Please note: the application period for the 2022/23 cohort is now closed.
Every year, the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education looks to recruit up to 15 secondary schools in England committed to enhancing teaching and learning about the Holocaust. UCL Beacon Schools in Holocaust Education will become dynamic hubs serving a network of local schools and will partner with the Centre to improve teaching standards, raise pupil achievement, and strengthen SMSC provision.
The Lead Teacher will develop a Scheme of Work specifically targeted to the needs of their pupils; the SMT will work with the lead teacher to make Holocaust education a priority and advocate to other schools for better Holocaust education.
What does it cost?
The programme is provided to schools free of charge, and includes university expertise and consultancy.
Why would a school apply?
This is an opportunity for your school to partner with the world’s top-rated university for education, to raise the quality of learning and expectations in your school, and to help your students to become more engaged in their own learning and more independent, critical thinkers. UCL Institute of Education has been judged Outstanding by Ofsted at every level and on every criteria of Initial Teacher Education. UCL Centre for Holocaust Education combines extensive research into classroom needs with a teacher development programme and effective educational resources specifically designed to meet these challenges.
What is the impact on pupil outcomes?
Watch more of our teachers and senior leaders talking about what it means to be a Beacon School
Please note, we can only offer secondary schools located in England a place on the Beacon School Programme.
What qualifies a school for Beacon School status?
It is important that each Beacon School identifies a dynamic Lead Teacher to take the initiative forward and coordinate Holocaust education at their school. The key aim for this teacher is to embed the Centre’s pedagogical approaches, teaching and learning materials into their schools, developing a Scheme of Work to evidence how this has been achieved.
A Beacon School will be committed to the view that the Holocaust is a critically important part of young people’s education while appreciating the complex challenges that the Holocaust raises as a school subject. Schools need to demonstrate an existing commitment to the importance of Holocaust education as well as a keenness to embrace creativity and innovation into their curriculum.
Schools chosen for the programme will not be expected to already have a standard of exemplary Holocaust education embedded into their school teaching and learning programme. The idea is that being on the Beacon School programme is a process rather than an end point. What is required is a commitment to increasing expertise and teaching standards to advanced levels.
To apply for the UCL Beacon School programme 2023-4, please ensure you are registered for our newsletter so you receive all the information and application details once we launch the programme.
If you have any questions about the Beacon School programme, please email holocaust@ucl.ac.uk or call 0207 612 6437
Find out more about the work of our existing Beacon Schools
