What Teachers Say about Heritage Schools
Find out about the impact Heritage Schools has on teachers, pupils, and the communities they live in, to increase a sense of place and local pride.
The Heritage Schools programme has been delivered since 2012; supporting schools to use the heritage on their doorstep to enrich the curriculum and engage children in the history of where they live and its significance.
Impact study
To mark its tenth year, we commissioned BMG Research to produce a study of its impact. They reviewed the annual evaluation reports, conducted by Qa Research, and interviewed key stakeholders who have participated in the programme. The study found that embedding local heritage has a significantly positive impact, notably in the following areas:
- Increasing access to heritage and cultural engagement for pupils, especially those living in Levelling Up areas of the country and areas where social mobility is low
- Positively impacting well-being through an increased sense of place, belonging and civic pride for pupils, teachers and the community
- Improving the quality of teaching and curriculum design for teachers and trainee teachers
- Improving the quality of learning outcomes and engagement across a variety of curriculum subjects for pupils, who are inspired by the heritage on their doorstep and its significance locally, nationally and globally
Annual evaluation report
Find out what teachers told us about the impact of our Heritage Schools training to inspire your teaching.
The Heritage Schools 2025 - 2026 Evaluation Report illustrates how our award-winning programme develops teachers' skills and confidence in using local heritage in their teaching. It explains how learning about local history engages pupils and improves their skills.
What teachers say about our training
- 97% have a greater understanding of the value of using local heritage in the curriculum
- 97% have developed skills they will use in their teaching
Honestly, they were genuinely some of the best sessions I've been to. A really good mix of talking and doing.
Coming away, we all felt that there were realistic, tangible things that we could use to improve the curriculum in school, which I think ultimately is what you go on these courses for.
What teachers say about the impact will have on pupils
- 99% agreed learning about local heritage improved pupils’ sense of place
- 98% agreed learning about local heritage improved pupils' sense of pride
It will be good for them to see how any normal street, any normal person, can be a part of history.
Some already have a sense of identity of the place, but it’s not always a nice one! This gives them another perspective about their hometown, which is an extension of themselves at this age.
Full report
The full report contains results from teacher surveys and feedback from teacher and partner interviews. It shows that Heritage Schools has been successful with a variety of schools in different areas of the country. The interviews highlight the impact of the programme on teachers’ and pupils' learning and engagement and how schools have used local heritage to inspire learning across the curriculum.
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