Free learning resources from arts, cultural and heritage organisations.

Teachers' Notes

Resource created by the Harris Museum, Lancashire Infantry Museum and the Museum of Lancashire.

This resource is part of a WW1 Centenary Project called Preston Remembers, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England. 

Curriculum Links

  • KS2 Art and Design - Develop techniques, including control and use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design
  • KS3 Art and Design - Use a range of techniques to record observations in sketchbooks, journals and other media as a basis for exploring their ideas
  • KS4 Art and Design - Textiles, materials - Skills, developing ideas, applied art, design briefs - Graphic communication
  • KS2/3/4 Citizenship - School communities, participation; Making a difference
  • KS3 Geography - Extend locational knoweldge and deepen spatial awareness of the world's countries using maps of the world
  • KS2 History - Local history study; Study of an aspect or theme in British history after 1066
  • KS3 History - Local history study; Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to present
  • KS2 Maths - Interpret and present data using bar charts, pictograms and tables; Calculate and interpret the mean as an average

Discussion Ideas

  • Why is men’s football such big business today compared to women’s football?
  • How many female and how many male footballers can you name? 
  • Why do you think women's football became popular in wartime?
  • How might the women who played in Dick, Kerr's Ladies have felt after the war?
  • What effect do you think the 1921 ban on ladies football from football league stadiums had on women’s football? 
  • Why did the Football Association issue the ban? 
  • What does this tell us about British society at this time?
  • Why do you think the female footballers in Dick, Kerr's Ladies and other teams deserve to be remembered?

Activity Ideas

Art and Design

  • Compare and contrast the football kit that Dick, Kerr's Ladies FC used with the type of kit worn by women footballers today. How are the materials and designs different and why? 
  • Design a football programme for one of the Dick, Kerr's Ladies FC matches.

Citizenship

  • Debate: Explore the meaning of celebrity by comparing and contrasting the celebrity status of Dick, Kerr’s Ladies FC and today’s women footballers. 

Geography

  • On the Dick, Kerr's Ladies FC website (link below) is mentioned where the team played. Find these places on a map, including any trips the team made to other countries. See how far the team travelled, and what locations they travelled to most.
  • Look at the British Pathe newsreel of Dick, Kerr's Ladies FC setting off on a Canadian tour by ship (link below). 
    - Why might they have travelled by ship?
    - How long would their journey have taken?
    - What would it have been like?
    - How much would it have cost for each player?

History

  • Research the role and importance of women in the workforce during the First World War. What happened after the War - Have a class debate on the question ' Did things really change for women after the war?'

  • Find newspaper quotes about Dick, Kerr’s Ladies FC and examine the language used. What does it tell you about the social attitudes of the time? Try to compare these quotes with a modern article on Dick, Kerr's Ladies and think about how reporting has changed.

  • Explore the My Learning resource on Female Munitions Workers in WW1 to find out more about the type of work done by the women in Dick, Kerr's Ladies.
    - Take a look at the images within this resource and images of a WW1 munitions factory in Leeds
    - Do you think they show what it was really like for women to work in them?
    - How were images of munitions factories used as propaganda to attract women in to the workforce? 
  • Download the KS2-3 worksheets on women munitions workers at the No. 1 Filling Factory in Barnbow, Leeds.

Maths

  • Using the Dick, Kerr's Ladies FC website, plot where and when the team played and show the results in different ways, such as charts and graphs.
    - