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Drama and history: a theory for learning
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the current National Curriculum and some content and links may be outdated.
When I visit primary schools these days it heartens me to see how often drama is used in classroom teaching. Looking back over my own career, drama and role play have always been...
Drama and history: a theory for learning
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The digital revolution
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum.
Developments in information technology continue at an extraordinary pace. Many young children will have little or no idea of what it was like to live in a world without mobile phones, computers and the Internet.
Most children will regularly make use...
The digital revolution
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Introducing local history: the Fusehill Workhouse Project
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Master and Mistress of the Workhouse refused to talk to any of us as she was adamant that nothing she could remember would be very interesting!
Of course disappointments like this have to be accepted and...
Introducing local history: the Fusehill Workhouse Project
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Keeping children motivated in primary history while ensuring they can recall what they have been taught
Primary History article
Rachelle Blagdon leads history at Thomas Walling School – one that has already earned a gold Quality Mark. Impressing the assessor particularly was the way the school paid dual attention both to the motivation aspect of the subject and to effective curriculum planning. Four particular approaches were used to enhance...
Keeping children motivated in primary history while ensuring they can recall what they have been taught
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The Stone Age conundrum
Making use of a local site to develop historical knowledge
History – the very word makes the primary teacher in me feel excited. There are simply so many variables, so many dark nooks and crannies of history to explore and so many different angles through which to draw in a class of eager young minds. Thanks to a wellexecuted history...
The Stone Age conundrum
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Pride in place: What does historical geographical and social understanding look like?
Primary History case study
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
‘Some primary schools are like the High Street in many of our towns. I can predict what I will see before I go through the door. What I want to see is something that gives me...
Pride in place: What does historical geographical and social understanding look like?
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Primary History 8
The primary education journal of the Historical Association
4 Editorial
5 News
7 Professional Development in History Teaching: promoting chameleons or flamingos in the post-Dearing era - Angela Horton
9 Tudor Banquet: a case study of a history through drama project - Jo Lawrie
11 Re-Enactments: bringing history alive or fancy dress? - Rod Helps
13 The Use of Drama...
Primary History 8
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Recorded webinar: Creating curriculum pathways: Government
Webinar series: Creating curriculum pathways through primary history at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
Webinar series: Creating curriculum pathways through primary history at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
This webinar was recorded as part of our webinar series exploring the teaching of substantive concepts in primary history. The National Curriculum for history requires pupils to gain understanding about abstract concepts of substantive...
Recorded webinar: Creating curriculum pathways: Government
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Using feature films as a means of enhancing history teaching in the primary school
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Although I have always been fascinated by history and almost took it as my major subject at university, I have to admit that the bulk of my ‘knowledge' about historical people and events was shaped...
Using feature films as a means of enhancing history teaching in the primary school
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History in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1
E-CPD
N.B. This unit was produced before the 2014 curriculum and therefore while much of the advice is still useful, there may be some out of date references or links.
Much has been written about the benefits of teaching history in the primary school. A sense of history provides identity.
Understanding history...
History in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1
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On-demand webinar: Making sense of curriculum frameworks in EYFS
Teaching ‘past and present’ in EYFS
Teaching ‘past and present’ in EYFS
Session 1: Making sense of curriculum frameworks in EYFS
This webinar will explore ‘Understanding the World’ and its relationship to history education, understanding the child and their community, and making sense of chronology and progression in EYFS.
Release date: 7 January 2026Expiry date: 6 January 2028
How...
On-demand webinar: Making sense of curriculum frameworks in EYFS
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Teaching about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and events happening there
Article
The events of the last few days appear to have come out of nowhere to many people, especially children. While tensions have existed in the region for some time Russia’s decision to attack Ukraine was without provocation.
To have war return in such a way to the edges of Europe...
Teaching about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and events happening there
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Resourcing sources
HA Primary Subject Leader Area
As a subject leader, are you often asked to provide historical objects and other documentary sources to support your colleagues with the teaching of history, but don’t know where to start looking? Well – read on!
