The National Archives Education Service

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The National Archives Education Service The National Archives Education Service page is aimed at teachers and educators. See website for queries & bookings.

Providing free
document based resources & taught sessions from KS1 up to A level. The Education Service provides free online resources and taught sessions, supporting the National Curriculum for history from key stage 1 up to A-level. Visit our website to access the full range of our resources, from Domesday to Britain in the 1960s, and find out about more about our schools programme, including new professional development opportunities for teachers. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/

All taught sessions and online resources are based around an enquiry; students investigate the past through original documents, to reach their own conclusions based on the evidence. They work with documents in their raw state from a letter penned by Catherine Howard confessing her love for Thomas Culpepper, to a secret Foreign Office memo analysing Khrushchev's attitude to Berlin in 1961. This approach encourages students to ask questions, think critically and reflect on the way in which historians use evidence to find out about the past.

On Saturday 31 October, children across the country will go “trick-or-treating”, dressed up as creatures of the night su...
30/10/2026

On Saturday 31 October, children across the country will go “trick-or-treating”, dressed up as creatures of the night such as vampires, werewolves – and witches.

To discover the real story behind the witch craze of the 17th century, students can use our free resource to explore a range of real documents from our collection, from government acts outlawing witchcraft to contemporary witch trials.

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/teaching-resources/early-modern-witch-trials-accusation-and-trial/

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📜 Session of the Week!Taking their name from the People’s Charter of 1838, the Chartists were a working class movement t...
29/10/2026

đź“ś Session of the Week!

Taking their name from the People’s Charter of 1838, the Chartists were a working class movement that lobbied for political reform during the 19th century.

In this session, students will gain an insight into the lives of the Chartists through prison interviews conducted by the Home Office in 1840-41.

Book a place for your class on this free workshop now:

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/education-sessions/chartism/

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đź“ś Session of the Week!Karel Richter was a German spy who parachuted into the United Kingdom during the Second World War....
22/10/2026

đź“ś Session of the Week!

Karel Richter was a German spy who parachuted into the United Kingdom during the Second World War.

This session develops students’ history detective skills as they piece together Richter’s story using original documents. 🔎

Book a place for your class on this free workshop now:

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/education-sessions/unmasking-a-spy/

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22/10/2026

Watch our new film, Spotlight On The Putney Debates now!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2e-aLzLdK4

The Putney Debates of 1647 amount to one of the most significant moments in English political history.

Join Neil Johnston, Head of Early Modern Records at The National Archives, as he explores the radical new ideas that emerged from the crucible of war, and the archival records that document them.

🌹 Only three spaces left! Join us for All Pals Together and hear from a real actor as he plays the part of Private Henr...
21/10/2026

🌹 Only three spaces left!

Join us for All Pals Together and hear from a real actor as he plays the part of Private Henry Fairhurst, and answers your students' questions as he describes life on the front line.

This is an hour long workshop which takes place online from your classroom. There are currently still spaces but it will sell out!

Book now for your class: https://tinyurl.com/ycy584vc

Document of the Month!Registration of British Nationality for Frank Bailey, 1968.Catalogue ref: HO 334/1405/109922Born i...
14/10/2026

Document of the Month!

Registration of British Nationality for Frank Bailey, 1968.
Catalogue ref: HO 334/1405/109922

Born in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1925, Frank Bailey joined West Ham Fire Brigade in 1955 and served at Silvertown Fire Station.

This likely made him the first Black full-time firefighter in Britain.

After leaving the Fire Brigade in 1965, Frank went on to become a social worker, a legal advisor to Black youths at Marylebone Magistrates Court, and the star of a Google Doodle commemorating his life.

To learn more click the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalarchives/55572977870/

✍️ Lesson of the Week!Frustrated by the slow progress of the fight for equal voting rights, the Suffragettes adopted inc...
13/10/2026

✍️ Lesson of the Week!

Frustrated by the slow progress of the fight for equal voting rights, the Suffragettes adopted increasingly radical measures.

In this themed collection, teachers and students can explore a wide range of original source giving insights into the aims, methods and experiences of those involved in the women’s suffrage movement.

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/teaching-resources/suffragettes-on-file-1840-1912/

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The National Archives, Kew
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TW94DU

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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