FREE-Record Your Elder Interview Guide KS3

Not every historian works in an archive. Some start with a conversation.

Some of the most important history is never written down. It lives in memory, in the voices of the people who were there. This free interview guide invites young people aged 11–14 to sit with an elder, listen closely and record a first-hand account worth preserving.

Created to complement learning about Caribbean migration and the Windrush generation, the guide is for every young person, whatever their background. An elder can be a grandparent, neighbour, family friend, trusted relative or member of a faith community.

READY TO USE AT HOME OR SCHOOL:

At home: Talk with an elder about their childhood, journeys, food, music, language and traditions, and the advice they would like younger generations to remember. Questions about coming to Britain can be used where relevant to the person’s experience.

At school: Use the structured interview as a research task for classroom or homework. Students practise listening, asking questions and recording lived experience as a primary source, with links to History, English, PSHE, RE and cultural understanding.

Free instant digital download. A little introduction to the Narrative Black History Group approach: real stories, shared learning and voices worth remembering.