Teachers need to give children experience of handling a range of sources of information....
Resourcing sources
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Local People and Places in the Early Years
Article
Learning in the Early Years through Local People and Places: developing historical concepts in the Early Years Foundation Stage
Using the local environment as a starting point for historical learning in EYFS not only helps young children engage and make learning meaningful and relevant, but also helps them develop a strong sense of identity. Working...
Local People and Places in the Early Years
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Virtual Branch Recording: The Lines we Draw
Article
In this Virtual Branch Tim Franks, acclaimed BBC Journalist, talks about his personal history and identity drawing on his new biography The Lines we Draw: The Journalist, The Jew and an argument about identity.
We will delve into Tim's experiences as a journalist in some of the world's major conflict zones,...
Virtual Branch Recording: The Lines we Draw
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World War II evacuation project - A living history experience
Primary History case study
Editorial note: The WOW factor. When we first received and read the World War II Evacuation Project case study we simply went WOW! It was genuinely mind-blowing. Below we publish the main sections of the report. They bring to life an invaluable, ground-breaking case-study of national significance.
The case-study involved...
World War II evacuation project - A living history experience
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On-demand webinar: Curriculum coherence and transition to Key Stage 1
Teaching ‘past and present’ in EYFS
Teaching ‘past and present’ in EYFS
Session 3: Curriculum coherence and transition to Key Stage 1
This webinar will support you to ensure well-planned transition to Key Stage 1, and will give advice on planning for mixed-age Reception/Year 1 classes. It will reflect on developing a coherent history curriculum across all...
On-demand webinar: Curriculum coherence and transition to Key Stage 1
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Primary History 7
The primary education journal of the Historical Association
4 Editorial
5 News
6 Post-Dearing History-Missed Opportunities: Muddle and Fudge? A look at the new curriculum - Paul Noble
9 History in the Primary Curriculum: Interpreting the Vikings - Keith Crawford
12 Deconstruction or Reconstruction - Peter Vass
14 A Victorian Case Study: Simulating Aspects of Victorian Life in...
Primary History 7
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When your parents were young…
Primary History article
This article 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
Susie Townsend explores the theme of life in the 1990s,...
When your parents were young…
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The end of the Cold War with a personal perspective
Primary History article
This article 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
The beginning of the 1990s, just as this publication was...
The end of the Cold War with a personal perspective
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On-demand webinar: Helping children think about change and continuity
Building and securing disciplinary thinking in primary history
Building and securing disciplinary thinking in primary history
Session 4: Helping children think about change and continuity
Historians, when studying a period of history, ask ‘what changed over this period?’ and ‘what stayed the same over this period?’ This session will explore disciplinary thinking around change and continuity, helping children to...
On-demand webinar: Helping children think about change and continuity
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Using ICT in Primary History
Article
Alf Wilkinson our Professional Development Officer has produced a PowerPoint presentation to enable more effective use of ICT in the primary classroom...
Using ICT in Primary History
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Chronology through ICT
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum.
Introduction: Research into chronological understanding
Chronological understanding is both one of history's most important disciplinary organising concepts (Lee and Shemilt: 2004) required for developing a full understanding of history, and certainly one of the most researched, though often with a broader remit...
Chronology through ICT
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Primary History 6
The primary education journal of the Historical Association
4 Guest Editorial - No Nonsense! - John Fines
6 News
7 Inspections Tim Lomas
9 Seven Inspectors Inspecting Paul Bish
10 Changes in the National Curriculum Paul Noble
11 History in the National Curriculum Assessment at Key Stage 1 - A Case Study Brian Scott
13 Was it worth...
Primary History 6
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Thinking Through History - Editorial
Primary History
‘We even had a collection to buy him some trousers, he was so scruffy’, trilled the elegant, be-pearled lady discussing the breaking of the Germans’ Enigma code that helped the Allies win the Second World War. The ‘He’ was a Grammar School boy from a poor single parent family living...
Thinking Through History - Editorial
