Two Hull primary schools have become the first in the city to gain national recognition for their commitment to providing heritage-focused learning opportunities to their pupils.
Ings Primary School and Priory Primary School have worked with Hull-based cultural organisation Heritage Learning through their flagship project The Hull Curriculum, to gain the national Heritage Schools Award. The two primary schools were presented with their Heritage Schools Awards by Heritage Learning during celebration assemblies at their schools this week.
Awarded to schools by Historic England as part of their Heritage Schools programme and funded by the Department for Education, the award celebrates schools use of local history and heritage within their teaching.
Priory Primary School has learnt about the former Haltemprice Priory and the origins of the city of Hull and Ings Primary School has been using their local war memorial to learn about the First World War alongside other Hull key histories of the Triple Trawler Disaster and Hulls J. Arthur Rank.
Councillor Terry Geraghty, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Leisure and Chair of Hull Culture and Leisure Limited, said: Ings and Priory Primary Schools are now using local heritage to connect children to where they live, develop a sense of a place and an understanding of how local heritage relates to the national story. This is enhanced by both schools also teaching the award-winning Hull Curriculum which celebrates 20 of Hulls key histories, including Amy Johnson, Sir John Hotham and the Hull Docks.
The Hull Curriculum project the first of its kind in the country was introduced to coincide with the City of Culture year. Now in place in more than half of Hulls primary schools, the curriculum is designed to develop childrens knowledge and key skills alongside raising aspiration and pride in their city.
Jane Avison, Business Manager at Heritage Learning, said: We are thrilled that Ings and Priory Primary Schools have gained national recognition for their continued commitment to learning about their city. Through the Hull Curriculum project, both schools have provided outstanding opportunities for their pupils and shown how local history can be the perfect hook for teaching and learning. We hope that more Hull primary schools will obtain the award in the future.
Sharon Chadburn, Head of School at Ings Primary School, said: Gaining the award recognises the wider opportunities we have given our pupils to enable them to learn about their local heritage and take pride in where they are from.
Kath Roe, Headteacher at Priory School, said: We are honoured to be one of the first schools in the city to gain this award. The teachers and pupils have worked incredibly hard throughout the year so this is the perfect way for us to celebrate our achievements at the end of 2017. We are committed as a school to continue to embed local heritage into our schools curriculum. Heritage Learning has provided invaluable support in helping us to gain the Heritage Schools Award.
Lois Gyves, Heritage Schools Programme Manager at Historic England, said: Our research shows that children are increasingly proud of where they live as a result of engaging with their local heritage. Im thrilled that Ings and Priory Primary Schools are encouraging young people to step into the story of where they live.
Schools wishing to find out more about the Heritage Schools Award should contact the Heritage Learning team on 01482 318 733 or [email protected]