SECONDARY SCHOOL MEMORIES – AIDS TO LEARNING AND
EXTRA ACTIVITIES
Pupils born in the 1950s
GD/P50/HiE91 Infant/Junior + Grammar, Liverpool
Extra activities
Had a visit to London to see historical sights but mainly cramming for exams.
Aids to learning
Learnt mainly from printed notes & books. Some maps – poorly produced. Occasional radio
recording – not very interesting, class got bored.
GG/P50/HiE99 Primary + Grammar, Nottingham
Aids to learning
Remember only books. Really tedious.
GC/P51/HiE94 Junior + Grammar, Brighton
Aids to learning
Old text books.
MJ/P51/HiE88 Primary + Grammars, Hove & Bletchley
Extra activities
We were taken to the Houses of Parliament
We were encouraged to connect current news events with the past.
Aids to learning
Almost all learning was with books but there was a good variety. I remember that we read
‘Self Help’ by Samuel Smiles to help us understand the Victorian work ethic.
We also watched some TV programmes – schools TV was quite new then.
MM/P52/HiE95 Primary + Grammar, Derby
Aids to learning
We had text books, I can’t remember using any other resources.
PD/P52/HiE100 Primary + Grammar, Reading
Extra activities
There were no external trips or clubs. We only went out of school for sport, annual theatre
trip and annual church service.
Aids to learning
All book and blackboard with some wordy worksheets. Most innovative aspect was using
roller blackboards, rather than fixed ones. Radio/film/TV/video – not used through high
school.
KI/P52/HiE92 Primary + Grammar, Pontefract N.B. INTERVIEWED
Extra activities
Trips to places of historic interest during the A level course only.
Aids to learning
I remember the books I have mentioned [Elton, Rowse and Black] which were really useful
and I have not forgotten them to this day. If I see them in a bookshop even now my heart
does a leap! So mainly books, occasional banda sheets, maps in the early years.
1
JI/P52/HiE132 Primary + Grammar, Fleetwood, Lancs.
Extra activities
I don’t remember doing any fieldwork trips for history at school – though we did dosome for
geography in the Sixth Form. I took history for A level and I still don’t recall any visits.
Aids to learning
It was only ever text books and the teacher writing on the blackboard. I don’t remember any
worksheets ever and certainly never any TV. I was always interested, so I learnt.
EG/P53/HiE101 Primary/Junior + Grammar/Comprehensive, Doncaster
Aids to learning
Books – no other resources.
RT/P53/HiE90 Junior + Grammar, Ilford, Essex
Extra activities
I don’t remember any. The other O Level class went to see ‘The Charge of the Light
Brigade’ film that was released just before our O Levels. Our class wasn’t included. I think
that summarised how Mrs Wren felt about us and our lessons. We did feel fairly
unappreciated.
Aids to learning
I can’t recall anything other than text books being available to us.
EC/P53/HiE86 Primary + Grammar, Sheffield
Extra activities
We went to Roche Abbey and Conisborough Castle in the first year of Grammar School and I
found both very uninteresting. I still have no interest in castles!
Aids to learning
Only books and they did help me learn.
HP/P53/HiE98 Infants/Junior + Secondary Modern, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancs.
Extra activities
We sometimes did work on a special topic may be if it was commemorative. Because I was
also good at art and an excellent colourist, I got to do the posters for the theme. Not many
trips, I think there should have been more but one great trip we had was 5 days in London
where we visited all the historical sites.
Aids to learning
Books, worksheets & maps. I don’t recall using other media at all such as radio,
TV/film/video which is a pity. I think it would have been great and would have enhanced the
experience. As I was top of the History class with high results, it would have made it more
enjoyable. I guess rather than give more marks.
AF/P54/HiE103 Primary/Junior + Grammar, Hull
Extra activities
We dutifully trailed around Beverley Minster, York Minster, Castle Museum, York,
Fountains Abbey and Helmsley Castle at various times. There was a History Club, briefly,
but it just expired.
Aids to learning
We used banda sheets sometimes (usually when we had students in) and the old standby
“Common Ground” filmstrips. On very rare occasions we were taken to the ‘TV Room’ to
use Schools programmes and we did sometimes get taken to see a film – “Cromwell” for
example. These were all ‘add-ons’ and not central to the teaching, as I remember.
