School History Investigation

Overview

In this engaging 60-minute lesson, Year 6 students will explore the history of their own school as part of the unit "Edgware's Historical Journey." They will build critical research and enquiry skills by gathering information about the school’s founding, its development over time, and its role within the local community. Students will conduct interviews with staff and alumni to collect personal stories and insights, fostering an understanding of how local history shapes identity.

This lesson aligns specifically with the National Curriculum for England's History Programme of Study for Key Stage 2.

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National Curriculum Links

History – Key Stage 2

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Understand the study of history as a coherent, chronological narrative that builds on prior knowledge (NC Programme of Study, KS2).
  • Note connections, contrasts, and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms (KS2).
  • Address and devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity, difference, and significance (KS2).
  • Construct informed responses using organisation of relevant historical information (KS2).

Key Competencies Developed

• Research and enquiry skills
• Use of primary sources (oral history)
• Chronological understanding
• Communication and presentation of historical knowledge

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

1. Describe key events in the history of their school, including its foundation and significant developments.
2. Explain the role their school has played in the local community over time.
3. Formulate and ask relevant interview questions to gather historical information from staff and alumni.
4. Analyse and reflect on personal stories to gain a deeper understanding of local history.

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Resources

• Timeline template worksheet
• Interview question prompt sheet
• Clipboards, pens
• Audio recorder or device (optional)
• Copies of any archival photos/documents about the school (if available)
• Whiteboard and markers

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes)

• Context setting: Show a few archival images or documents related to the school’s early days to spark curiosity.
• Class discussion: What do they already know about the history of our school? What questions do they want to find answers to?
• Write some initial questions on the board related to the school’s founding, changes over time, and community role to model question formulation.

2. Main Activity Part 1: Preparing for Interviews (15 minutes)

• Introduce the concept of oral history and explain how interviews are an important source of historical information.
• In pairs, pupils brainstorm and write 5-6 open-ended questions they want to ask a staff member or alumni (guided by the prompt sheet). Questions could include:
  • When was the school founded?
  • How has the school changed since then?
  • What role does the school play in Edgware?
  • Can you share a memorable story from your time here?
• Teacher models examples and emphasises respectful, clear questioning.

3. Main Activity Part 2: Conducting Interviews (20 minutes)

• Pupils work in small groups (3-4 per group). Each group will be assigned or opt to interview a member of staff or a former pupil (alumni teacher or guest) who is present, either in person or via pre-recorded video/audio clips if live interaction is not possible.
• Groups take turns asking their questions, taking notes or recording answers.
• Teacher roams to support and prompt deeper answers where necessary.

4. Plenary: Sharing and Reflecting (15 minutes)

• Groups share one or two interesting findings or stories uncovered during their interviews with the class.
• On the whiteboard, create a collective timeline or mind map noting key events and themes about the school’s history.
• Facilitate reflection on how personal stories contribute to understanding history and why local history matters.

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Assessment

• Ongoing formative assessment through observation of pupils’ participation and questioning during interviews.
• Evaluate pupils’ written questions for relevance, open-ended nature and historical focus.
• Assess contributions to group reflections and ability to summarise information from the interview.

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Extension Ideas / Homework

• Pupils can create a short written or multimedia presentation (e.g., poster, video, digital slideshow) about one interesting story or fact they learnt about the school’s history to share in the next lesson.
• Encourage pupils to talk to their families to find out if there are any other historical stories about the school or area.

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Differentiation

• Provide scaffolded question templates or sentence starters for pupils who need extra support.
• For more able pupils, challenge them to develop follow-up questions based on interviewees’ answers to probe deeper.
• Allow alternative roles in interviews such as note-taker or summariser to suit student strengths.

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Reflection for Teachers

• Did pupils engage with and understand the value of oral history as a source?
• Were pupils’ questions historically valid and thought-provoking?
• How did the personal stories affect pupils’ understanding of their local history?
• Were there enough opportunities for all pupils to participate meaningfully?

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This lesson creatively integrates real-world historical enquiry with the National Curriculum standards on historical knowledge, skills, and understanding — providing a rich, memorable learning experience deeply connected to students’ lives.