James is a primary school teacher based in Darlington, an area renowned for its rich and internationally significant historical heritage. With a degree in History, specialising in World War Two and European Jewish History, he has developed a deep understanding of the past and a strong appreciation of its relevance to the modern world.

Passionate about making History meaningful and engaging, James is committed to bringing the subject to life for young learners. He believes that a love of history should be nurtured from the earliest stages of education and advocates for high-quality historical learning from EYFS onwards. Through carefully planned lessons, storytelling, enquiry, and exploration of local heritage, he aims to inspire curiosity and a lifelong interest in the past.

Alongside his classroom practice, James has worked to develop higher-order historical thinking across his school, which has been cascaded through to the rest of his school through carefully crafted CPD. James has also planned collaborative practice to further develop and extend his technique in questioning across other areas of the curriculum. By creating carefully pitched historical interpretations and discussion statements, he encourages pupils to draw upon their knowledge, understanding and contextual awareness to evaluate different viewpoints, justify their opinions, and engage in meaningful historical debate. This approach helps children move beyond simply learning about the past and instead develop the analytical skills of real historians.

At the heart of James’s teaching philosophy is the belief that understanding history helps pupils make sense of the world around them. He is dedicated to helping children explore how past events, people, and decisions have shaped contemporary society, encouraging them to reflect on the lessons history can teach us as we plan for the future. This is particularly important within the North East, where the region’s unique history provides countless opportunities for pupils to connect national and global events with their own local communities.

Through his work, James seeks to foster thoughtful, informed and curious young historians who recognise the value of learning from the past in order to understand the present and help shape the future. His aim is not only to develop historical knowledge, but also to cultivate critical thinking, empathy and the confidence to question, interpret and evaluate evidence as historians do.