage of many historical events over the last 105 years. You can access much that is suitable for primary children from television and the video...
Refined, high-class and thrilling entertainment!
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Primary History summer resource 2022: Museum visits
Primary member resource
This year's free summer resource for primary members looks at making the most of museum visits.
Museums and sites provide rich sensory environments that engage children's curiosity and allow them to explore through all their senses. Museums and sites transmit the past through a variety of perspectives, provide authenticity and present historical evidence. The experiential nature of museum visits encourages genuine...
Primary History summer resource 2022: Museum visits
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Using museums, libraries and art galleries
Primary History article
Lessons for Sustainablility: From the Experiences of Early Primary Student Teachers
Student teachers, local museums, libraries and art galleries. This article is based on the experiences of student teachers on a BA (Hons) Early Primary Education Programme, during their placements in local Museums, Libraries and Art Galleries.
We asked students...
Using museums, libraries and art galleries
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Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 History (Early Years)
Primary History article
Please note: this resource pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content and links may be outdated.
History education needs to be placed in a wider pattern of curriculum development. Part I of this paper looks at general issues linking History with citizenship education and the early years. Part 2...
Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 History (Early Years)
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‘We built a museum’: What does your school resource room look like?
Primary History article
New Eltham in the Royal Borough of Greenwich had teachers and subject leaders tearing their hair out. Despite their best endeavours to keep it tidy, by the end of each half-term it always ended up in a mess. Those busy teachers that never put things back the way they found...
‘We built a museum’: What does your school resource room look like?
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Drama and role play
Primary History article
Drama and Role Play are powerful teaching approaches for language development. The themed edition of Primary History 48, Spring 2008 History, Drama and the Classroom provides a comprehensive introduction and detailed guidance to language development through roleplay and drama. PH 48 contains numerous case-studies illuminating a full range of approaches.
Case-Study...
Drama and role play
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Oracy and writing: Speaking, listening, discussion and debate
Primary History article
Editorial note: Writing is an outcome of its preparatory phase. In reviewing over fifty case-studies of writing and history for this edition of Primary History, it became clear that oracy is central to pupil development of written language, ideas and the formulation, planning, creation, drafting and revision of writing.
Introduction...
Oracy and writing: Speaking, listening, discussion and debate
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Poetic writing
Primary History article
Poetry is a major area for pupils creative and imaginative historical writing. Pupils writing historical poetry can draw upon a wide range of poetic modes, for example haikus, sonnets, blank verse. Poetry is an excellent vehicle for public presentation, with pupils reading their composition to their class members. To use...
Poetic writing
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In My View: Children Writing History
Primary History article
Getting ready
Before actually putting children to paper and pencil it is useful to spend some time clarifying the issues relating to the written task through other verbal media, which will help above all the least able pupils. We have found the following activities help children prepare for writing at...
In My View: Children Writing History
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Primary History at Key Stage 1
Primary Expert Podcasts
Please note: this resource pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum
In this series of podcasts Dr Penelope Harnett, UWE and Sarah Whitehouse Senior Primary Lecturer at University of the West of England examine good history at Key Stage 1.
1. Chronology
2. What should history at Key Stage 1 do? Local History
3....
Primary History at Key Stage 1
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Teaching Time
Primary History article
History is about time, it subsists in time, time is the medium by which it happens. No-one can deny the importance of time in teaching history, yet it is probably the one element that causes more dispute than any other. The meaning of time
Understanding time
There is time we...
Teaching Time
