This year’s History Model Competition has been one of the most impressive yet, with students showcasing exceptional creativity, craftsmanship, and historical knowledge through a stunning array of entries.

Among the highlights were a detailed model of the Colosseum of Rome, a carefully crafted Viking treasure hoard, a realistic WW1 trench diorama, and a beautifully stitched replica section of the Bayeux Tapestry. Each entry demonstrated a deep engagement with the past and a real flair for bringing history to life.

The overall winner was a truly outstanding Warwick Castle tapestry, which demonstrated  remarkable artistic skill. Congratulations to all who entered; your hard work and enthusiasm for history have truly impressed the judging panel and inspired your peers.

Mr Herbert

Curriculum Leader for History

On Tuesday 1st July, Year 10 historians from Penwortham Girls’ High School visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire as part of their studies into 19th century industrialisation. The purpose of the trip was to investigate the environmental, social and moral challenges of the Industrial Revolution and to explore how reformers like Sir Titus Salt attempted to improve public health and living conditions for working people.

The day began at Hoyle Court, where students took part in an engaging and collaborative workshop focused on public health problems in 19th century Britain. Working with primary evidence, students explored the realities of urban life during the Industrial Revolution, identifying key issues such as poor sanitation, overcrowding, and pollution. Their enthusiasm and maturity were evident throughout, as they worked with purpose to piece together the story of Bradford’s industrial past.

The staff at Hoyle Court provided a warm welcome and ensured the event ran smoothly, offering excellent hospitality and creating a supportive learning environment. After an impressive buffet lunch, the group made the short journey to Saltaire to explore Sir Titus Salt’s model town.

While walking through the beautifully preserved streets of Saltaire, students saw firsthand the innovations Salt introduced to improve public health, such as spacious housing, access to clean water, and facilities like schools and a hospital. It was a valuable opportunity to contrast the reality of industrial cities with Salt’s vision for a healthier and more moral society.

The visit was a rewarding and thought provoking experience closely linked to the GCSE specification. Students returned with a deeper understanding of both the problems and the progress of 19th century Britain knowledge that will enrich their GCSE studies and their appreciation of how the past continues to shape our world today.

Mr Herbert, Curriculum Leader for History

Our Year 8 History students have recently begun studying a new topic on the First World War, examining why it was fought, how it developed, and why it had such a lasting impact on the world.

Students have been learning about the significance of 28 June 1914, when Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated — an event that triggered the start of the conflict.

To help deepen their understanding of the global conflict, we encourage students to explore the following excellent online resources:

• The Guardian’s Interactive Documentary – A global guide to the First World War, including maps, videos and personal stories from around the world. Access it here
• BBC World War One Centenary Website – A rich collection of short films, articles and features that bring the key events and experiences of the war to life. Visit it here

Students are also encouraged to use A Street Near You — an incredible resource which allows you to find individuals from your local area who served in the First World War. Simply enter your postcode or street name to discover real stories of soldiers from your community. Explore it here.

If you have any family stories or artefacts at home connected to the First World War, we would love to hear them – please let your History teacher know!

Mr Herbert

Associate Assistant Headteacher and Curriculum Leader for History

On the 1st July, the History Department has organised its first visit to Saltaire, near Bradford, to support Year 10 students studying the Eduqas GCSE History course, specifically the Health and Medicine in Britain thematic study.

Saltaire is a model village built in the 1850s by Sir Titus Salt, a wealthy industrialist. It provides an excellent real life case study of 19th century public health improvements, linking directly to the section of the course that covers the challenges of industrialisation and the response to poor living conditions. Rather than reading about public health reforms in abstract terms, students will be able to see first-hand how an industrial employer tackled the problems of overcrowding, poor sanitation, and disease.

The visit has been designed to strengthen students’ understanding of key topics such as:

• The living conditions in industrial towns.
• The impact of reformers and philanthropists in improving public health.
• How attitudes towards public health shifted during the 19th century.

Walking through Saltaire, students will examine the workers’ housing, the wash-houses, the school, and Salt’s Mill itself. These examples will help them to link specific features of the village to the wider social and legislative changes they are studying, including the 1848 and 1875 Public Health Acts.

We are looking forward to seeing the impact of this trip on students’ confidence and progress as they move through their GCSE course.

Mr Herbert

Associate Assistant Headteacher and Curriculum Leader for History

This term, the History Department took Year 8 students out for a day visit to Helmshore Textile Museum in Rossendale. This is an unrivalled opportunity to learn first-hand about the living and working conditions of Lancashire textiles workers during the late 18^th and 19^th centuries. The mill contains the last remaining water frame in the world (made c.1770) and the girls get a rare glimpse of machines like the spinning mule in action. 200 years ago, Lancashire was the equivalent of Silicon Valley, a centre of technological and scientific innovation, and the keystone of what was then known as the Workshop of the World; Great Britain. Cotton cloth from Lancashire was sold, exported and worn all over the world, and there were about 80 mills in Preston alone, employing thousands of workers.

Helmshore Mill was part of a larger complex of mills built on the banks of the River Ogden, which today is a delightful nature corridor. Back then, it was a stinking open sewer, and the workers’ cottages backed directly on to it. As part of the day, the girls are taken on a fascinating walking tour of the village of Helmshore, which was largely built by the Turner family. This includes a school, a church, back-to-back houses and a pub. 

The girls were intrigued to learn about the story of Mary Hindle, a local lady who was unfairly found guilty of taking part in a riot, in which handloom weavers protested against the new weaving machines at Turner’s mill by smashing them all. She was sentenced to be transported by sea to Australia, which was far from a holiday destination two hundred years ago. The girls also learned about the ‘tommy shop’. The workers were paid with special tokens that could only be spent in the tommy shop. Guess who owned it… yes, it was William Turner and so all the profits went back to him! It was this exploitative system that fuelled the creation of the Cooperative movement in the mid-19th century, which continues today as the Coop.

As ever, the girls were a credit to the school, and the museum staff made a point of telling us that PGHS is considered to be one of the best school’s to work with because of the enthusiasm of both the students and the staff. 

Mr Ramsdale

Senior Assistant Headteacher

Year 7 students have been learning about life in Anglo-Saxon England. As part of the festival, they enriched their knowledge and understanding of the role of archaeologists. Inspired by the discoveries made by archaeologists at Sutton Hoo in 1939, students were eager to find out more about how Anglo-Saxon artifacts are found and curated. As a result, students enjoyed watching the Time Team archaeologists excavate an Anglo-Saxon mead hall at Sutton Courtenay. 

Mr Herbert

Associate Assistant Headteacher and Curriculum Leader for History

With over 50 entries from students of all ages, the History Haiku Competition has once again proven to be a celebration of poetry and history. The competition, aiming to encapsulate historical events in the succinct form of haiku, witnessed a wide display of creativity and historical insight from students in all year groups. From ancient civilizations to the modern age, there were poems that vividly painted historical moments in just 17 syllables, showcasing a curiosity and understanding of the past. The judging process has now commenced with the winners announced and prizes will be awarded next week. Thank you to all who have taken part!

Mr Herbert

Associate Assistant Headteacher and Curriculum Leader for History