OUR MISSION

The innovation isn't the activity. It's the infrastructure.

We believe meaningful, lasting change comes from sustained relationships, shared expertise and opportunities for teachers to develop their practice together.

Local History Hub creates the infrastructure that makes this possible. Our teacher-led local working parties bring schools, heritage organisations and community partners together to share knowledge, identify opportunities and develop locally rooted learning.

Hubs typically meet three times each academic year, with an initial focus on building relationships and supporting Local History Day. As these partnerships develop, members are encouraged to explore how local history can become more firmly embedded across the curriculum.

We support this process through networking, communications, free CPD, partnership development and practical guidance.

Rather than prescribing a single approach, we encourage each hub to respond to its own circumstances, priorities and local heritage.

Our role is to make collaboration easier, more manageable and more sustainable, recognising the considerable demands already placed on teachers and heritage professionals.

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Local history belongs in every classroom, but its potential extends well beyond history lessons.

The people, places, stories and landscapes around us can provide meaningful contexts for learning across a range of subjects.

In English, local stories, historical sources and community experiences can inspire reading, discussion and writing. In geography, pupils can explore how places have developed and changed over time. Art, citizenship and other subjects offer further opportunities to investigate local identity, heritage and belonging.

These connections should be purposeful and grounded in the knowledge and skills of each subject, rather than introducing local history simply for its own sake.

We recognise that teachers already work within demanding curricula and face significant pressures on their time.

Our aim is not to add another requirement, but to help teachers identify opportunities within their existing provision, access relevant local expertise and develop approaches that are realistic for their schools.

Through collaborative planning and sustained partnerships, we hope to make locally rooted learning a more familiar and valued part of children's educational experiences.

Explore Local History & The Curriculum →

Our long-term ambition is for every teacher in the UK to have access to a Local History Hub.

We recognise that meaningful change takes time, and that every school and community starts from a different position.

Some hubs bring together large networks across towns, cities or wider geographical areas. Others begin with just a handful of enthusiastic teachers and heritage partners.

We don't believe success should be measured simply by the number of meetings held, resources produced or training sessions delivered.

What matters is whether these activities help build lasting relationships, strengthen teacher confidence and create meaningful opportunities for children.

Our approach is deliberately gradual. During their first year, hubs focus on getting established, building connections and supporting Local History Day. In their second year, the emphasis moves towards collaborative curriculum development and embedding local history more sustainably.

This is not about short-term interventions or expecting teachers to transform their practice overnight. It is about creating the conditions for manageable improvements that can grow over time.

We are also committed to understanding what works. During 2026–28, we are developing our monitoring and evaluation approach, gathering evidence from teachers, pupils and partners to test and refine our model.

Our ambition is to build a sustainable, evidence-informed network that continues to support schools and communities long into the future.

Explore Our Impact →