A-level student workshop
AS/A2 level workshops
Our personal study and subject-based workshops are extremely popular with schools all over the country. Many make a visit here an integral part of their course, and combine their workshop with a study trip to other historical sights in London.
In both types of workshop, students get to work as real historians, experiencing the challenges of using original documents for research with the benefit of friendly and expert guidance from the education officers! The opportunity to work with original historical documents is an invaluable way to enthuse and inspire students about the potential for historical research, and encourages them to continue studying history at degree level or in their leisure.
Workshops take place in the education room at The National Archives and can also include time in the main public reading rooms. The maximum number of students per workshop is 30. There is no minimum. Most of the workshops are free of charge. All of the resources you will need are provided in the workshop.
Workshops can be booked at any time of the year. Start times can be arranged to suit your requirements.
Personal study workshops begin with an introduction that lasts c. 1 ½ hours leaving you free to spend the rest of your time researching in the public document reading room.
Subject based workshops are designed to last for c. 2 hours, but if you wish to make a day of your visit, we can provide you with references for documents and space for you to continue your research in the public document reading room: this can be on the subject you have been studying, or your students can pursue their own personal interests. This is an ideal opportunity for students to learn how to use the facilities here to become independent researchers.
To book a workshop use the booking form or contact the education officer
for more information.
For details about areas to eat lunch, coach parking etc, go to facilities.
For details of how to get here go to directions.
If you are too far away to visit, go to videoconference workshops for information about how to book a workshop in this format.
AS / A2 Level history masterclass
New date added - 27 August 2008
Due to popular demand we have added a further date for our Masterclass sessions with Dr Peter Claus. Book now to avoid disappointment!
This one-day workshop has been developed in partnership with academic historian and teacher, Dr Peter Claus. Individual students can book places on their own without their teachers. The aim of the day is to provide a unique opportunity for students to gain an insight into, and practical experience of, studying history at undergraduate level. The day is particularly suitable for students taking the Advanced Extension Award or who are thinking about applying to study history at university, although anyone who wishes to broaden their experience or understanding of history is welcome.
The day includes an introduction to The National Archives, seminars on historiography and working with original documents, time in the reading rooms for students to pursue their own research interests and a lecture by a guest historian.
Numbers for the day are limited to a small group of 15 to encourage open discussion and debate. A full programme of the day, plus preparation information will be sent out in advance. Early booking is recommended.
Availability: 2008 - 27 June, 11 July, 27 August, 18, 25, 26 September (26 September is open to state schools only, and will be a one-off, free-of-charge event), 23 October , 27 November
2009 - 15 January, 2, 26 June, 10 July
Duration: arrive for 09:30, finish by 17:00
Cost: £35 per student
Maximum numbers: 15 in total - this is designed to be booked by individual students
British Union of Fascists
This workshop is based on files from the Home Office and Metropolitan Police Office, recording incidents of anti-Semitic and British Union Fascist activity in the East End of London. The session starts with a "warm up" activity that involves analysis of two different posters - one advertising a BUF rally and one calling for anti fascist demonstration. The Education Officer leading the session then goes on to summarise the background to the BUF.
Students are then involved in a discussion about the Olympia rally of 1934 and how it is often seen as the high point of fascist support. Students are given the opportunity to work on a selection of files produced by the Metropolitan Police and Home Office relating to the Olympia rally, before considering how the media portrayed the BUF. The Metropolitan Police documents are compared to scenes of the Olympia rally in the television film "Mosley".
The focus of the workshop then shifts to discuss why the BUF lost support after Olympia and examines the effects of the Battle of Cable Street. Students then have a chance to examine Metropolitan Police, Home Office and secret service files relating to BUF.
If you wish to stay on and make a day of your research, we can provide you with references for additional documents on anti-Semitism that you can order up and continue to research in the reading rooms. We will also explain how to search the catalogue, order documents and give you a tour of the reading rooms.
Available: any time of the year
Duration: 2 hours for workshop. Your own time in the reading rooms if you wish to stay
Cost: free of charge
Maximum numbers: 30 students
Chartism
This workshop is based on a collection of detailed, personal interviews with Chartist prisoners that were made by the Home Office in 1839. Each student is given an interview to read and analyse to find out what they can tell us about individual Chartist´s backgrounds, employment history, family, reasons for imprisonment and motivation for becoming a Chartist. The education officer will then lead discussion with the students to bring together the results of their research and see if it is possible to identify a typical Chartist, and debate how useful these interviews are as evidence for understanding the motives of Chartists.
Students then investigate a selection of documents relating to various aspects of the Chartist movement, and in particular, the eventful year of 1842. They will have opportunity to study original posters produced by Handloom workers, letters to the Home Secretary and newspapers such as the Commonwealthsman and Northern Star.
