Church buildings help to tell nation's story

Education Secretary Michael Gove has asked English Heritage to compile a list of local historical sites that will help tell "our rich island story" to schoolchildren.

The focus is on helping students discover the places of historical significance on their own school's doorstep.

As an example, Mr Gove suggested that students in King's Lynn in Norfolk, could visit the remains of the Franciscan friary shattered by the Reformation and the great Tudor pilgrimage chapel used as a gunpowder store during the civil war.

Mr Gove hopes visits to these and similar sites will inspire pupils by "bringing history alive".

He said: "All of these are the physical remains of the rich, controversial and thrilling story of England. All belong to the people locally, and local children who visit them will be inspired to delve further.

"We have a rich island story, which can be brought to life by seeing our historical and heritage sites.”

The Department for Education is to give English Heritage £2.7m over the next three years to support the project.

The money will go on recruiting brokers, including experts in heritage education, to work with clusters of schools and help use local heritage to deliver the curriculum.

Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: "Outside every school there is a rich history. In the high street, the housing estate, the park, riverside and field, every town, city and village is full of places in which significant events have taken place.

"We want every child, their parents and teachers to enjoy and take pride in the heritage of their local area and to understand the part it played in the rich story of England.

"Our Heritage Schools initiative will bring history to life both in the classroom and out of it, weaving it into the life of the community and endowing present and future generations of children with a vivid understanding of the place in which they grew up.”

There are plans to use the scheme as part of commemorations for the 100th anniversary of World War I in two years' time by encouraging schools to link with historical organisations to identify servicemen who lived in their local area, or study local war memorials.

Darren Henley, managing director of Classic FM, who oversaw a major independent review of cultural education, has asked that teachers be given more support so that they can demonstrate the benefits and value of cultural education to children and young people.

He said: "The impact great teachers and great teaching can have on a child's engagement with cultural education should never be underestimated. Every day in schools across the country, life-changing moments happen for children because of the intervention of a dedicated teacher.

"It is vital that the schools have teachers who recognise the importance of cultural education within their schools and have the training, experience and tools to teach it to a high level.”