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Teaching the British Empire in primary history
Primary History article
The height of the BBC Proms season is its last night in the Royal Albert Hall. It features traditional patriotic songs such as Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory. Cheerful crowds wave union flags as the magnificent music of Elgar and others swells to a crescendo. Contrast this...
Teaching the British Empire in primary history
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Higher Education Committee biographies
HA Committees
Read the Higher Education Committee's remit
Find out more about the HA's committees
Katharine Burn
Katharine Burn is Associate Professor of Education at the University of Oxford, where she teaches on the PGCE History programme and on a range of part-time Masters courses for practising teachers. She is co-editor of the HA’s professional...
Higher Education Committee biographies
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Primary History 21
The primary education journal of the Historical Association
4 Primary Update – Tim Lomas
7 Making the most of ICT at Key Stage 2 – Miriam Norton
10 Mathematics from history – Colin Miller
11 Citizenship and history: equipped to meet the challenge – David Kerr
13 Changes in the National Curriculum – planning for Key Stage 1 history – Jayne Woodhouse
15 Story...
Primary History 21
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On-demand webinar: Using the work of historians in the primary history classroom
Webinar series: History and literacy: better together
History and literacy: better together
Session 3: Using the work of historians in the primary history classroom
This webinar will show how the writing and insights of real historians can be used across medium-term plans in primary history. It will give examples of how historians' ideas can be simplified for presentation...
On-demand webinar: Using the work of historians in the primary history classroom
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A cultural legacy: the theatre of ancient Greece
Primary History article
Sometimes it is not easy to understand how the different units of the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum were selected, but this is not true for the Ancient Greek unit. Since the renaissance period, knowledge of ‘the classics’ has been a central element for an educated man or woman. Ancient...
A cultural legacy: the theatre of ancient Greece
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History Journal Film: The Letters, Writings and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell
History journal blog
The History journal team are delighted to launch their first in a series of films interviewing the authors at the cutting edge of historical research.
Today, we are thrilled to welcome John Morrill, professor emeritus of the University of Cambridge and emeritus fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge, and Dr Joel...
History Journal Film: The Letters, Writings and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell
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On-demand webinar series: Building and securing disciplinary thinking in primary history
On-demand webinar series for primary teachers and history subject leaders
What does this series cover?
This series of webinars will consider how disciplinary knowledge is slowly introduced into the primary curriculum, built upon and strengthened.
We know that substantive knowledge in history is the substance ('the stuff') we teach: the facts which we are sure about and which all have...
On-demand webinar series: Building and securing disciplinary thinking in primary history
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Primary Committee biographies
Information
Find out more about the HA's committees here
Helen Crawford (Committee Chair)
Helen studied history at university and has worked in primary schools for twenty years as a class teacher, history subject leader, inclusion manager and senior leader. Most of her teaching career has been in London schools, but...
Primary Committee biographies
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About Nuffield Primary History
Nuffield Primary History project, 1991-2009
The Nuffield Primary History project developed a range of approaches and techniques for doing history with children, between and 1991 and 2009. The resources produced by the project are all real lessons which have been taught by real teachers. They include guidance on teaching and examples of children's work. Many...
About Nuffield Primary History
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A (non-Western) history of versatility
Historian article
Waqās Ahmed broadens our perspective on where in history we might find polymaths, those who embody versatility of thought and action. While Western scholars might identify the likes of Leonardo da Vinci or Benjamin Franklin as the archetype of the polymath, they have in reality existed throughout history and across...
A (non-Western) history of versatility
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Primary History 76
The primary education journal of the Historical Association
04 Editorial (Read article)
05 HA Primary News
06 Learning about the past through a study of houses and homes by Helen Crawford (Read article)
08 Coherence in primary history: what is it and how can it be achieved? By Tim Lomas (Read article)
14 Ideas for teaching at key stage...
Primary History 76
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Britain and Brittany: contact, myth and history in the early Middle Ages
Historian article
Fiona Edmonds evidences the enduring links between Brittany and Britain throughout the early Middle Ages.
Every year many thousands of British holidaymakers travel to Brittany in search of beaches, bisque and bonhomie. As they board the ferry, they may notice that they are travelling from one Bretagne to another. The names...
Britain and Brittany: contact, myth and history in the early Middle Ages
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Folkestone in World War One
Historian article
Grahame Jones contributes to our determination to explore the wider involvement of the community in responding to the challenges of the Great War, in this case two inspirational women who provided refreshments for soldiers en route through Folkestone harbour.