2
JS/P54/HiE89 Infant/Primary (Coventry/Croydon) + Grammar, Northampton
Aids to learning
I really cannot remember anything but the set book, which was dry and very forgettable,
setting down facts and discouraging any original thought or reasoning
HM/P54/HiE202 Primary + Grammar, Gravesend, Kent
Aids to learning
I’m sure we had a text book as we did for all subjects but I doubt if I looked at it very much.
I’m sure it would have been dry and tedious to read. We may have been given maps. The
only ones I can remember were trade of tin between Phoenicia and Cornwall, and the battles
of the first world war.
PC/P54/HiE96 Junior + Secondary Modern, Barnsley
Extra activities
Did not have a chance to do anything in history.
Aids to learning
Books were used often but can’t remember which ones. Maps were also useful.
SE/P55/HiE97 Primary + Grammar, Chigwell, Essex N.B. INTERVIEWED
Aids to learning
I don’t even remember any textbooks but we may have had some.
KD/P55/HiE102 Primary and Grammar, Northampton
Aids to learning
Textbooks.
HK/P56/HiE85 Primary + Grammar, Heywood, Lancs.
Extra activities
In grammar school, we had no trips – in sixth form, went on a few digs like Time Team.
Aids to learning
No TV or video – only paper + maps about Hitler. I would have liked to learn about medieval
Britain, the 1700s and Queen Victoria.
SK/P56/HiE128 Primary/Junior + Grammar, Aldershot, Hampshire
Extra activities
No- other clubs and societies but nothing run by our department.
Aids to learning
Only as over the page [she refers to drawings and making a model village with a trainee
teacher] – this was the sixties!
GA/P56/HiE199 Primary + Grammar, Leeds
Extra activities
There were some field trips in the lower school, notably to Kirkstall Abbey. In senior school
we were spoilt for choice for venues as the West Riding of Yorkshire is full of England’s
industrial heritage. We also participated as film extras in a production from Leeds University
where we dressed up in medieval attire and fought a pitched battle – I still proudly show the
scars.
3
Aids to learning - Text books, worksheets and maps were common. We occasionally watched
BBC history lessons. All of these methods were useful.
AS/P56/HiE205 Primary + Grammar, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Extra activities
We definitely had a day trip to Lindisfarne at some point. We had a trip to York at some point
that involved the story of the crushing by stones of St Margaret Clitheroe, and some of our
school houses were named after English martyrs as well as leading Sacred Heart nuns.
Don’t remember clubs or competitions, and I would certainly have gone for anything like a
quiz.
Aids to learning
Books, books and books, and I loved them and they helped me to learn. For some subjects
there were “banda” copies, and I think we may have had these for things like maps. We
certainly did use maps, and I do remember worksheets from school, but do not have a specific
memory of them for history. I may be doing my history teacher a disservice about film strips,
as I remember the class being darkened to see some things, but I can’t remember anything
about them relating to history.
There were some excellent packs of papers that I had at this age with copies of original
documents, correspondence and maps – I had them for the Boer War, the American War of
Independence and the Irish Easter Uprising – but I think that I got my mother to buy these for
my own interest rather than them being school source material.
MS/P58/HiE196 Infants/Junior + Grammar, Chatham, Kent
Extra activities
At O level we went to see lots of films of some relevance e.g. Nicholas and Alexandra, the
Great Gatsby.
Aids to learning
Books, printed notes, maps and map books. Maps were very helpful. Printed notes at O level
helped us cover such a broad range of history. I would have loved film or video but it was not
available.
AG/P58/HiE192 Primary/Junior + Grammar, Romford, Essex
Extra activities
All trips were made by my parents. This was Romford in 1970s – no cash then, no cash now.
Aids to learning
Books – we lived in the school and local libraries, maps, at home TV and film.
ME/P59/HiE177 Primary + Grammars, Hayes, Middx. & Whitby, N. Yorks.
Extra activities
We had trips, one to medieval castles and abbeys in the area, and one to a Georgian church.
There were others that I didn’t go on.
Aids to learning
Handouts, OHP slides, books. These were pre-computer days, and the school only had one
TV.
Pupils born in the 1960s
AS/P60/HiE137 Grammars, Stockport and Macclesfield (History teacher)
Extra activities
All taken to the cinema to see ‘Nicholas and Alexandra’ when it came out.
4
Aids to learning
Books. One visit to the cinema. Obviously pre-video etc.
History in my first year of teaching!
Very different to how I taught
JG/P60/HiE111 Primary + Grammar, Oxfordshire
Aids to learning
I don’t remember every looking at primary sources but at one time interviewed my
grandmother about her life.
