Frequently Asked Questions

The Heritage Schools Award recognises and celebrates the achievements of schools who have successfully embedded heritage across the curriculum to ensure the young people they work with are provided with opportunities to engage with their local historic environment.

The Heritage Schools Award is open to all state-funded schools — including infant, primary, and secondary. Participation is completely free.

The Heritage Schools Award is valid for three years. After this period, schools can reapply to renew their award.

Once an account has been created, schools upload evidence to show that they have met the criteria outlined. Schools can upload their evidence all at once or gradually over time as it is gathered.

Submissions usually include a written statement of intent, curriculum and lesson plans, examples of pupils’ work, evidence of partnerships with local heritage or cultural organisations, and records of heritage-related CPD for teachers. Evidence can be drawn from work completed within the past two years.

We provide full guidance on completing your entry and support you throughout the process.

You can download more information about the evidence required to achieve the award.

Yes. Schools are expected to provide evidence of working with at least one local heritage organisation per key stage, such as a museum, gallery, or heritage site.

Successful schools receive a Heritage Schools Award certificate, celebrating their achievement and commitment to local heritage learning.

The first step is to create an account. All Award entries must be submitted through the online platform.

Here is a short video demonstrating how to create and submit an award entry using the Heritage Schools Award hub:

A range of guides and resources are available on the Heritage Schools Award Hub. If you have specific questions, teachers can also contact the team by email for additional support.

Your submission will be assessed by a Local Heritage Education Manager (LHEM) from your region, who will also provide feedback.

You can email the Heritage Schools team for advice and guidance at any stage.

Here is a short video showing the options for compressing videos using various devices: