Champion Heritage Schools Scheme Launches
Historic England has selected eight schools from across the country to join a new scheme aimed at championing the value of teaching local heritage.
The Champion Heritage Schools scheme will see these schools working with Historic England to promote the importance of local heritage and how it can be integrated into different subjects in the curriculum.
Research has shown that knowledge of local heritage gives children a sense of pride and identity. Exposure to local heritage can also have a positive effect on mental and physical wellbeing.
Champion Heritage Schools forms part of Historic England’s Heritage Schools programme, which was created to help children learn about local heritage and its significance.
As this is the first year of the scheme the schools will play a key role in shaping its activities and future development. Such activities could include testing new local heritage education resources and sharing best practice in heritage teaching.
The eight schools were awarded Champion Heritage School status as they have already shown a passion and flair for teaching local heritage through the Heritage Schools programme. They have also completed the Heritage Schools Award. This is given to schools by Historic England that have successfully supported pupils to understand their local heritage.
One of the eight Champion Heritage Schools is The Hall School in Glenfield, Leicestershire. It has been part of the Heritage Schools programme for two years and has embraced local heritage, embedding it across the curriculum. Teachers have delivered several inspiring local heritage projects including a mock suffragette rally where pupils sang suffragette songs, marched with banners and delivered speeches to the crowd.
Our Champion Heritage Schools have already done fantastic work inspiring and educating their own pupils about local heritage. I’m delighted they have agreed to act as ambassadors for our Heritage Schools programme as well as helping us shape our future work with schools. Heritage Schools is a fundamentally important part of Historic England’s work as learning about local heritage brings so many benefits to young people, from a sense of local pride to improved mental and physical wellbeing. By teaching children to understand and appreciate the heritage that surrounds us all, we can build the foundations necessary for protecting and cherishing it in the future.
The eight Champion Heritage Schools are:
- Breckon Hill Primary School, Middlesbrough
- Knowsley Junior School, Springhead, Oldham
- Peel Park Primary School and Nursery, Bradford
- Dawley Brook Primary School, Kingswinford, West Midlands
- The Hall School, Glenfield, Leicester
- St George’s Primary and Nursery School, Great Yarmouth
- Two Mile Hill Primary School, Kingswood, Bristol
- The Sydney Russell School, Dagenham, London
