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Language and communication in the ancient world
Primary History article
At the beginning of the year, I really enjoyed accompanying a school trip to see the excellent Tutankhamun exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London. One of the many treasures that was on display was a gilded wooden and ivory case which the young Egyptian king would have used to...
Language and communication in the ancient world
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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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Curriculum plan: Anglo-Saxons and Vikings
Primary History, Years 5 and 6
Welcome to our new-look curriculum plans. Log in below to access the unit.
This scheme of work is designed to meet the requirements of two National Curriculum study units at Key Stage 2, sequenced as continuous planning: ‘Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots’ and ‘The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for...
Curriculum plan: Anglo-Saxons and Vikings
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Podcast: Latin Poets and their Role in Roman Society
The Latin Poets
In this podcast Dr Joanna Paul & Dr Paula James of the Open University discuss the role and significance of the Latin Poets in Roman society.
Podcast: Latin Poets and their Role in Roman Society
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Celebrating Success: Quality Mark
London Fields Primary School achieves Gold Award Quality Mark
London Fields is a larger than average primary school situated in Hackney, east London. The school was rated Outstanding by Ofsted in 2011 and again in 2015. The school has a challenging context with free school meals, minority ethnic groups and English as an Additional Language all far in excess...
Celebrating Success: Quality Mark
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Engaging places with KS2
Article
Engaging Pupils: An A Level student describes her experience of collaborative working with Key Stage 2.When the students at Thamesview Vocational Centre found out we were working with the local junior school, Riverview Primary, we were quite surprised. We had been working on the Engaging Places project which was a...
Engaging places with KS2
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Curriculum plan: Stone Age to Iron Age
Primary History, Years 5 and 6
Welcome to our new look curriculum plans. Log in below to access the unit.
This scheme of work is designed to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum study unit at Key Stage 2 ‘Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age’. It is made up of 6...
Curriculum plan: Stone Age to Iron Age
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Thinking about questions to ask a sailor who knew Christopher Columbus
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the current National Curriculum and some content and links may be outdated.
The drama was an element in teaching a topic on Columbus with a class of 6-7 year old pupils. The Scheme of Work's title was WATER which lasted six weeks. The history element lasted...
Thinking about questions to ask a sailor who knew Christopher Columbus
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Using ancient monuments to help teach about pre-Roman times in Britain
Primary History article
It is inconceivable that anyone teaching ancient Britain has not used some of the famous sites such as Stonehenge, Avebury, Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar or Stones of Stenness. They are vital sources of information for this period of history and the teaching usually introduces the element of mystery...
Using ancient monuments to help teach about pre-Roman times in Britain
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Short course: Britain and the Romans | Sessions and resources
HA short course
Sessions and resources
Thank you for joining our short course ‘Britain and the Romans’.
Below you will be able to access the resources that make up the accompanying module, providing a wealth of pamphlets, articles and podcasts. These resources are completely optional but may augment your learning.
All session recordings will...
Short course: Britain and the Romans | Sessions and resources
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Victorians
Primary History article
The Victorians is a much-loved unit of work in many schools and some teachers were disappointed to see it had been removed but there are still ways to continue to teach it under the 2014 National Curriculum. In many localities there will be a huge variety of Victorian buildings - including...
Victorians
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Teaching the Assyrians for KS2
Pamphlet
Assyria was one of the Great Powers of the Ancient World. (They have been called the 'Romans of the East'.) From the early ninth to the lat seventh century BC they played an important part in history. At the heigh of their power the Assyrians controlled a vast area from...
Teaching the Assyrians for KS2
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Making the most of a census
Primary History article
This article looks at how children can utilise and manipulate mathematical data to make sense of a historic past. The focus is on helping children see the numbers as a resource for understanding the experiences of those that lived in this place.
Aim: Understand historical concepts such as continuity and...
