Creativity through history

Key stage 1

This content is common to key stage 1, 2 and 3

Creativity: what is it and why promote it?

Creative thinking skills are defined in the national curriculum as skills that enable pupils to generate and extend ideas, to suggest hypotheses, to apply imagination and to look for alternative and innovative outcomes.

Teachers who encourage creative thinking advance pupils' learning, self-confidence and self-esteem, thus improving educational standards. Pupils benefit from personal, social and cultural development. Creativity can also promote an entrepreneurial nature.

How can I promote creativity through history?

The framework outlined below is designed to help teachers promote creativity through history in key stages 1 to 3. The framework is made up of three parts:

• section 1 will help you recognise pupils' creative thinking and behaviour in history
• section 2 provides examples of approaches to teaching and learning, which could be used to promote creative thinking and behaviour in history
• section 3 shows what you can do to promote a creative learning environment in your own classroom or school.

Additional guidance

Additional guidance on recognising and promoting creativity across the curriculum examples of pupils' creative work in history can be found on the National Curriculum in Action website.