The school and its community

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 to carry out some of their own investigations by using a range of different sources, many related to their own school and schools in the locality where suitable. Above all, it allows the children to see some continuity between their lives and the past.

This unit is structured around three sequential history enquiries: 

1. Is there any difference between schools today (in our local area) and in the time of your parents and grandparents?
2. Would you prefer to have been in (our local) schools in the past or now?
3. Were there times in the past when life at (our local) school was particularly unusual and why was this?

Please note: While this unit contains resource suggestions, it is not a fully resourced scheme of work, and the resources it refers to may in some cases only be available to full members of the HA. The HA schemes of work were produced by members of the HA primary committee and its affiliates. These schemes of work are designed to support your planning and should be moulded and adapted to fit the context and needs of your own school.  To view a free sample scheme of work, please refer to our Anglo-Saxons unit. We regularly check the hyperlinks included in the schemes but unfortunately every now and again some links may go out of date. If you spot a broken link, please let us know on enquiries@history.org.uk.