As the school holidays are about to begin (after a 6 days music tour to Germany), here is my summer list for the holidays. A range of activities to help make the most of the 6 weeks. Mind, body and soulful nourishment

As exam classes leave, it’s the time of year to look towards the future. I’ve written a piece on how to craft a department vision and drive meaningful change. A step by step guide for those new to post and experienced heads of department alike. historyiseverystory.wordpress.com/2026/06/11/d...

Does Your Department Have a Vision, or Just a To-Do List?

A head of history’s guide to crafting a shared purpose to drive curricular change. At the start of your career as a history teacher, a love of the past is considered mandatory for success. In…

historyiseverystory.wordpress.com

Wonderful day with the twins at The British Museum. They wanted to see the mummies after reading about them and it made my heart soar when they matched the pictures in their books to the artefacts. The Reading Room has become a highlight for me, what a range of figures that have visited!

I recently re-shared a post about sources of historical scholarship. Here is the sequel! How to embed historical scholarship in your lesson with over 25 practical approaches. Organised as a hierarchy based on how much time it takes to implement. historyiseverystory.wordpress.com/2026/06/03/e...

Embedding Historical Scholarship in the Classroom

Practical strategies to bring historians into your classroom One of the biggest trends in history teaching in the last 10 years has been the increased focus on the importance of scholarship in the …

historyiseverystory.wordpress.com

Yr 12 braved the tube strike and torrential rain to make it to St. Martin in the Fields to hear @sarahchurchwell.bsky.social discuss The American Dream at 250 with a focus on The Wrath to Come. Brilliantly incisive and the students made copious notes for their History, Poltics and English A-levels.

Braving the tube strike to take year 12 history, politics and English students to hear @sarahchurchwell.bsky.social discuss “The American Dream at 250” at St Martin in the Fields.

I spoke to BBC News about the importance of active revision. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/… To really get into the concept, here is the blog post that the article is based on. historyiseverystory.wordpress.com/2026/05/02/the���

I attended the launch of the “Teaching the British Empire, migration, & belonging” report, I’ve thought about how it will impact our department Thanks to the @portraitemb.bsky.social team for all your hard work. @ioe.bsky.social @education.ox.ac.uk historyiseverystory.wordpress.com/2026/04/27/r...

Reflecting on the Teaching British Empire, Migration and Belonging report.

Summary of implications for a history department. On Friday 24th of April I had the privilege of attending the launch of the “Teaching about the British Empire, migration, and belonging: a research…

historyiseverystory.wordpress.com

I attended the launch of the “Teaching the British Empire, migration, & belonging” report, I’ve thought about how it will impact our department Thanks to the @portraitemb.bsky.social team for all your hard work. @ioe.bsky.social @education.ox.ac.uk historyiseverystory.wordpress.com/2026/04/27/r...

Reflecting on the Teaching British Empire, Migration and Belonging report.

Summary of implications for a history department. On Friday 24th of April I had the privilege of attending the launch of the “Teaching about the British Empire, migration, and belonging: a research…

historyiseverystory.wordpress.com

What a fantastic book. Helm, you blew me away! 🥁 Here’s my review on goodreads: www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Wonderful evening at St Martin in the Fields listening to @hallierubenhold.bsky.social discuss a range of topics related to her books as part of “The Conversation” series. My main takeaway is the affection for London, its places and people that she has.

It was a privilege to speak at the “Charles Ignatius Sancho: A Black British Man of Letters and His Word” conference at @northeasternu.bsky.social London. Mark Martin ⭐️ chaired the roundatble superbly as we discussed Teaching Sancho and Black British History.

A brilliant session tonight on “Teaching Irish history in English schools” by @msquinnhistory.bsky.social. Jam packed with strategies and knowledge to make this possible. Thanks to the @histassoc.bsky.social NE network for putting it on.

On Friday I went to Pints & Ponytails. Not only did i pick up a great new skill, it also reaffirmed what great teaching looks like. Here are my thoughts. Huge shout out to @teacherhead and his work on Rosenshin historyiseverystory.wordpress.com/2026/03/08/p...

I’ve made a real effort in 2026 to read more widely. Here’s a a thread of my books of 2026. I’ve also joined good reads so please follow me on there to read in depth reviews… www.goodreads.com/user/show/94...

Simon Beale

Simon Beale has 49 books on Goodreads

goodreads.com

Could not be prouder of how Florence & Felicity have grown into such kind, enthusiastic and thoughtful children. Four years old today!

Welcome to Teach Environmental Histories! We are a network for those interested in exploring how history can help young people understand the climate & ecological emergency. Talks, forums, classroom support & resources. Click the link to learn more about us! www.history.org.uk/secondary/ca...

Teach Environmental Histories network

history.org.uk

Fantastic day having Matthew Green in to deliver a tour de force on the Restoration to Year 11. It was great to get a professional historian in so they could see a professional in action, weaving stories together and wielding their expert knowledge with such fluency.

Great revision session with Year 12. Chess challenge tests their knowledge and exam technique. Moving pieces requires factual recall, taking a piece requires giving their line of argument for an exam question.

Festive family fun. Chicken Berry Britannia Biryani, House black daal, Katchumber and Raita. All from the @dishoom.bsky.social cookbook. Followed by chocolate mousse from the The Devonshire in @thetimes.com

I shared some thoughts to @reteachuk.bsky.social blog about the impact of the Curriculum Review for History departments. I’ve had a chance to reflect further and write it up. #historyteacher historyiseverystory.wordpress.com/2025/11/19/h...

History and The Curriculum Review

An extended version of a blog that features on the ReTeach website. No historian would overlook the 5th of November in their calendar but today it had that added significance of being the day the C…

historyiseverystory.wordpress.com

So… on a day that the BBC is raising millions for Children in Need (which we shouldn’t need if the state could offer the right support) The President of The United States has confirmed he intends to sue the corporation for a billion. For the broadcast of HIS OWN WORDS. Madness.

Complex thinking posters for every lens of the approach. Some varied quotes covering a range of historical disciplines and periods. @helencarr.bsky.social @peterfrankopan.bsky.social @historyeats.bsky.social @hallierubenhold.bsky.social

Stage two of the complex thinking project is to have examples from historians own work to demonstrate to students what these look like. Here is the poster for “Contrast” using @sathnam.bsky.social work from Empireland.

Testing out some new posters around complex thinking. Please le me know what you would think and how you would tweak the visuals or message.

Wonderful evening at @britishlibrary.bsky.social listening to @drmirandakaufmann.bsky.social & Sudhir Hazareesingh discuss their new books as part of “Heiresses and Rebels: Stories of Money, Exploitation and Resistance in Caribbean and Atlantic Slavery”.

Incredibly poor customer service from @britishgashq.bsky.social Been told I am £7,000 in debt despite being in credit in December of 2024. Raised a complaint 3 months ago, which got an initial response and gone nowhere. In mean time direct debit is now £815 (x3!). Any help to escalate further?

Please tell me @thehistoryguy.bsky.social has a plan for a special podcast recorded on board.

Simon Beale@spbeale.bsky.social · 12mo ago

When a Viking longship docks in London, what history teacher wouldn’t want to climb aboard??? Thanks to the crew of Saga Farmann for being so hospitable and answering all my questions!

When a Viking longship docks in London, what history teacher wouldn’t want to climb aboard??? Thanks to the crew of Saga Farmann for being so hospitable and answering all my questions!

Apparently, the pencil-pushers at the Home Office also have no clue how prohibitively expensive it would be to be treated in the US without insurance. I've lived in the UK for 23 years, and I'm a citizen. Why am I being treated like a non-citizen?