AR/P60/HiE109 Primary + Grammars, Ipswich and Woodbridge, Suffolk
Aids to learning
Books, worksheets
DC/P60/HiE138 Junior + Sec. Mod., Gravesend, Kent
Aids to learning
Books, overhead projector. I loved books then and do now – it wasn’t the materials that were
bad, it was the teacher and the narrow syllabus.
KS/P61/HiE155 Infant/Juniors (Manchester, Rochdale) + Grammar, Rochdale
Extra activities
I had one trip to York at Primary School. I had another trip to York at Junior High School. I
had a walk around the locality at Junior High School when we were doing our local history
project. When I was studying GCE O’ level Classical Studies, we had a field trip to the
Roman Road near Rochdale known as Blackstone Edge – but this was in the middle of
winter. It turned out foggy and rainy. We could not see anything, got soaked, and I got
blisters on my feet because of the compulsory school walking boots. The teacher abandoned
the trip and we took refuge in a room in a public house which was managed by another
pupil’s parents. They warmed us up with cups of tea.
Aids to learning
Some of the booklets produced at Junior High School were very nice. At Senior High School
we had a text book containing maps and data for O’ level. Sometimes the teacher produced
her own printed sheets of information but they were frustrating because her handwriting was
scruffy. I did gain an A in history at O’ level and a B at A’ level, so the basic teaching was
sound although it was a little dry.
JD/P61/HiE156 Private primary schools + grammar school, Taunton, Somerset
Extra activities
There was a school cruise around the Mediterranean visiting these wonderful places of
interest that Mrs Motley had enthused about, but this was in the 4th year at the Grammar
School and by that time I had lost interest. I would have liked to have gone on the cruise, but
couldn’t afford to do so. This is the mid 70’s, I came from a farming family and remember
times being exceptionally hard.
I also remember being taken to Taunton Museum by the Nuns at the convent. We had been
studying the Romans, Anglo Saxons and Normans and we went to look at the artefacts that
had been discovered locally.
Aids to learning
We used history books and had slide shows. We were regularly set essays on various topics.
We also discussed television programmes about history and were always informed by Mrs
Motley of any television programmes that she thought we might be interested in. I’m a visual
person and this type of teaching worked for me. Interestingly enough, Mrs Kelly, didn’t use
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any teaching aids, she just read us notes all the time with no feeling or enthusiasm for her
subject. No wonder I gave it up.
AG/P61/HiE152 Primary (Worcestershire) + Grammar, Kidderminster
Aids to learning
Primary: Books, magazines, posters, leaflets, slides, maybe TV.
Secondary: Text books, OHP, slides, TV
JB/P62/HiE149 Primary + Grammar, Ilford, Essex
Extra activities
No. I enjoyed family trips around London e.g. the Tower.
Aids to learning
Just books in the library.
NF/P62/HiE142 Primary + Comprehensive, Bewdley, Worcestershire
Extra activities
Went into the forest to see traditional charcoal burning. Visited Worcester cathedral.
Visited various buildings in the immediate locality. Visited Blists Hill Open Air Museum.
Aids to learning
Books, video, artifacts. They all helped me to learn.
JY/P62/HiE173 Infants/junior + Comprehensive, Telford, Salop NB SCHOOL WORK
PHOTOGRAPHED
Extra activities
We seemed to go on field trips regularly. Warwick Castle, Blists Hill, Birmingham Science
museum, Jodrell Bank and Weston Park to name a few.
I was also a member of the radio club where we learnt about the history of radio.
Aids to learning
Film and video were never used. The TV was only used if the schools channel had something
relevant showing. We had to research by visiting the Library. (School and local) We used to
take notes from the blackboard mostly as worksheets and handouts were not common.
AW/P63/HiE159 Primaries overseas + Comprehensive (Hampshire) + Secondary
Modern (Norfolk) NB INTERVIEWED
Extra activities
I remember going to a lecture at the Tower of London and visiting the museum there, but that
was in the sixth form. For ‘A’level I also completed a project on the history of the Celts,
which allowed me to research and design the layout of my presentation. I thoroughly enjoyed
that exercise.
Aids to learning
I think I am of the generation which had much less choice in resources. Videos were used,
but I mainly remember books and maps.
SW/P63/HiE105 Infant/Junior + Middle/Upper Comprehensive, Middleton, Manchester
Aids to learning
Books and handouts were used most. I feel that visual aids such as TV & video may have
made history more interesting.
