We are beginning work on two new practical toolkits designed to strengthen education delivery and organisational resilience across our membership as part of our National Lottery Community Fund project.
Education Toolkit
The Education Toolkit will focus on two curriculum priorities: GCSE and A-Level Cold War, and Local History for younger audiences. We are intentionally developing a stronger, research-led offer for older students, as Cold War provision remains underrepresented within many heritage education programmes. Secondary schools typically require at least two hours of structured, curriculum-linked content for a visit, and this toolkit will support members in designing longer, activity-rich sessions that meet that need.
The toolkit will provide guidance on curriculum alignment, age-appropriate storytelling (including how to approach complex or sensitive topics), the effective use of primary sources, and object-based learning – including which types of objects work best in an educational setting. It will also address accessibility, meeting the needs of SEN groups, and engaging the home education market.
Development will take place in partnership with an experienced consultant and will be informed by three structured workshops: subject experts generating curriculum-relevant stories; teachers assessing classroom value and alignment; and young people testing engagement and appeal. Member case studies will form a core strand of the toolkit, showcasing what makes sites distinctive, how they connect to local history, and what approaches represent best practice. We will also ensure that the final resource complements rather than duplicates existing online material.
Engagement Toolkit
Alongside this, we are developing an Engagement Toolkit focused on organisational resilience and community capacity. This resource will support members in strengthening volunteer recruitment and management, upskilling teams, planning events, interpreting heritage effectively, engaging diverse demographics, and building long-term sustainability.
Practical frameworks, templates, and real-world case studies from across the network will underpin the toolkit, ensuring it is grounded in experience and transferable across different types and sizes of organisations. Following completion, we will deliver dedicated training webinars to support implementation of both toolkits, currently scheduled for November and February.
If you are interested in sharing a story of some best practice or great innovation in any of these areas that we could share in the toolkit, or you would be willing to host one or more workshops, please email info@coldwarnetwork.co.uk