Barking and Dagenham teachers prepare for �2.7m history project

Teachers poured over historical records as they prepared for a multi-million pound school project spearheaded by English Heritage.

They examined old documents at Valence House Archives on Thursday during a fact-finding visit before they go on to help their students discover the rich history of Barking and Dagenham.

The budding historians will find out how Henry VIII and William the Conqueror put Barking on the map as part of the �2.7million initiative piloted in the east London borough.

The project, called Heritage Schools, will seek to boost children’s interest in history as well as unearth new historical facts by giving pupils the opportunity to collect “social histories” from members of the community in Barking and Dagenham.

The teachers went on a history tour of the borough then stopped at the archives in Becontree Avenue, Dagenham.

Twelve primary schools in Barking and Dagenham will take part in the project piloted in three areas in England.