When teachers connect with local heritage, pupils flourish!

When teachers connect with local heritage, pupils flourish!

Schoolchildren and teachers across the city have been working with the Historic England Heritage Schools programme to celebrate Sheffield's heritage, in Know Your Place, a project led by Create Sheffield. See the inspiring results in a free exhibition at Sheffield Central Library until 8 August.

The exhibition features artwork from pupils across eleven Sheffield primary schools who were asked to explore what matters most about their local heritage. The pieces reflect children's interpretations of heritage connected to family, school and the community, and their response to Sheffield's industrial past and natural landscapes like the city's river valleys. They include drawings, ceramics, weaving, collage, creative writing and printmaking.

Making it happen

Create Sheffield brought together local school teachers, artists and heritage organisations for this project. Working in partnership with Historic England, and drawing on our trusted networks, we co-ordinated teacher training, creative workshops and an exhibition.

Teachers from Create Sheffield’s schools network received specialist training and resources from Historic England and attended hands-on exploration days at Sheffield Museums, Sheffield Manor Lodge, the National Emergency Services Museum, Sheffield City Archives and Wessex Archaeology. By tapping into the rich local place knowledge held by our partner organisations, they gained first hand experience to take back to their classrooms. Children then worked directly with local artists also from our network - Angie Hardwick, Charlie Hill, Charlotte Tupper, Eleanor May Blackburn, Jayne Cooper, Nik Perring and Sarah Jane Palmer - to produce artefacts for this unique exhibition.

Praise for the initiative

Julie Edwards, Historic England's Heritage Schools Manager, said: “This exhibition powerfully demonstrates how connecting children with their local heritage builds pride in where they live. By equipping teachers with knowledge and resources, we're ensuring Sheffield's unique story is passed to the next generation, helping them understand how the past shapes who they are today.”

Cllr Janet Ridler, Heritage Champion at Sheffield City Council, said: “Sheffield is a city rightly proud of its heritage, afnd it’s great to have been involved in this project encouraging children to learn about the history all around them. IIt will be fantastic to see the best of their findings on display in this fascinating exhibition.”

Cllr Dawn Dale, Chair of the Education, Children’s and Families Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “The Heritage Schools project is a great way of linking children’s learning to their home, which they will rightly be proud to celebrate. We hope that our schools have enjoyed being part of this fun initiative, and would encourage even more to get involved next time.”

Elizabeth Gray, Headteacher at Netherthorpe Primary School in Sheffield, said: “The Historic England project provided invaluable training that enhanced our teaching skills and opened doors to local archives. Children across the school were engaged, interested, enquiring and enthused as they discovered the real people who once walked their streets and attended their school. This approach has truly enriched our local heritage teaching.”

About Create Sheffield

Create Sheffield connects Sheffield’s education, cultural, arts and youth sectors as the city’s Local Cultural Education Partnership (LCEP). We believe every child or young person in Sheffield deserves the same access to creative expression, no matter their background. Read more about what we do here.

About Historic England’s Heritage Schools programme

Historic England’s Heritage Schools programme aims to help school children develop an understanding of their local heritage and its significance. The programme includes clusters of schools in eight regions across England. The aim of the Heritage Schools programme is to make sure that:

• Children develop a sense of pride in where they live

• Children understand their local heritage and how it relates to the national story

• Teachers are more confident in making effective use of local heritage resources in delivering the curriculum

• Local historic context is embedded in the school's curriculum

• Heritage providers are more connected to the needs of local schools

• Parents are engaged in their children's learning

• Communities are more deeply involved in the life of the school

Teachers interested in participating in future Heritage Schools training can visit www.historicengland.org.uk/education for more information or contact heritage.schools@HistoricEngland.org.uk.