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Political literacy: citizenship through the English national curriculum's the Romans in Britain study unit
Primary History article
Hilary Claire raised fundamental issues about the relationship between History and Citizenship for the development of a sense of identity. Her paper stresses the importance of sceptical thinking, perspective, sequence and progression - the essential chronology that underpins pupil's education for citizenship in the timeframe that history provides...
Political literacy: citizenship through the English national curriculum's the Romans in Britain study unit
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Bringing an archaeologist into the classroom
Primary History article
The past as represented in school history textbooks and websites is adapted to meet the needs of primary-aged children, but the knowledge on which this depends derives from detailed academic research. Engaging children with historians and archaeologists can show them how we learn about and construct our understanding of history...
Bringing an archaeologist into the classroom
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Here come the Vikings! Making a saga out of a crisis
Primary History Article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
What are your first impressions when you think of Alfred the Great? Perhaps it's the story of the heroic individual being humbled by burning the cakes or for those of a certain age, it may...
Here come the Vikings! Making a saga out of a crisis
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Towards inclusion: A study of significant figures and disability within the national curriculum
Primary History article
Since the early days of the National Curriculum, considerable progress has been made to introduce children to an inclusive view of history. The research of the late Hilary Claire (1996) served as a major impetus and now primary teachers strive to ensure that no groups or individuals are marginalised, particularly...
Towards inclusion: A study of significant figures and disability within the national curriculum
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Learning styles and Cache (Cognitive Acceleration in History Education): Children as thinkers
Article
The teaching of gifted children reflects our beliefs about how they learn and mentally develop. Such learning theories are both explicit and tacit. One such theory – Cognitive Acceleration in History Education [CACHE] – underpins Case Studies 1 & 2 – the Mr Men Mystery, pages 17-21, and The Body...
Learning styles and Cache (Cognitive Acceleration in History Education): Children as thinkers
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M&S brings over 130 years of archives into your classroom
Article
There is something really magical about making your own discoveries. Investigating something sparked by your own curiosity and using your own skills of observation and deduction to find out more is exciting. Human beings have always wanted to find out about our history and our place in the world –...
M&S brings over 130 years of archives into your classroom
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Is There a Place for The Holocaust in the Primary Curriculum?
Article
The Holocaust – the murder of approximately six million Jewish men, women and children by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during the Second World War – is possibly the most difficult event that any history teacher will ever have to teach. Most obviously, it can be deeply upsetting, for educators...
Is There a Place for The Holocaust in the Primary Curriculum?
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Questions you have always wanted to ask about... History and written sources
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the current National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Pat Hoodless answers questions about history and written sources.
Questions you have always wanted to ask about... History and written sources
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Questions you have always wanted to ask about... History and archaeology
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the current National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Don Henson answers questions about history and archaeology.
Questions you have always wanted to ask about... History and archaeology
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Questions you have always wanted to ask about...Citizenship and History
Primary History article
Please note: This article pre-dates the current National Curriculum and some content and references may be outdated.
Hilary Claire answers questions about Citizenship and History.
Questions you have always wanted to ask about...Citizenship and History
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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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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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Standards in primary history: onward and upward? A view from OFSTED
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum.
An OFSTED advisor discusses their views on the standards of primary history.
Standards in primary history: onward and upward? A view from OFSTED
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A treasure trove of local history - how to use your local record office
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum.
In her article in Primary History No 21, Jayne Woodhouse highlighted that the study of history needn’t be all about national events. Essentially it is a series of stories, often about ordinary people and their ordinary lives, which can be built up...
A treasure trove of local history - how to use your local record office
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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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Using indigenous and traditional stories to teach for climate and ecological action
Primary History article
Caitríona Ní Cassaithe and Anne Marie Kavanagh explore how herbs and wild plants were and are used to create natural remedies. They use archive material and oral history to promote and explore indigenous voices. They suggest how this could be applied and developed within your own communities. They also make...
Using indigenous and traditional stories to teach for climate and ecological action
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Arthur Wharton: the world’s first professional black footballer
Primary History article
Schools are now looking to extend their study of significant individuals away from many of the conventional ones. This article looks at a lesser known individual, Arthur Wharton, which could make a good choice for teachers wanting to tap into pupils’ interest. Arthur Wharton was the world’s first black professional...
Arthur Wharton: the world’s first professional black footballer
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Battersea: here for every dog and cat – 165 years and still going strong
Primary History article
In this article Karin Doull looks at the 165th anniversary of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. Our treatment of our most popular pets is reflective of society in a given time and Karin highlights several ways in which the history of Battersea can be used to spotlight different aspects of...
Battersea: here for every dog and cat – 165 years and still going strong
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Teaching the First World War in the primary school
Article
The current commemorations of the First World War have opened the door to some real opportunities for those teaching primary history – perhaps even considering taking children to the battlefields. Although this is customarily a secondary-school experience, this article outlines the opportunities for primary-age children. The suggestions here are based...
Teaching the First World War in the primary school
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Chronology: Developing a coherent knowledge
Article
Chronology: Developing a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain's past and of the wider world
First, this article considers the reasons why it is essential for children to develop a chronological framework. Next it considers ways in which this framework is necessary for the development of the time concepts set...
Chronology: Developing a coherent knowledge
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It worked for me: Knights and castles
Primary History case study
For their 2016 summer term topic, Class 2 at Thrumpton Primary Academy learnt about medieval knights and castles. Their teacher was particularly excited when she found out about the choice of topic for the term, as she has a degree in history with a specialism in medieval history!
We started...
It worked for me: Knights and castles
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Long ago or far away: the Global perspective
Primary History article
Please note: this article pre-dates the 2014 National Curriculum and some content may be outdated.
Even an inclusive national history curriculum can make Britain (and Europe) appear as the lynchpin of world history. Without a coherent structure for global history, young people remain unaware that continents beyond Europe have histories of...
Long ago or far away: the Global perspective
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Portchester Saxon settlement
Article
One way to use this image would be to focus on continuity and change. Portchester's history is that of a settlement which has passed through the hands of the Romans, Saxons, Normans and onwards. As a result, the appearance and purpose of the settlement has changed over time. One way...
Portchester Saxon settlement
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V&A Schools SEN Programme
Article
The V&A Learning Department aims to make the Museum's collections accessible to all through an engaging and diverse range of events, courses, workshops, trails and resources. The Schools programme supports Primary and Secondary students and teachers and includes sessions for students with special educational needs. The SEN sessions have a...
V&A Schools SEN Programme
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Poverty in Britain: A development study for Key Stage 2
Primary History article
One of the requirements for Key Stage 2 history is for some history that extends beyond 1066. Various suggestions have been made including an examination of change within a social theme. The example given is Crime and Punishment but the opportunities for something interesting are vast. This article focuses on...
Poverty in Britain: A development study for Key Stage 2
