Feedback from Nuffield Primary History users
From Sarah Nottidge, Head of Year 3 at Ellingham Primary School, Surrey, October 2009
I have been using this website for a while, having had some fantastic lessons thanks to you! My recent experiences with a less able year 3 class have lead me to embark on far more role-play based teaching of history.
Using this site enabled me to deliver history in a more relevant way for all pupils, but seemed to be particularly beneficial to able, gifted and talented pupils, which had a knock-on effect on the rest of the class.
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From Katherine Turner, student teacher at London Metropolitan University, November 2008
As a student teacher I am absolutely thrilled to have found the wealth of information, ideas and inspiration this website provides. These notes from qualified teachers are so valuable in getting insight in not just how a lesson was planned but how well it worked. I have a better idea of what to expect and feel I can prepare myself better for when I get in the classroom.
The 'Leading history' link was the last I looked at but was incredibly useful to my stage of training to see how the theoretical concepts such as long/medium term planning and planning for the use of resources could be applied in a practical sense. The link to 'history knowledge for teachers' was also especially useful and reassuring after having been reminded of the vast range of topics I need to be up to speed on!
I was pleased to see the links to cross-curricular learning here as it has been emphasised so much on my course – it could maybe be reiterated in some of the lesson plans and areas of learning, such as drawing to scale and working out area to go with the maps and plans section of Teaching Methods or recording data in different charts/graphs to compare 'now and then'. Some of the teaching notes included these cross-curricular links but an 'at a glance' overview of the different areas of other subjects would make it even more useful.
Links to how lesson suggestions fulfil the National Curriculum criteria would probably be rather time-consuming but would be incredibly helpful for someone going into a profession needing so much documentation and evidence of following guidelines. That said, the website is excellent and I only wish there were similar websites to help with the rest of the curriculum!
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From Anita Donovan, primary school in Ashford, Kent November 2008
I have used the lesson ideas for the Gunpowder Plot and the Great Plague and will soon start the Fire of London. I think the lesson content is very good for a number of reasons: it highlights skills to be covered rather than being content-led, the 'what if ...' questions make a good link to the past and present and get the children thinking, and the resources you provide are a great asset and save me time searching for them myself. I really enjoy the drama activities (and am looking forward to being the Plague doctor tomorrow!).
The lesson ideas are clearly explained and thus easy to follow. The lessons have obviously been taught to pupils and the pupil responses are useful.
I think it would be a good idea to reference the learning objectives/ outcomes to the National Curriculum and to provide some information regarding assessment i.e. what one would expect a child to achieve/demonstrate to achieve a particular level. It sounds like I am SATs/test driven but I am not! Your ideas have inspired me – thank you very much.
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From Hilary Morris, Senior Lecturer in the School of Education, University of Brighton, November 2008
Within the School of Education, the number of students who select History as their chosen subject specialism continues to grow.
In order to ensure that students transfer enthusiasm for the subject into good practice within the classroom, the Nuffield Primary History site forms an essential part of their training. Alongside clear pedagogic advice, there is also the opportunity to access innovative approaches with regard to the delivery of the history curriculum, supported by informative and relevant resources.
Students who use Nuffield Primary History also find the support to be creative, and implement approaches such as learning journeys and cross-curricular sessions with enthusiasm.
It is also a general consensus that the Nuffield Primary History site models excellent teaching and learning strategies and encourages all practitioners to deliver History in a way which leaves no uncertainty regarding its status and scope in the present curriculum.
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from Gail Edwards, Lecturer in Education at Newcastle University, October 2008
I have used this website for several years with children, teachers and student teachers. As with all Nuffield curriculum projects, the research, advice, resources and support are second to none. The teaching materials and activities are of the highest quality, and I have never found any of them fail to stimulate children and develop deep historical understanding and expertise.
I use the principles of Nuffield history to underpin the content and teaching of my PGCE primary history module. Often, it is some students' first introduction to this sort of approach and it always goes down well; John Fines' teaching is inspirational!
And because the material is based on research, on a sound understanding of learning, and on the practice of experienced teachers, it is material I feel I can trust. I only wish there were an equivalent of this standard in other subject areas!
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From Mrs T Mariapa, All Saints Junior CoE School, London SE19, July 2008
I started using this website site when I was suddenly moved from Y2 to Y5 one June and needed something on the Ancient Greeks really quickly! I spent ages happily browsing through all the materials provided and used some of the teaching ideas from other teachers. I have also used lesson plans, resources and background notes. A lot of what I have used has been shared with student teachers as well as an NQT Y5 teacher. They found the materials as useful as I did.
I like the site because it is easy to navigate and there is plenty to choose from. The Henry resources were very popular with the children and I used some of these in our Literacy lessons. I will be using the site more next year because we are moving to a themed curriculum from September so a new cohort of student teachers and I will be online then! We will be covering the Victorians first, as we are based in Crystal Palace and need goodish weather to visit the park, and the Ancient Greeks in the Spring term, I think.
I haven't had time to read all the new sections I can see have been added since I last visited the site in depth so I am looking forward to sharpening up my practice.
My thanks to all who work on the Primary History site who have made our lives much easier.
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From Ian Cawood, Head of Department of History, Newman College of Higher Education, Birmingham
"The site is brought to the attention of all our primary specialists (having used John Fines excellent video to demonstrate history teaching skills) and has been widely used by all the history specialists. The most popular section is, naturally, that of lesson ideas. Sections have also been used by our citizenship trainees (esp the Florence Nightingale and Guy Fawkes examples). I usually refer it to 'the best aid to history teachers on the net'.
From a BEd student at the University of Plymouth November 06
Just a quick note to thank you for your excellent website. Yesterday I, along with two colleagues, presented an hour-long seminar relating to the Sumerians and how it would be most appropriately taught. I used a condensed version of your lesson relating to the Royal Tombs of Ur. (See Sumerians.) It worked brilliantly and we were extremely pleased with the reation we received. This was with a class of 20 BEd students and two university lecturers! If this was the response from adults, I can't wait to use it in the classroom with children. Thank you once again. Your website is a valuable resource, with inspirational, yet achievable ideas and comments.
From a teacher in Denmark, October 06
I really like your teaching ideas and how you teach teachers how to teach. Thank you very much!
From Rebecca Tomlinson, Newton CP School, St Helens, Merseyside
March 06
Thank you so much for the information you have provided, it is greatly appreciated and very very helpful. As History Co-ordinator I personally use your site a lot, particularly when planning lessons for other year groups. Other teachers are starting to use it too. We find the lessons particularly helpful as we teach through a topic approach now and a lot of the lessons on your website lend themselves to this way of teaching.
From Hafiza Hajat, Woodland Grange Primary School, Oadby, Leicestershire, March 07
The Nuffield History site has been really helpful in ideas and effective questioning techniques and so much more. I'm in my second year of teaching and we're changing the curriculum to teach in topics.
From Candice Bell
I've written a brief resume of how I used the 'Henry at boarding school' lesson. It was quite a close crib of what Jacqui Dean had done and written up on this website. It was one of the first things I did with a new class. They had two different teachers in the first half term of the year, then had me in the afternoons, and now will have me full time for the rest of the year. It was a fantastic exercise to break the ice, to learn names, to find out strengths and weaknesses, and to stamp my mark. (download notes from Candice from the Henry web page)