EH/P63/HiE 106 Junior + Grammar School, Watford
Extra activities
6
We always had a history quiz for completion during the Christmas holidays which was
popular with all students.
Aids to learning
History books & school TV programmes were used.
JJ/P63/HiE197 Infants/Junior + Comprehensive School, Littlehampton, West Sussex
NB SCHOOL WORK PHOTOGRAPHED
Aids to learning
We only had talks by teacher and a few books. That was it.
ST/P63/HiE144 Infants/Junior + Grammar school, Hertfordshire
Extra activities
We went to Ironbridge on the train. It took over 3 hours to get there and we were there about
3 hours and came back on the train, and there were not enough seats so we had to sit on the
floor. I think I remember the journey more than the history!
Aids to learning
We did have maps of the Abyssinian Empire.
AS/P63/HiE167 Junior + Comprehensive, Bristol
Aids to learning
At that time only worksheets and note taking from the blackboard with regular homework
and phase tests.
CW/P65/HiE162 Primary + Middle/Upper Comprehensive Schools, Manchester
Aids to learning
Textbooks, worksheets, some group discussion and copying from the board. Don’t ever
remember using anything else. I was happy with that way as I am a ‘reader’.
FM/P65/HiE139 Primaries + Comprehensive School, Bury, Lancashire
Extra activities
Many field trips which to me made ‘the history’ more real.
Aids to learning
Predominantly work books; film strips, tv.
AG/P65/HiE146 Infants/Junior + Grammar, Finchley, London
Extra Activities
I only remember the trips made during primary school. At secondary school we were
probably too rowdy to take anywhere nice.
Aids to learning
We had books and that was about all. Teachers re-wrote their own notes on the blackboard.
JB/P66/HiE104 Primary + Middle/Upper Comprehensive Schools, Bury St Edmunds,
Suffolk
Extra activities
We took field trips to local churches. The A level projects meant weekly trips to the county
archives in Bury St Edmunds. Local pensioners were interviewed for the oral project in our
own time.
Aids to learning
All of the above [books, worksheets, maps, radio, film strips, TV, video]. Trips to the AV
(audio-visual) room were enjoyed as a chance to get out of normal classrooms.
7
CH/P66/HiE157 Primary+ Middle/Upper Comprehensive Schools, Newcastle upon
Tyne
Extra activities
At middle school we went on a trip to the keep/castle of Newcastle Upon Tyne. At high
school we had an outing to Beamish Open Air Museum. We also watched live on TV the
recovery of the Mary Rose.
Aids to learning
Primarily text books. We were rarely offered alternative media.
HY/P66/HiE161 Infants/Junior + Comprehensive Schools, Dronfield, Derbyshire
Extra activities
Miss Shoot did introduce us, in 6th form, to Archaeology, which was her passion in holidays.
Aids to learning
Books and worksheets were used most, and maps,sometimes TV – I wish we’d have had
access to the History Channel programmes available now.
SH/P66/HiE181 Primary schools (Wales) + Comprehensive, Bristol
Extra activities
I can remember trips to Caerleon Roman Fort and the Roman Baths in Bath. When I was an
A level History student a few select students (including myself) went on a day trip to London
and met with the brother of our History teacher who was a key member of the Methodist
Church. We also visited the Tower of London.
Aids to learning
My schooling took place well before the advent of computers and the Internet. I recall mostly
being taught from the blackboard with the aid of textbooks. I expect the teachers would have
also used overhead projectors at some stage. We did watch TV (Schools Programming) in
both Primary and Secondary schools but I don’t remember anything with particular reference
to History.
CS/P66/HiE203 Infant/Junior + Comprehensive, Amesbury, Wiltshire
Aids to learning
We used text books. I remember an ancient television being wheeled in every now and again
and a video player which often didn’t work. I can only remember watching films about
WWII, no other topics. I can’t recall any maps or other visual aids being on display in the
classroom. The classroom was used for other subjects, not just History.
CH/P67/HiE169 Primary + Comprehensive, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
Aids to learning
My schooling took place well before the advent of computers and the Internet. I recall mostly
being taught from the blackboard with the aid of textbooks. I expect the teachers would have
also used overhead projectors at some stage. We did watch TV (Schools Programming) in
both Primary and Secondary schools but I don’t remember anything with particular reference
to History.
JS/P67/HiE135 Primary + Comprehensive + Sixth Form College, Leicester
Aids to learning
Occasional videos but still an early invention at that time.