If you wish to stay on and make a day of your research, we can provide you with references for additional documents on Chartism that you can order up and continue to research in the reading rooms. We will also explain how to search the catalogue, order documents and give you a tour of the reading rooms if you wish to do this.
Availability: any time of the year
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: free of charge
Maximum numbers: 30 students
Cold War
This workshop considers the causes of the Cold War, using documents from Cabinet Minutes, the Prime Minister´s records and Foreign Office files. It focuses on three main elements: Soviet Policy 1945-48, Churchill and the Iron Curtain speech, and the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Aid.
The workshop begins by considering What is evidence? Students are encouraged to think about how documents are used as evidence and the questions that historians need to ask when faced with this evidence. The second activity involves a close study of a cartoon taken from the British newspaper The Evening Standard, published in 1948. Both of these activities help students to develop their skills of document analysis and evaluation, before they are faced with original files regarding the Cold War.
For the main activity, students are divided into groups to study a selection of documents. They study footage showing the meeting of the ´Big Three´ at Yalta, as well as Ministry of Information documents produced during the war. Students are given the opportunity to analyse each in turn, to determine what the official view of the relationship between USSR and Britain was from 1941. At the end of the session, students are given the opportunity to present their findings to the rest of the group.
If you wish to stay on and make a day of your research, we can provide you with references for additional documents on the Cold War that you can order up and continue to research in the reading rooms. We will also explain how to search the catalogue, order documents and give you a tour of the reading rooms.
Available: any time of the year
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: free of charge
Maximum numbers: 30 students
Easter Rising, 1916
This workshop debates the argument that the actions of the British Government toward those who took part in the Rising made martyrs of those who died and republicans of those who didn't.
The background to the Rising is investigated with a discussion of the operation and effects of Martial Law, and through study of original posters that were issued to proclaim this. Students examine the original court martial files for those who were executed to gather evidence for this, including the original court martial file for Patrick Pearse, which is not normally made available to researchers. Students will investigate the procedure that took place, and how the way these particular trials were held caused controversy at the time, and still does for historians today.
Students then continue to work in their pairs on a more general selection of files related to the events of the Rising to research issues such as the causes of the rebellion, the influence of the war, the Irish response to British actions and the British response to events. Some quite unusual evidence can be found in these files for the activities that were allegedly taking place, including candles and bullets!
If you wish to stay on and make a day of your research, we can provide you with references for additional documents on the Easter Rising that you can order up and continue to research in the reading rooms. We will also explain how to search the catalogue, order documents and give you a tour of the reading rooms.
Availability: any time of the year
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: free of charge
Maximum numbers: 30 students
Personal study workshops
Personal study workshops begin with an introduction to The National Archives, an explanation of how to use the catalogue to search for and order documents, and a tour of the reading rooms with an explanation of how to use the facilities here. This lasts for approximately one and a half hours.
Once the introduction is over, you are then free to spend the rest of the day here ordering documents and carrying out research. The education officer leading your visit will remain on hand to give additional advice and help where needed.
Before the workshop, we will ask you to send us a list of your students´ personal study topics so we can prepare source sheets to help get them started on their research. We will also ask you to get your students to fill in Reader's Ticket application forms in advance of the visit and return them all to us so we can have their tickets ready to collect on arrival, which saves a great deal of time on the day. Students will need to bring two pieces of official ID with them; one with evidence of their address, such as a passport, and one with evidence of their signature, such as a bank card, to show before collecting their Reader's Ticket.
Availability: Any time of year
Duration: 1 ½ hours for introduction, then as long as you want in the reading rooms until closing time which is 5pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 7pm Tuesday and Thursday
Cost: Free of charge
Maximum numbers: 30 students
Rise of National Socialism in Germany, 1933
This workshop is based on Security Service and Foreign Office files for Germany in 1933, which contain reports, correspondence and newspaper articles sent from British diplomats and other officials who visited Germany during this period.
The workshop begins with an overview of the events of 1933 to establish a context for the first document we will examine: a speech delivered by Goebbels to the international press in September 1933. The speech has been divided up into sections, and students will work in groups on one section each. They will analyse their section of the speech in detail, particularly focussing on Goebbels´ use of language, different forms of speech, how they would have responded to this speech as a journalist from the UK listening to it in 1933, and how useful and reliable they think it is as a piece of evidence for understanding National Socialism and its rise to power. The education officer leading the workshop will bring together each group´s findings to help them analyse the speech as whole and discuss their opinions of the usefulness and reliability of such a document as a piece of evidence.
Students will then work in groups on different sections of a Security Service file containing a report on a visit by a British Army Officer to Berlin shortly after the Reichstag fire. The report gives an interesting insight into the tactics and methods employed by the Nazi party to establish power, and what the British perspective on this was.
