Daphne Steele - How can we find out about local significant people?

With the launch of the National Blue Plaques scheme, run by Historic England, this activity looks at how we decide who is significant and then uses a range of historical sources to find out more about Daphne Steele, the first Black matron in the National Health Service (NHS) in Britain.

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Teaching idea

By engaging with a range of primary sources students can learn about different aspects of Black British history. The use of local stories and topics is intended to make the past more relevant, real, accessible, and interesting. This allows students to develop historical enquiry skills, relevant for all topics.

These resources are designed for use in the Key Stage 2 classroom. As well as focusing on the history curriculum, the resources and Daphne’s life also present an excellent opportunity to develop many aspects of the geography curriculum too – giving students a broader understanding of how local, national, and international history and geography have combined to create modern Britain.

Learning aims and outcomes

  • To learn about local significant historical events, people and places
  • To study an aspect of significant local history dating from a period beyond 1066
  • To gain historical perspective by placing a growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history
  • To use Daphne’s story to explore key events in British history such as the forming of the National Health Service (NHS) and the arrival of the Windrush Generation
  • To locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe and North and South America
  • To understand geographical similarities and differences between a region of the United Kingdom and a region within North or South America

Prior knowledge

No prior knowledge is required

Extended learning and useful links

Also of interest

Daphne Steele