8
JH/P67/HiE185 Infants/Junior + Comprehensive + Sixth Form College, Gosport,
Hampshire
Extra activities
1979 – 1 week’s school trip to France introduced me to the Bayeux tapestry. What a
historical document that is. I remember being mesmerised by the pictures and stories that
unfolded in the fabric. The war graves in the cemetery’s of Normandy, Utah Beach and St
Mere Eglise and this began my fascination for all things WW1.
I took drama as an option when I was 14/15 and our school had a new drama teacher. I’d
previously been singing in the choir and had been in the Chorus of the Student Prince. The
new teacher was younger and had an interest in the 1920’s 30’s and 40’s so we clicked. We
put on a Show, a 1920’s evening and I sang my first solo on the stage of the Senior Hall. The
song was Stormy Weather and I was dressed in a 1920’s emerald green flapper costume.
Christmas had come early for me. I’d been obsessed with history from the 1920’s and 30’s
from about the age of 9, so this fuelled my passion. I currently sing Jazz, read books and
perform talks on the History of Jazz from slavery right through to the 1940’s. This was
fundamental for me. We also presented a 1940’s show with Flanegan and Allan & The Great
Escape sketches as well as dancing the Can Can and singing Andrew’s sisters tunes. Reliving the war years. I have some photos and a programme signed by the cast from this event.
Aids to learning
I do remember a programme from Junior school I think called “How we used to live”, and
there was another programme at Senior School called “The World at War”. Both were
brilliant and so life like. Watching programmes and having to write notes whilst you watched
helped me to remember and retain the information.
NS/P67/HiE184 Primary + Comprehensive Schools, Lancashire
Extra activities
There was a history club that met at lunchtimes at Range High, but I can’t recall specifics.
Aids to learning
Mainly books and OHPs. I seem to remember a video about canals whilst a primary school.
MM/P68/HiE147 Primary + Comprehensive School, Pontefract, Yorkshire
Aids to learning
How We Used to Live – brilliant to watch as student and adult
Cannot remember text books used
CM/P68/HiE141 Primary + Comprehensive, Oldham, Lancashire
NB INTERVIEWED and WORK PHOTOGRAPHED
Extra activities
I won a History prize for coming top in annual exams which meant a lot! We did, at “A”level, go to hear a lecture at Manchester University on State Structures in the Third Reich or
something like that, and that was the ultimate decider for me that I wanted to go on to study
History at degree level. There was also a workshop/conference day for Sixth Formers doing
History “A”-level from all over Oldham which again stands out in my mind as an interesting
event.
Aids to learning
Can’t remember individual books or worksheets but…..
 Maps : definitely! annotated maps with dates and details (e.g. Russian Revolution,
Rise of Hitler, post Napoleonic Europe, etc) were excellent, often individual handouts
which really focussed your mind
9


TV / Radio : the c20th history of Russia, Italy & Germany came to life in this
medium, but also we once listened to an academic radio debate on the Risorgimento!
Always two sides to a story and both the debates & dictators taught that other vital
historian’s attribute of scepticism : critically assess the evidence (especially its
sources & context) before making a judgement
Extracts : speeches, contemporary accounts, etc added genuine flavour
One study aid I had at A-level and University was Letts Revise A-Level History – pivotal!
Also at school, at home and at university, any of those Times Atlas of History/War or Great
Battles type books were immensely useful. Finally my auntie who worked in a library got me
an old (1950s/60s) “Manual of World History” that was due to be discarded and it was a real
rock for research – dates, event précis in key points/key players format, every task I started, I
commenced with reference to this Manual.
FK/P69/HiE107 Primary + Comprehensive School, Peterborough
Aids to learning
Just used textbooks. Did they help me to learn? NO! As I said, my understanding of history
was truly atrocious. I had NO understanding of empire (I’ve had to do extensive research on
this recently) and as an undergraduate studying music, I did not even know what the
Reformation was and had to research it at the time. I’d never heard of it!
RA/P69/HiE112 Primary, Leigh-on-Sea + Grammar School, Southend, Essex
Extra activities
Visits to local/regional places of interest. Projects that required own research beyond
classroom. Trips to Osterley + Syon House at 16+.
Aids to learning
I remember watching TV shows (‘How We Used to Live’) at junior school, but not senior
school. Much more focussed on set text books at senior school + worksheets on aspects of
each class. At senior school there was also a lot of stress on our own research –
encouragement to use school + local libraries.
