Heritage Connects: Building Practical Partnerships Between Schools and Heritage

I recently had the opportunity to speak at Heritage Day 2026 in Westminster, hosted by The Heritage Alliance. The theme of the event was Heritage Connects, and it prompted some useful reflection about how heritage and education work together, particularly when it comes to young people.

One idea that came through strongly in the discussions was the importance of belonging, especially for disadvantaged pupils. Helping young people feel connected to the places they live matters. When pupils understand the stories of their local area, the people who lived there before them and the events that shaped their communities, history becomes something immediate and meaningful. It helps children see themselves as part of a longer story.

As both a classroom teacher and the founder of Local History Hub, I spend a lot of time moving between two worlds: schools and the heritage sector. Each brings valuable perspectives, but they do not always fully understand each other’s day-to-day realities.

From the heritage side, there is often real enthusiasm to work with schools. Many professionals in museums, archives and heritage organisations are former teachers themselves and understand how powerful well-designed heritage experiences can be for pupils. Organisations such as English Heritage have also worked hard to make historic sites accessible to schools, including offering free access that many teachers value greatly.

At the same time, schools operate within very tight practical constraints. Organising visits, managing risk assessments and balancing curriculum demands all take considerable time. Even when opportunities are available and welcomed, teachers often need support and confidence to integrate them effectively into their planning.

This is where collaboration becomes so important. When teachers and heritage professionals have the opportunity to work together, share expertise and understand each other’s priorities, the results can be extremely positive.

Through the Local History Hub pilot programme, we have seen how quickly this can happen. In hubs such as Cardiff, Liverpool and Blackburn with Darwen, bringing teachers and heritage organisations into the same room has an immediate effect. Teachers often say they feel more confident about using local history in their teaching, while heritage partners gain a clearer understanding of how their knowledge and collections can support classroom learning.

One particularly memorable moment came from a large meeting of teachers and heritage colleagues in Liverpool. Listening to the conversations around the room, it was clear how much energy there is when people start thinking together about local stories, places and resources. Those discussions quickly move from ideas to practical classroom possibilities.

Looking ahead, my hope is that the next decade will see more sustained and collaborative networks between schools and heritage organisations across the country. Rather than one-off projects, these relationships can become ongoing partnerships that support teachers, strengthen heritage engagement and enrich pupils’ learning.

In that context, local history has a particularly important role to play. It should not be a token addition to the curriculum, but something woven thoughtfully through primary education. When approached carefully, local history can help pupils develop both a realistic understanding of the past and a genuine sense of pride in the communities they belong to.

What keeps me optimistic is that the value of this work is widely recognised. Across schools and heritage organisations alike, there is strong agreement that helping young people connect with the history of their local area is worthwhile.

The task now is to continue building the practical partnerships that make that possible. When heritage expertise and classroom experience come together, the benefits for pupils can be significant. Heritage really can connect people, places and communities, and schools have an important part to play in that story.

Matthew Harper-Duffy

Founder of Local History Hub