World War II

Project Overview

We have dedicated the whole term (September – December) to our history topic on World War II. The children have learnt all about who was involved in the war, both abroad and at home, and have studied the impact of the war on Leeds as well as those people who supported Britain’s war effort from the British Empire. We were lucky enough to have a Zoom call with David, a man who was a young boy living in London during the Blitz. The children loved asking him questions and gained a unique insight into the war from a child’s perspective after talking to him.

As well as studying the war in our history lessons, the children also enjoyed writing about the war using Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll, The Journey by Francesca Sanna and The Sound of Music film for inspiration.

What The Teacher Says

Teaching World War II in the context of the pandemic has been a really interesting experience. Unlike any previous cohort, they have been able to empathise with the children from the time who were unable to attend school or see their friends. This has led to fascinating discussions in class.

As well as this, the children were surprised to learn about the British colony’s involvement in the war and the way different people were treated, both in the fighting forces and at home. For example, the pupils were fascinated by the way women’s roles changed after their involvement in the war effort. 

What The Students Say

“I liked learning about the Blitz because we got to learn about what type of planes they used and what they used to fix them.”6LJ pupil

“I really enjoyed talking to David and finding out about what it was like to not be evacuated during the war.” – 6MB pupil

“I enjoyed using different sources that were really from the war.” – 6LJ pupil

What skills were developed?

  • Pupils developed a  chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history in the context of World War II. 
  • They noted connections, contrasts and trends over this time period and developed the appropriate use of historical terms. 
  • They asked and answered historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance. 
  • They constructed informed responses that involved thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information and understood how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.