Pupils born in the 1970s
KM/P70/HiE160 Lower + Middle/Upper Schools, Bedfordshire
Aids to learning
At middle school we used visits, some TB/video clips, pictures. At upper school I just
remember the black & white textbooks with photos + drawings of the Tollund Man in them.
DJ/P71/HiE145 Primary + Grammar Schools, Rainham, Kent
Extra activities
I think there may have been a history club but I didn’t join. Field trips occurred once or twice
a year and varied in their quality. One of the most historically informative trips was actually
for GCSE art, sketching the architecture of Canterbury. The teacher was very knowledgeable
about the Tudor houses and the Cathedral.
My main memory of trips in general was with the difficulty of holding onto clipboard, pencil,
lunch box, pac-a-mac, etc and having to write answers on worksheets which were usually
illegible once we got back to class.
Aids to learning
10
Chalk and talk and text books were the most common resources. By the 80s there was the
occasional video to see. I think actual artefacts were very rare, I may have once held a flint
arrowhead.
JD/P71/HiE116 First/Middle Schools Bradford + Comprehensive School, Cleckheaton,
West Yorkshire (also a history teacher)
Extra activities
Trips to Kettlewell, North Yorkshire in year 6, visit to Strasbourg in year 9, out of bounds
activity to Cirencester in year 8.
Aids to learning
“How we used to live” videos. Banda sheets (can still smell them!). Old maps of the area
and comparing them to new ones. (East Bierley is in the Domesday book as “East Birle”
owned by the Saville family)
ZB/P71/HiE115 Primary + Comprehensive Schools, Devon
Extra activities
There was a coach trip visiting local points of interest. We were studying fortifications. I
remember being taught how to recognise the lay of the land as an indication of there having
once been a fortification there. There was a further field trip to local water wheels and a local
working mill where we watched a loom in action.
Aids to learning
Books (often shared one between two). Worksheets (I remember these were hand written or
drawn and photocopied). Overhead projector. I remember a lot of talking though and I think
this probably helped.
RW/P73/HiE172 Primary + Comprehensive, Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire
Extra activities
No clubs or competitions. The only trips we went on were to various viaducts/aqueducts and
canals in the area. I was at secondary school during a lot of strike action by the NUT, so think
we missed out a lot.
Aids to learning
We had work books/TV series/maps/film strips/videos/worksheets. I am somewhat old
fashioned and prefer to get a book or even a primary or secondary source to tudy with. Some
of the topics I knew more about than others from the off, but I found most of what we were
provided with at school, useful. I always went and dug out something at the library to
supplement my learning anyway.
SS/P74/HiE136 Primary + Grammar Schools, Canterbury, Kent (History teacher)
Extra activities
We did trips into Canterbury in KS3 (Roman walls, castle, etc), a trip to Sevenoaks for
GCSE.
I don’t remember any clubs or competitions.
Aids to learning
For GCSE Elizabethan England we used slim SHP textbooks in black and white, I taught
using the same books a few years ago in Maidstone and recognised them. We did not have
books to take home for History.
I remember in Primary School we used to go into a different room to watch TV at a set time
as there were no video recorders. We used to have worksheets on a blue copier that you
turned by hand and I used to love doing it. We were shown slides on a large slide projector in
the classroom.
11
EAC/P75/HiE176 Primary + Comprehensive Schools Leicestershire
Extra activities
Trips to Ironbridge, Ludlow, Coventry Cathedral, Stoke Potteries, Battle of Bosworth
Quincentenary Celebration (all the local schools performed + learnt about the history).
Aids to learning
Maps, primary source materials, worksheets, posters/images, TV (we regularly watched The
Way We Used to Live at primary school), plays, poetry.
JH/P75/HiE113 Primary + Comprehensive Schools, Kirkham (near Blackpool),
Lancashire
Extra activities
Yr 10 Another trip to Helmshore Textile Musuems to tie in with I.R. work. The museum still
had the same worksheets! Year 11 included another trip to Fleetwood for our coursework on
local history, including lots of time to do our own research. Chilly in February!
Aids to learning
Generally one text book for GCSE. I don’t remember any AV or worksheets. At A level for
the Stuarts we had Coward’s ‘The Stuart Age’ (we had to buy our own) for text book and
went to a number of lectures in Manchester. For European Absolutism, we had handwritten
notes from the teacher, a couple of photocopied journal articles and JH Shennan’s Louis IX
Lancaster pamphlets. The Coward text book was excellent, the handwritten notes
comprehensive but boring. Worksheets gave us the outline of GCSE history coursework
projects.
