Whether you're at home or at school, you can use BBC Teach for free. Our website is home to thousands of free curriculum-mapped videos, arranged by age-group and subject.
Whether you're at home or at school, you can use BBC Teach for free. Our website is home to thousands of free curriculum-mapped videos, arranged by age-group and subject.
This film is from the series Exploring the Past - Post-War Britain available on BBC Teach.
Fifteen-year-old Amba talks to her grandmother about her working life in the 1950s.
She left school at 14 and worked in food factories until she married at 17.
She returned to work part-time when her child went to school, in order to save up for expensive items such as a fridge, a washing machine and a car.
Dr Claire Langhamer from the University of Sussex puts this experience into context, saying that it reflects the experience of many women at the time who worked to earn extra money but saw their main job as a wife and mother.
Amba speaks to Patricia Barrett who worked in a bank for 35 years and never wanted to marry.
She explains how women were treated differently to men at her bank – they earned less, were put on temporary contracts when they got married and weren’t offered overseas postings.
Teacher Notes
This could be used to show how women faced restrictions in terms of job opportunities in the post-war period.
This could also be used to set up a discussion about laws preventing discrimination against women.
Curriculum Notes
This short film is relevant for teaching history at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 / GCSE in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and National 3, 4 and 5 in Scotland.
Some of the social issues highlighted could also be relevant for teacher Citizenship, PSHE or Modern Studies.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from Hunting for History available on BBC Teach.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from the series Our Greatest Generation available on BBC Teach.
The story of how Dorothy Hughes came to be one of the first female Chelsea Pensioners.
Dorothy came from a strict but comfortable home.
Like many women, Dorothy was attracted by the thought of contributing to the war effort during World War Two.
She defied her parents’ wishes for her to become a teacher and joined the army, becoming a gunner helping to shoot down German planes over London.
She experienced suspicion and hostility from male gunners before eventually being accepted as an equal.
Many years later, after her husband died, Dorothy decided to challenge another male institution, and applied to live at the world famous Royal Hospital Chelsea for retired British soldiers.
Teacher Notes
This short film could be used as part of an enquiry into the impact of World War Two on British society. Dorothy’s story could be used to help explore how far the war helped advance the role of women in Britain.
Pupils could examine why Dorothy’s parents were against her decision to join the army, before considering why more women were needed to support the war effort, and the reaction of some men to the introduction of women into roles which traditionally were carried out by men.
It might also be interesting to consider why women were not allowed to become Chelsea Pensioners until 2009.
Curriculum Notes
This short film will be relevant for teaching history at Key Stage 3 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and third and fourth level in Scotland.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This assembly framework is part of a series of School Radio assemblies, which can be found on the BBC Teach website.
On 1 December 1955 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger, contravening local laws. Parks’ actions made her a figurehead of the Civil Rights movement and an inspiration to those fighting for justice and equality.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to
access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
In this clip from the BBC Teach series, Icons, Sir Trevor McDonald reports on Nelson Mandela, who went from freedom fighter to become South Africa’s first Black president.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to access); and
you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.
This film is from the series Poets in Person available on BBC Teach.
Poet John Agard describes the process of writing his poem ‘Checking Out Me History’.
He explores where the ideas behind the poem came from.
His commentary is illustrated with school scenes and his own performance of extracts from the poem.
The purpose of BBC’s content is to inform, educate and entertain. As such, students, teachers, schools, and other established educational bodies may utilise such content for educational purposes via an ERA Licence.
Without an ERA Licence, reasonable use of the content (for the purposes set out above) may still be possible, however; any such use must be in line with the BBC’s Terms of Use.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, when using and or sharing BBC Education content, you must comply with the BBC’s Terms of Use and where relevant, YouTube’s terms and conditions, ensuring that:
a) there aren’t any advertisements on or around the BBC content;
b) there aren’t any charges for access and or charges associated with the content (clearly stating that the content is free to access); and
c) you do not state or imply (in any way) that there is a relationship and or any endorsement from the BBC to you.
We ask that you read the said terms before using any of BBC’s services. When you use BBC’s services and content, you’re agreeing to the BBC’s terms of use.