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.

History, Key stage 1, Year 2, How was school different in the past? Lesson 2: How have schools changed within living memory?