AL/P77/HiE183 Primary + Middle/Upper Comprehensive Schools, Leiston, Essex
Extra activities
Year 5 – visit to Leiston Long Shop Museum. Ipswich Museum. We dressed up in old
clothing – I was a Suffrogette and really enjoyed the day.
Year 6 – Visit to Dunwich and Orford Museums
Year 7 – Visit to Museum of East Anglian Life at Stowmarket.
Year 10 – History Around Us – Orford Castle visit. Day trip (optional) to London to the
Victoria & Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and The Science Museum.
6th form – Fieldtrip for 5 days to Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire.
My favourite was the field trip to Ironbridge Gorge.
Aids to learning
Videos, newspaper articles, textbooks mainly. I loved looking at old maps, particularly of my
local area.
KK/P77/HiE165 Infant/Junior + Comprehensive Schools (to age 13), Cheltenham
Extra activities
I do not remember any school history clubs or competitions. However we did go on a couple
of school trips. While at Bournside we went on a day trip to South Wales and visited
Caerphilly Castle.
Aids to learning
We mostly used books, worksheets and maps. I do not remember watching relevant TV
programmes.
LB/P78/HiE150 Primary + Comprehensive Schools, Southampton
Aids to learning
12
Textbooks, the teachers probably produced worksheets for us to answer questions on. I don’t
recall any other medium being used. These bored me and that is my enduring memory of
history at school.
KC/P79/HiE143 Primary + Grammar, Bournemouth
Aids to learning
We nearly always used books, and although I can't remember which ones, they were old at
the time. I don't think we got any up-to-date books, as they were put back in the History
cupboard when we had used them ready for the next group, which had obviously happened
for years. I think we did sometimes use R.J. Unstead up to A-level.
RW/P79/HiE117 Primary + Comprehensive Schools, Spondon, Derbyshire
Extra activities
Year 7 – Trip to Lincoln Cathedral and Castle
Year 8 – Trip to Coventry Cathedral (might have been RE mainly)
Year 10 – Trip to Science Museum, London
Aids to learning
Schools History Project textbooks?
We used books you might use at degree level for A level.
BB/P79/HiE118 Primary + Grammar, Sandwich, Kent
Extra activities
Went to Arras/Vimy Ridge – WWI memorials.
Lots of museum day trips
At ‘A’ level we went to a revision conference.
Aids to learning
Some video-film – a nice distraction! (incl. Blackadder for WWI)
Lots of handouts/worksheets
Some OHP transparencies
MP/P79/HiE119 First/Middle + Comprehensive, Surrey
Extra activities
No clubs/competitions. We must have had some trips but I can’t remember.
Aids to learning
Not many aids – remember some videos pre-GCSE, esp. concentration camp video & a girl in
my class fainting even though it was black & white!
Copies of sources to evaluate.
A level = photocopied handout with extracts of sources/historians’ interpretation.
Pupils born in the 1980s + 90s
AW/P80/HiE200 Primary, Leyland, Lancashire + Middle/Upper Comprehensives,
Ampthill, Bedfordshire
Extra activities
No clubs or competitions; some trips to museums in London as the school was only an hour
or so North (Imperial War Museum etc).
Aids to learning
Books and hand outs with sources on were used a lot for early 20th century History; they did
help as it meant you were able to work with “original” sources rather than re-reporting of said
sources. Helped our historical work feel more authentic. TV programmes were used; there’s
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obviously a reasonable amount of period footage from the 30s and 40s. Again, it helped a lot
– it’s the time you’re learning about, real and on the screen.
AH/P82/HiE193 Primary Schools + Comprehensive, Bridgnorth, Shropshire
Extra activities
There must have been more, but the only trip I can remember was to look at sources
including a Norman church, an abandoned medieval village, holloways, etc. It was a bleak
day to be out on the hills and we were encouraged to really imagine what life would’ve been
like living there in the medieval period.
Aids to learning
Everything [ie books, worksheets, maps, radio, film strips, TV, video]. That was one of the
best aspects of the way we were taught. This definitely helped me to learn, and to see things
in a different way.
HJ/P82/HiE201 Primary + Comprehensive, Kettering, Northamptonshire
Extra activities
We went on a general field trip each year - not specifically to do with history. Went to
Govilon, Wales and saw Roman remains (as well as visiting in Primary school). Also went to
the Scilly Isles - remember visiting an old castle I believe, and Brittany, France - saw the
landing beaches.
