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The Blitz: All we need to know about World War II?
Primary History article
The Blitz of 1940 is certainly a significant event in Britain’s past, one which has repeatedly been drawn upon as a symbol of national consciousness. It was a time when most of Europe had been defeated by the Nazi regime in Germany, typically through ‘Blitzkrieg’ – or lightning war methods...
The Blitz: All we need to know about World War II?
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A revolution in primary history teaching, quietly consolidated over the past 35 years
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
In my 38 years in history education, the most profound...
A revolution in primary history teaching, quietly consolidated over the past 35 years
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Scheme of work: Queen Elizabeth II
Primary Scheme of Work, Key Stage 2 History (unresourced)
Prior to completing this unit of work, it would be useful for the children to have started to develop an understanding of the substantive concepts of monarchy and royalty through their prior learning. Direct links can be made between studies of specific monarchs and their roles, as well as stories...
Scheme of work: Queen Elizabeth II
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Scheme of work: The Platinum Jubilee
Primary Scheme of Work, Key Stage 1 History (unresourced)
In this unit, children will learn about the significance of the 2022 Platinum Jubilee. They will look at the life of Queen Elizabeth II, from her role as Princess Elizabeth to her coronation and through to 2022, as a great-grandmother and the longest-reigning British monarch. The unit will help children...
Scheme of work: The Platinum Jubilee
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EYFS Medium Term Plan - Toys and Games
Article
This EYFS Medium Term Plan is based around the theme of Toys and Games. It is designed to give teachers and early years practitioners different starting points for learning about the past, across all areas of learning. The activities could be led with a whole class or as small group...
EYFS Medium Term Plan - Toys and Games
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Scheme of work: Significant historical events, people and places in their own locality
Primary history scheme of work, Key Stage 1 (unresourced)
Children can be introduced to the idea that schools have been in the locality for some time but they have not always been the same. They can look at similarities and differences, as well as be introduced to some of the events that affected the schools. The theme allows children...
Scheme of work: Significant historical events, people and places in their own locality
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Scheme of work: Journeys - the story of migration to Britain
Primary Scheme of Work, Key Stage 2 History (unresourced)
This unit is designed as a thematic course looking at the big picture of migration to Britain over time. There are many ways that the course can be adapted to include different content which may be more relevant for the local community around your school. Most of the content described in...
Scheme of work: Journeys - the story of migration to Britain
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50th anniversary of the UK’s first official Pride march: 1 July 2022
Primary History article
2022 is a special year as it marks the 50th anniversary of the first official UK Pride march which was held in London on 1 July 1972. The Pride movement, and events like the London in Pride march, were inspired and influenced by the Stonewall riots. These were protests that took place...
50th anniversary of the UK’s first official Pride march: 1 July 2022
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Scheme of work: Local history – the story of our High Street
Scheme of Work, KS1 History, Changes Within Living Memory (unresourced)
Teaching a unit that considers ‘changes within living times’ requires a focus that provides clear evidence of those changes. Children need to be able to identify specific differences as well as recognise relevant similarities. While we all still undertake shopping on a daily or weekly basis the processes involved in...
Scheme of work: Local history – the story of our High Street
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The Queen in procession
Primary History article
Today’s children in reception and nursery were probably not born at the last jubilee and it is possible that they will not remember this one, nevertheless they will have the chance to be part of this historic occasion. If we help prepare them to understand what is going to happen...
The Queen in procession
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Happy and Glorious: exploring and celebrating the Platinum Jubilee
Primary History article
History is full of significant royals, yet few seem quite so remarkable as Her Majesty the Queen. Since her birth in 1926, she has witnessed the tragedy of a world war, the decline of the British Empire and the birth of the Commonwealth of Nations. Not only is she the...
Happy and Glorious: exploring and celebrating the Platinum Jubilee
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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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‘Nothing was easy’: Viewing war, empire and racism through the eyes of a local Windrush migrant
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
Andrew Wrenn shares examples from a fascinating project with which...
‘Nothing was easy’: Viewing war, empire and racism through the eyes of a local Windrush migrant
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Film series: The African-American Civil Rights Movement
Film: An introduction to the African-American Civil Rights Movement
The US civil rights battles of the latter half of the twentieth century are a common part of popular culture - and yet the detail is often overlooked in favour of the headlines. It is a positive step that so many of us now know the names of Rosa Parks...
Film series: The African-American Civil Rights Movement
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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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How to link food with British history and view change through living memory in Key Stage 1
Primary History article
From free school milk to free school meals, in this article Polly Gillow explores how you can use food as an engaging way to explore the past in Key Stage 1. She suggests different ways to incorporate food history into your curriculum and shows how food can be an excellent...
How to link food with British history and view change through living memory in Key Stage 1
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Teaching Gypsy, Roma and Traveller history
Article
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people are the largest minority ethnic group in some communities (and therefore in some schools) in the UK. Yet the past of Gypsy, Roma, Traveller people may rarely be part of history lessons. The result is that pupils of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller heritage may not...
Teaching Gypsy, Roma and Traveller history
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Animals who help us: teaching past and present in EYFS
Primary History article
Remembrance Day is a useful time to explore with EYFS pupils the people who help us. But of course animals also play a part in human conflicts. This article explores animals who have helped us in wartime now and in the past. The article includes useful teaching ideas and picture...
Animals who help us: teaching past and present in EYFS
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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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Creating drawings and environmental narratives for developing historical thinking
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
Maria Vlachaki explores her home city of Thessaloniki, Greece with...
Creating drawings and environmental narratives for developing historical thinking
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History through children’s voices
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
In this article, we explore examples of children’s writing, from...
History through children’s voices
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Little coins, big histories
Primary History article
In this article, Damienne Clarke examines how coins can be used as a focus for history teaching and learning in Key Stage One. She describes the emergence of coins from older systems of bartering, as well as their role as tokens of commemoration for significant people and events. This article provides...
Little coins, big histories
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Exploring the story of elections and voting with your primary students
Primary History article
David Carr introduces us to some of the educational resources and opportunities linked to the Houses of Parliament. With the prospect of a general election, it provides some interesting background information as well as suggestions for engaging children with the democratic process...
Exploring the story of elections and voting with your primary students
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Exploring the history of our place with very young children
Primary History article
Karin Doull considers how we can develop historical thinking in the Early Years in this article about locality and place. Karin offers helpful suggestions for developing historical vocabulary and assessing understanding.
How can we seek to encourage Foundation Stage children to engage with historical thinking and processes? What appears to...
Exploring the history of our place with very young children
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Teaching ‘changes within living memory’: making the most of your school
Primary History article
The Key Stage 1 curriculum requires an exploration of changes within living memory, and what better way to do this than discovering the history of your own school! In this article, Helen Crawford and Sandra Kirkland provide guidance and suggested activities to explore change and continuity in your own locality. ...
Teaching ‘changes within living memory’: making the most of your school
