This History video introduces teachers to the importance of teaching pupils that historians use sources to find out about the past. Throughout Key Stage 1, children will learn to extract evidence from different types of sources, including historical records, photographs, and oral accounts from family members or people in the community. When looking at photographs, pupils are encouraged to create their own questions, such as “What do you think is happening in the picture?”, “Who might the people be?”, “What might they be saying?” and “What clothes are they wearing?”. These prompts open discussions about what has stayed the same and what has changed since the photo was taken.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s History scheme – sources. It supports teachers in introducing pupils to a variety of local historical sources. Written sources, such as school log books, exercise books, textbooks, registers, and HMI reports, can be explored to reveal details about the past. Teachers should review these before sharing them with pupils, highlighting sections of interest and generating questions together. Potential confusion can arise if buildings have changed or no longer exist, so context is important. This unit can be enriched with a visit from someone older, ideally a former pupil, who can share an oral history of the school and bring the past to life for the class.

This History video introduces teachers to using photographs as powerful primary sources for finding out about the past. Pupils need to be shown how to make careful observations to interpret images as historians do. Activities such as playing I spy with a photograph, counting remembered details, listing objects or colours, or adding speech bubbles help children notice details they might otherwise overlook. Once these skills are developed, pupils can begin to consider the wider context of the photograph.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s History scheme – Photographs. It supports teachers in guiding pupils through interpreting photographs by asking structured questions. Observation prompts such as “Who is in the photograph?” are followed by analytical questions like “When was it taken?”, “Where is it?”, and “What is its purpose?”. Pupils are encouraged to think about what happened before the photograph was taken, how people in it might have felt, and how the photographer’s choices could create bias. By evaluating relevance and the evidence provided towards their enquiry question, pupils will develop a critical understanding of how photographs can both reveal and shape our view of the past.

This History video introduces teachers to key knowledge about the monarchy to support pupils in understanding how power and government in Britain have changed over time. It outlines the difference between absolute monarchy, where kings once ruled with full authority, and the constitutional monarchy we have today, where the monarch acts as head of state but laws are made by Parliament. The video also explores the important ceremonial and symbolic role of the monarch, from public duties to their involvement with the armed forces and the Church of England.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s History scheme – England. It lessons exploring monarchy and leadership in the UK. It includes detailed guidance on explaining the coronation ceremony, including each of its traditional stages. Teachers are supported with suggestions for relating these historical traditions to pupils’ own experiences, helping them to understand abstract concepts like oaths and anointing through familiar examples such as joining a club or attending a baptism.