Top resources for History Teachers

Finding innovative ways to bring the past to life is at the forefront of history teaching, and secondary teachers are spoilt for choice when it comes to the resources at their disposal.

Whether you wish to explore the mysteries around Stonehenge, follow in the footsteps of William the Conqueror or let your pupils discover life during the Blitz, there are numerous ways to ensure lessons remain fun and engaging.

From unique history activities and worksheets to guidance on structuring discussion around key topics, here are some of the handy resources available to aid secondary teachers.

School History

Home to a comprehensive collection of history resources that are aligned to the main exam boards, School History has everything a secondary teacher could need.

A range of memberships are available for individual history teachers or schools, which provide access to lesson plans, assessments and other resources designed to ensure that every history lesson is as memorable as the last.

Tes

Designed by school staff for history teachers, Tes has a large collection of worksheets, practice questions and lesson plans to aid those delivering secondary education.

Suitable for pupils aged 11-18, the mix of free and low-cost resources are designed to encourage discussion and debate, and can help pupils to delve deeper into key historical topics.

The Historical Association

Membership to the Historical Association, the UK’s national charity for history, can provide teachers with access to resources that can enhance their teaching and their careers.

As well as classroom resources, secondary teachers can also access continuing professional development support and a useful journal titled Teaching History, with several different membership options available, including one specifically for newly qualified teachers.

The School Trip

With free resources that help to bring history to life, The School Trip has collated various games, lesson plans and presentations for pupils of various ages.

It links to an array of printable digital resources and ideas, as well as others which provide guidance for history teachers on potential field trip opportunities and interactive activities.

BBC History

For video resources to accompany lesson teaching, BBC History has much of its historical programming available in a digital format.

There’s also plenty of GCSE resources for history teachers to use too, covering topics such as the Industrial Revolution, post-War Britain and Queen Victoria, among many others.

English Heritage

From pre-history to Roman and Norman invasion, through to the Tudor, Stuart and Victorian periods, and beyond, English Heritage has a wide array of resources to help secondary teachers explore Britain’s past.

In addition to video and classroom activities, it’s possible to browse the resource library by period, key stage or region, allowing history teachers to plan their lessons and link in different British sites to various parts of the curriculum.