Making the most of a census
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Young Quills 2025 – the winners
The Young Quills Awards for best historical fiction for young people
Each year, the Historical Association runs the Young Quills, a competition for published historical fiction for children and young adults (14+). The Young Quills books for each year must be published for the first time in English in the year preceding the competition – so 2024 for this year’s selection....
Young Quills 2025 – the winners
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One of my favourite history places: Hadrian's Wall
Article
Choosing Hadrian’s Wall as one of my favourite places is a bit of a cheat really as it is a 73-mile-long (80 Roman miles) wall punctuated with a whole range of 20 individual sites each worth a visit; from mile castles and forts to desolate sections with fabulous views or...
One of my favourite history places: Hadrian's Wall
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History in the Early Years: Bringing the Romans to life
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the current National Curriculum and some content and references are outdated.
Children arrive at school or nursery with their personal, unique mental ‘models’ of the world. the challenge for us is to expand these so that increasingly the pupils will be able rationally to make sense of the...
History in the Early Years: Bringing the Romans to life
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Diversity in Primary History
Primary History articles and resources
There has been much emphasis on ensuring that we teach a balanced history curriculum which reflects diversity. Teachers often ask the Historical Association where they can get their ideas and find examples of good practice. From the start, the journal Primary History has addressed the many strands of a diverse...
Diversity in Primary History
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Primary History 45: History in the Foundation and Early Years
The primary education journal of the Historical Association
04 Editorial
05 2006-2007 Historical Association History and ICT project — Alf Wilkinson
08 Citizenship: Citizenship through the English National Curriculum’s The Romans In Britain Study Unit — Hilary Claire
10 In my view: consigning history to the history books — Denis Hayes
11 Introducing history into the KS1 curriculum...
Primary History 45: History in the Foundation and Early Years
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Citizenship: The Romans in Britain study unit
Article
The english government has identified History in the national curriculum as one of the main vehicles for citizenship education. However, even if various issues in History exemplify citizenship concepts, learning about them during history lessons will not be sufficient to make the learning ‘citizenship education’. We have to move on...
Citizenship: The Romans in Britain study unit
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History and language
Primary History article
Pupil writing is present at every point in studying history - from initial questioning to the writing and presentation of a finished piece of work. Children continually explore, acquire and build upon both existing and new historical vocabulary and phrases, p. 30. Writing depends totally upon pupils' linguistic knowledge and...
History and language
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Teaching diversity through drama
Article
Teaching diversity through drama at the Museum of London: Stories of London people
From Roman times to the present, London has been shaped by the diversity of its people. London is home to500 different nationalities, 300 different languages,14 major faiths and a host of other religions. The Museum of London...
Teaching diversity through drama
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Thematic or topic based whole school curriculum planning
Primary History article
Creative curricular planning With the National Curriculum under review, it seems that more schools are taking a creative approach to planning by delivering the curriculum through a focused theme or topic. This has allowed schools to take more ownership of the curriculum and has helped teachers become more innovative in their...
Thematic or topic based whole school curriculum planning
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Helping pupils to view historical film critically
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum.
Introduction: The teaching potential of film
Films about historical events seem like the nearest thing we can give our pupils to a time machine. In commercial film, the physical appearance of the past has often been carefully researched, thus a snippet from...
Helping pupils to view historical film critically
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Good practice in primary history: the Quality Mark scheme
Primary History article
This article aims to cover two separate but related aspects. Firstly, using the evidence of Quality Mark visits to primary schools, Bev Forrest identifies and explains some of the best practice observed on these visits. Secondly, Mel Jones focuses on one specific case study illustrating the type of primary history...
Good practice in primary history: the Quality Mark scheme
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Webinar series: Teaching inclusive primary history
HA webinar series for primary teachers and history subject leaders
What does this series cover?
The renewed Ofsted framework and the Francis Curriculum and Assessment Review sets out clear expectations for primary schools to include all pupils (however disadvantaged or vulnerable) in having access to the same historical knowledge, while also ensuring that the primary history curriculum effectively reflects the...
Webinar series: Teaching inclusive primary history