A fading Edwardian resort and handy for that trip through the...
Folkestone in World War One
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Assessment of students' uses of evidence
Teaching History article
Drawing on her research into students' evidential reasoning, Elisabeth Pickles explores the possibilities for how such reasoning might be assessed. Existing exam mark schemes focus too heavily on generic processes involved in the analysis of source material and insufficiently on the historical validity of reasoning and conclusions produced. Approaching the...
Assessment of students' uses of evidence
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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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Hampstead & North West London Branch Programme
Article
All enquiries to Mandy Caller, mandycaller@gmail.com or telephone 07818 063594
All meetings are hybrid, and are held at 8pm on the third Thursday of the month September to April (excluding December) at Fellowship House, 136a Willifield Way, London NW11 6YD and simultaneously online via Zoom.
Please email Dr Dudley Miles...
Hampstead & North West London Branch Programme
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Who wants to fight? Who wants to flee? Teaching history from a 'thinking skills' perspective
Teaching History article
Whatever shape the National Curriculum of the 21st century takes, history will have to show its relevance to major curricular areas and themes such as literacy, citizenship education and thinking skills. This ought to be easy: the critical, informed decision-making required by the modern citizen is practised in virtually every...
Who wants to fight? Who wants to flee? Teaching history from a 'thinking skills' perspective
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Primary History 68
The primary education journal of the Historical Association
The range of articles in this edition as ever cover discreet methodology, subject knowledge enhancement and areas of innovation set within the context of excellence in the classroom. The inclusion of the Mayan and Indus Valley civilisations will hopefully encourage teachers to look at the rich source of learning to...
Primary History 68
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Children writing accounts: the Battle of Trafalgar
Exemplar
Paul Newton's Year 6 class was investigating the Battle of Trafalgar as the introduction to a Victorian study. The sources Paul had chosen were an extract from the diary of Lieutenant Paul Harris Nicholas, of HMS Belleisle, and the famous painting showing the death of Admiral Nelson on the quarterdeck...
Children writing accounts: the Battle of Trafalgar
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Experienced Teacher Programme (ETP)
Immersive online course for experienced history teachers
Spring 2026 Cohort
Start date: Wednesday 11 March, 5.15pm–6.30pm
Book Now
What is the Experienced Teacher Programme?
This six-week online course is designed to energise your teaching and help you engage with the history education community. In this programme you will access rich, subject-specific professional development designed specifically for experienced teachers: an...
Experienced Teacher Programme (ETP)
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Embedding progress in historical vocabulary teaching
Primary History article
The current focus on a knowledge-rich curriculum, in which the intent and impact should be clearly identified, has seen many subject leaders scrutinising and reworking the history curriculum within their contexts.
As part of this, specific vocabulary, be it conceptual or otherwise, has been highlighted, and word lists are appearing...
Embedding progress in historical vocabulary teaching
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HA Annual Conference round-up 2023
Majestic Hotel, Harrogate, 12-13 May 2023
If you're interested in presenting in 2024, find details below.
HA Annual Conference 2023, Harrogate
We hope everyone who was able to attend Annual Conference 2023 in-person or online has now managed to catch breath – because it really was quite a whirlwind of talks, workshops, creativity, famous names and...
HA Annual Conference round-up 2023
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Primary History 51
The primary education journal of the Historical Association
04 Editorial
06 In my view: Bringing the past to life – Julian Richards (Read article)
07 In my view: The true end of archaeology? – Don Henson (Read article)
08 in my view: Our heritage: use it or lose it – Mike Corbishley (Read article)
10 Think Bubble: Instant Archaeology –...
Primary History 51
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The Oxford Movement and Anglican Ritualism
Classic Pamphlet
The English Reformation of the Sixteenth century had been a compromise, both politically and theologically. The administrative framework of the medieval church, with its system of church courts, private patronage, pluralism, the social and financial gulf between the lower and higher clergy, its inadequacy of clerical education and its hierarchical...
The Oxford Movement and Anglican Ritualism
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Young Historian Awards 2026 – take part (Primary prizes)
History competition for primary schools
The 2026 competition is now open. Entries close on 17 July 2026 (3 July for overseas entries).
We want young people to get the bug for writing about history in an interesting and critical way. Each year the Historical Association in collaboration with the Spirit of Normandy Trust and Classics for All offers a...
Young Historian Awards 2026 – take part (Primary prizes)