If you wish to stay on and make a day of your research, we can provide you with references for additional documents on National Socialism that you can order up and continue to research in the reading rooms. We will also explain how to search the catalogue, order documents and give you a tour of the reading rooms.
Availability: any time of the year
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: free of charge
Maximum numbers: 30 students
Russian Revolution, 1917
This workshop is based on Foreign Office files, which contain reports, correspondence and telegrams from British diplomats and other officials based in Russia during the events of 1917.
The workshop begins with a discussion of why events in Russia during this period were of such concern to the British government. Working in pairs, students are given a copy of an eyewitness account of the March Revolution. They examine this for evidence of the causes and likely outcomes of this event, as well as considering how the perspective of each person writing might affect the usefulness and reliability of their report.
Students then go on to consider a range of documents from the period between the February and October revolutions, to see what problems and predicaments faced the Provisional Government during this time, and consider to what extent the Provisional Government was to blame for the failure to establish control during this period. Finally, the character of Kerensky and his responsibility for the successes and failures of the Provisional Government are considered through a comparison of two contemporary newspaper articles about him.
If you wish to stay on and make a day of your research, we can provide you with references for additional documents on the Russian Revolution that you can order up and continue to research in the reading rooms. We will also explain how to search the catalogue, order documents and give you a tour of the reading rooms.
Availability: any time of the year
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: free of charge
Maximum numbers: 30 students
Suffragettes
This workshop is based on files kept by the Home Office on militant suffragette activities. Some of the most important original documents on this topic are kept here, including the Metropolitan Police file on Emily Davison´s protest at the Derby.
The workshop begins with a close study of a rather unusual document found in a police file. Students use their research and analysis skills to work out what the document is and what it tells us about tactics used by Suffragettes. This leads to a case study of two suffragettes that students will research using additional material from the file, culminating in a role-play of the trial of these two women. This will help students to really engage with the suffragettes´ ideas, and the attitudes of the authorities and other members of the public towards them, to understand the impact of militant activities on the suffragettes' cause.
Students are then given an original file on an individual suffragette or particular incident to broaden their research into the types of people involved in the movement, what other methods the suffragettes used and how the government dealt with them. The education officer will bring together their findings to debate the use of militant tactics by the suffragettes and whether this helped or hindered their cause.
If you wish to stay on and make a day of your research, we can provide you with references for additional documents on suffragettes that you can order up and continue to research in the reading rooms. We will also explain how to search the catalogue, order documents and give you a tour of the reading rooms.
Availability: any time of the year
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: free of charge
Maximum numbers: 30 students
Special event: A Level study days in partnership with Hampton Court Palace
These A Level study days will give students the opportunity to experience the challenges of using original documents for research at the archives, before travelling to Hampton Court Palace where they will meet a ´witness from history´. Following each costumed interpretation session, students will be able to question the interpreter 'out of role', to gain further insight into the period studied. Study day topics to choose from are listed below:
Suffragettes
Students will spend the morning at the archives studying some of the original files kept here on Suffragette militant actions. They will have the opportunity to research using Home Office and Metropolitan Police files, including the police file on Emily Davison´s protest at the Derby. Students will then travel over to Hampton Court for the afternoon´s session, where they will spend time exploring the ´Soldiers, Suffragettes and Servants´ exhibition, before interviewing a key ´witness´ from the past. A costumed interpreter will play the role of a political activist from an earlier age!
Mid-Tudor crisis
Using original Tudor documents, students will carry out research into the reign of Mary I and consider whether her reign signified a 'crisis in monarchy'. Once students have presented their findings in a debate, they will travel over to Hampton Court for the afternoon´s session. Here they will have the opportunity to call a ´witness from history´, in order to test their arguments about Mary´s reign.
Available: 16, 19, 23 January 2009, 13, 23, 27 February 2009
Duration: 2 hours for workshop
Cost: £10 per student (minimum number of students: 18)
Maximum numbers: 30 students
The English Civil War
This workshop is based on the original Stuart documents and Civil War propaganda posters and leaflets, held here at the National Archives. It aims to consider why England became a republic in 1649, and how these documents can help us to consider the causes behind this event.
The workshop begins with a detailed study of specific parliamentary documents that describe the arrests of the five MPs in 1642. The education officer leading the session will help students to understand the language of the documents and to compare their purpose and tone.
Students then conduct their own investigation into the causes and effects of the Civil War, by studying a range of selected propaganda leaflets and original documents. Students will also consider the usefulness of each document for studying different aspects of the Civil War.
At the end of the session, students are given the opportunity to feedback and discuss their findings. They are then given the rare opportunity to see the original Great Seals of Charles I and the Commonwealth, as well as the trial notes of Charles I that led to his execution!
Available: any time of the year
Duration: 2 hoursCost: free of charge
Maximum numbers: 30 students