Aids to learning
Books and worksheets used most. Video used rarely.
JR/P83/HiE 122 First + Middle + Upper Comprehensive, Leek, Staffordshire
Aids to learning
Text books, Work on walls of classroom. TV. Dreaded text books. Remember wall displays
being fairly uninspiring.
BP/P83/HiE154 Primary + Comprehensive, Washington, Tyne and Wear
NB INTERVIEWED
Extra activities
I remember a trip to Ushaw College in Durham (a theological college attached to Durham
University) to look at original source material in the college library and view priests’
vestments. We visited Holy Island (linked to development of Christianity and the Vikings).
We also visited a local castle to look at the ‘motte and bailey’.
Aids to learning
Latterly, we watched Simon Schama’s History of Britain, the film Elizabeth and A Man for
All Seasons. I felt they often brought the period to life. In Schama’s series I can recall seeing
a digitally imagined version of what a pre-Reformation church would have looked like which
I found particularly effective. We were encouraged to use materials in the library and read
widely – for the Tudor period Guy, Haigh and Scarisbrick.
Earlier in school I can remember using a medieval history textbook – I think it was called
Medieval Realms?
CN/P84/HiE123 Primary + Comprehensive, Twickenham, Middlesex
Extra activities
Fieldtrips – year 7 – Tonbridge Castle; Year 9 – Ypres; Year 10 – Berlin and a trip to a
Medical Museum in London – it was GCSE; One year we did a heritage trail; much the same
as in primary school.
Aids to learning
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I am sure all the examples were used [books, worksheets, maps, radio, film strips, TV, video]
at some point, but books and work-sheets were without a doubt the usual. I think TV/video
was regarded as a bit of a ‘treat’ – esp. when we watched some Blackadder.
ET/P86/HiE153 Primary + Comprehensive, Towcester, Northamptonshire
Extra activities
We did go on a trip to York and we went to the Yorvik museum and around the wall.
I really enjoyed the topic we studied on Medieval Castles at GCSE and we went to visit some
in Wales as part of our coursework. We did not get to go on any field trips during my A
levels, which I found disappointing.
Aids to learning
Textbooks, handouts, maps, primary & secondary sources. I remember watching an episode
of Blackadder Goes Forth – we enjoyed that and it was a humorous way to learn about Life
in the Trenches. The majority of things used were textbooks during Key Stage 3 and 4.
Handouts more so at A Level.
LJ/P87/HiE164 Primary + Comprehensive, Crediton, Devon
Extra activities
Few field-trips at secondary level. Torrington civil war museum was memorable. Also a trip
to Plymouth to meet a holocaust survivor, memorable for the argument which erupted
between this Polish survivor and a octogenarian polish man in the audience who furiously
denied Polish civilian belligerence towards the holocaust.
Aids to learning
Textbooks used were in good nick and not too old.
Video documentaries not relied on too heavily. They helped a little.
HA/P87/HiE 120 Primary + Grammar, Chelmsford, Essex
Extra activities
In the 6th form the history teachers ran a Philosophy of History club – each week a student
researched + presented a paper, which was then discussed by the group. Outside speakers also
came to give seminars, followed by an evening lecture.
Yr 9 – field trip to Ypres.
Aids to learning
Each year we were given at least one text book. We were allowed to tak the text book home +
we used it to complete homework.
We never used radio + only rarely watched the TV or video.
HM/P87/HiE166 Primary + Comprehensive, Hillingdon, Middlesex
NB SCHOOL WORK PHOTOGRAPHED
Extra activities
I do not remember there being history clubs or competitions; however we did go on school
trips where we were usually given a questionnaire to answer. I remember being taken to the
Imperial War Museum in London by the school. We also went on a trip to France and
Belgium in Year 10 to visit the war graves from the First World War. These trips were
always good as they enabled me to gain a better understanding of the subject.
Aids to learning
The resources which were provided to help students learn about history at school include
books and information sheets, worksheets, maps, TV documentaries and films. Mostly books/
information sheets and worksheets were used to give students the information they needed on
a topic. Maps were also commonly used; useful when trying to understand who the various
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powers were involved in the first and second world wars, for example. TV documentaries and
films were least used, however they provided an alternative way to learn about a particular
topic. For example, I remember watching Schindlers List in secondary school, which helped
[me] to understand how gruelling life under Nazi power must have been.
AG/P90/HiE140 Primary and Comprehensive, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
Aids to learning
Text books
The Internet
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