Schools given new tools to teach Welsh history and local stories

A new collection will provide learners in Wales with greater opportunities to learn about their local area and the country’s diverse history.

Launched by Adnodd, the national body for educational resources for the Curriculum for Wales, the collection resources cover eras of Welsh history from the Celtic and Roman times through to the modern day.

Resources aim to help schools tell a range of stories, like the history of Wales’ coal and slate mining industries, the drowning of Cwm Tryweryn, and the Aberfan disaster.

The Hanes Cymru collection also includes tips for teachers and learners to discover their Cynefin – their own local history.

The resources can be found on Hwb featuring artwork by Welsh cartoonist Corb Davies.

Education Secretary Lynne Neagle said: “It’s vital that young people learn about our rich and diverse past at school. We want them to be inspired and enthused, and these new resources will help them understand how Wales has been shaped by its past.

“We will continue to develop this platform of bilingual resources so teachers can be inspired and enthused by the breadth and depth of our history.”

Future resource development is guided by an expert group brought together by the Welsh Government in 2024 to advise on their creation and ensure they support and inspire schools in the teaching of Welsh history.

Adnodd investment in new resources is underway to develop Hanes Cymru materials, including £150,000 for commissions and a further £60,000 to create new content to support GCSE History.

These projects are part of a wider programme of funding and activity, which Adnodd says demonstrates a commitment to expanding and improving the collection over the next 12 months.