Our research-informed Key Stage 3 textbook, Understanding the Holocaust: How and why did it happen? is published by Hodder Education.

Authored by staff at the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education, the textbook responds directly to research findings from our 2009 study of teaching practices and our 2016 research into students’ knowledge and understanding.

A free class set of 30 textbooks is available to teachers in any state funded school in England who teach about the Holocaust at Key Stage 3. It is aimed at history teachers, but other teachers are eligible if they intend to use the book extensively.

The textbooks have been delivered across the country, to a very warm and positive reception from teachers. Commenting on the news, Professor Stuart Foster, Executive Director of the UCL Centre and co-author of the textbook, said:

“Our goal is to help teachers both deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust and appreciate the contemporary significance of this disturbing history.  We hope that teachers across the country will use this textbook to improve learning and challenge common myths and misconceptions that surround the Holocaust.  Due to the generosity and support of the Pears Foundation and the Toni Schiff Memorial Fund we are particularly delighted that the textbooks are available free of charge to schools across the country.

The next mailing of class sets will take place in January 2022, as part of our fourth print-run. We will continue to offer the textbook free of charge to teachers who have pre-registered on our distribution list.

To be added to the distribution list, teachers can register and complete a short online CPD course: 

  • Access the course here(If you do not already have an account with UCLeXtend, you will need to create one. Please follow the sign-up process, and ensure that you follow the confirmation link which is emailed to you. You should then be able to ‘enrol’ on the course).

An exclusive, e-Inspection copy of the textbook is also available here.

Textbooks are currently available on a first come, first served basis.  Full Terms and Conditions are provided in the course. Please also refer to our Frequently Asked Questions: Textbook FAQs Mar21

Additional materials to support use of the textbook, including teacher guidance notes, can be found on our website here.