Key Stage 4 | Imperial War Museums

The Battle of Britain

The battle begins, summer 1940
The battle begins, summer 1940

After defeating France in June 1940, Hitler assumed Britain would sue for peace but ordered his armed forces to prepare for invasion. Hermann Goering assured him that a sustained air assault would destroy the RAF, winning the air superiority needed.
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940

July 1940 saw German planes target shipping in the Channel, drawing the RAF into combat, before radar stations, communications centres and airfields faced round-the-clock bombing in August. The battle reached a climax with attacks on London in September.
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)

Joan 'Elizabeth' Mortimer, Elspeth Henderson and Helen Turner of the WAAF. All three received the Military Medal for courageous conduct during attacks on Biggin Hill airfield. Biggin Hill suffered a total of ten major attacks between 30 Aug and 5 Sept.
Non-British personnel in the RAF
Non-British personnel in the RAF

A group of pilots of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron RAF return from a sortie. The first Polish squadrons were formed in the summer of 1940. Pilots came from several other countries, including Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, New Zealand and the USA.
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford

RAF Duxford was a Sector Station in 12 Group, responsible for defending the Midlands and East Anglia. As the fighting intensified, Duxford's squadrons were called on to support 11 Group's defence of London and the south-east.
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF

Despite incessant attacks, the RAF's defences held. The Luftwaffe could not continue, and in the autumn switched to 'nuisance' raids and night operations. The failure to defeat the RAF convinced Hitler to postpone his invasion plans indefinitely.

Americans at Duxford

Americans at RAF Duxford 1943-1945
Americans at RAF Duxford 1943-1945

HM King George VI and Queen Elizabeth are greeted by Brigadier Frank Hunter and Major General Ira Eaker of the 8th US Army Air Forces on a visit to Duxford, 26 May 1943. (© IWM CH 19214)
Americans at RAF Duxford 1943-1945
Americans at RAF Duxford 1943-1945

Pilots from the 78th Fighter Group, US 8th Army Air Force relaxing outside the Squadron 'ready room', late summer 1944. (© IWM HU 31937)
Americans at RAF Duxford 1943-1945
Americans at RAF Duxford 1943-1945

Republic P-47C and D Thunderbolts of the 78th Fighter Group lined up on the airfield, winter 1943. (© IWM HU 57985)
Americans at RAF Duxford 1943-1945
Americans at RAF Duxford 1943-1945

Bob Hope, accompanied by Francis Langford, sitting in the cockpit of Captain R E Eby's Republic P-47C Thunderbolt 'Vee Gaile' (82nd FS/78th FG), during their USO show visit to Duxford, 2 July 1943. (© IWM HU 57979)
Americans at RAF Duxford 1943-1945
Americans at RAF Duxford 1943-1945

Wing Commander S L Matthews, Station Commander at Duxford, at the handover of the station to the US 8th Airforce, 1943. (© IWM HU 51427)

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Churchill War Rooms
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HMS Belfast
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Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
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The Battle of Britain

Find out more about this session from the list below and then call 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.
Cold War

Find out more about this session from the list below and then call 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.
Creative and Destructive Forces

Find out more about this session from the list below and then call 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.
The Home Front 1939-45

Find out more about this session from the list below and then call 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.
How Things Fly

Find out more about this session from the list below and then call 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.
Trench Warfare

Find out more about this session from the list below and then call 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.
Vietnam Gallery

Find out more about this session from the list below and then call 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.
The Vietnam War – Study Day

Find out more about this session from the list below and then call 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.

Key Stage 4

A visit to IWM Duxford can support programmes of study in History, Literacy, Art, Citizenship, PSHE, Religious Education, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Choose from this list or browse through the images above to see the sessions available

The Battle of Britain

60 minutes

Duxford Airfield played an important part in the Battle of Britain. View images and film from the era, look at artefacts, and learn about the preparations for the Battle of Britain and the key targets attacked.

Call the Department for Learning on 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.

Cold War

60 minutes

What was the Cold War? Why were there tensions between the Communist world and the West from 1945? Find out through archive images and film footage of the time.

Call the Department for Learning on 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.

Creative and Destructive Forces

60 minutes

Technology shapes warfare and warfare shapes technology. This workshop examines some of the technological developments which have taken place in the past century in relation to aircraft, land vehicles, materials and household objects.

Call the Department for Learning on 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.

The Home Front 1939-45

60 minutes

What preparations were made for war? What was the role of propaganda? Were shelters a safe option? Were gas masks used? Find out the answers from images, film extracts and artefacts.

Call the Department for Learning on 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.

How Things Fly

60 minutes

The session covers the main forces governing flight and the form and function of an aircraft. The session can be modified to fit the requirements of students, including those studying physics.

Call the Department for Learning on 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.

Trench Warfare

60 minutes

Discover what life was like for the British Tommy on the Western Front. Using a wealth of artefacts, film and photographs students will explore the daily routine of a soldier in the trenches.

Call the Department for Learning on 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.

Vietnam Gallery

90 minutes

Students explore guerrilla tactics of warfare, handle a selection of small artefacts, look at some of the USAF aircraft involved in Vietnam and view archive footage to stimulate lively debate about the ethics of this war.

Call the Department for Learning on 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.

The Vietnam War – Study Day

150 minutes

Students examine the Vietnam War in the context of the Cold War. Part of the workshop takes place within the American Air Museum, where students study aircraft and explore artefacts from the museum’s handling collection.

Call the Department for Learning on 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.

Sessions take place in our Learning Spaces and in the galleries, taking the museum’s artefacts, both small and large, as an inspirational starting point. Our sessions inspire, enthuse and extend knowledge and key skills.

In addition, we can cater for whole year groups and are happy to discuss any cross-curricular requirements.

We can also put together special packages for schools, combining handling artefacts and other sources of evidence with work in the galleries.

To be kept up to date with new sessions or special days, subscribe to Learning e-news.

How to book

Check our current charges and cancellation policy in our Terms and Conditions.
Call the Department for Learning on 01223 499 341 to make a provisional booking.
Confirm the arrangements by completing our Booking Form.

Key concepts

Chronological understanding
Cultural, ethnic and religious diversity
Change and continuity
Cause and consequence
Significance and Interpretation
Cultural and critical understanding of a range of images and artefacts from different contexts

Key processes and skills

Historical Enquiry
Using evidence
Communicating about the past
Critical thinking and enquiry

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From the World Wars to the Cold War, IWM gives teachers and students in UK schools everything they need to explore the course, causes and consequences of conflict from the First World War to today.

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