This article is written by Catherine Priggs, Leadership and Curriculum consultant regarding SEND and history teaching.

SEND is something no history teacher can afford to see as a niche issue. Around 40% of pupils will be identified as having special educational needs at some point during their time in school. The number of pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has grown sharply since 2015 — and it’s still rising.

This isn’t just a story of numbers. New policy thinking — including the SEND and AP Improvement Plan — emphasises that pupils with SEND are entitled to the same ambitious curriculum as everyone else. High expectations, dignity and inclusion are supposed to run through everything we do. It’s a fundamental shift: away from seeing SEND pupils as needing a “different” education and towards making the same rich curriculum genuinely accessible for all.

That’s where history teachers have some real thinking to do.

School history can pose particular challenges for many pupils with SEND. Some struggle with abstract substantive concepts like empire, democracy, or parliament — especially when these ideas shift meaning over time. Others find it difficult to build coherent historical narratives, or to work with sources, particularly when interpreting tone, nuance, and implied meaning. Chronological understanding can be fragile. Critical thinking and engaging with historical debate can feel inaccessible without careful support.

The temptation can sometimes be to cut complexity — but research suggests that might do more harm than good. Pupils benefit most when they encounter rich, meaningful content, with carefully planned teaching to support them through it. That’s where approaches like explicit instruction, cognitive and metacognitive strategies, and thoughtful scaffolding come into their own.

Getting this right isn’t about creating a separate curriculum. It’s about making sure all pupils — whatever their needs — can take their place in the conversation.

If you’re interested in learning more about supporting pupils with SEND in history lessons:

• The Making History Accessible resources from the Secondary Committee offer detailed guidance and reflections on how to ensure all pupils can access school history.
• A webinar series on this topic has also recently concluded — recordings are available, and a follow-up series is planned for the autumn term.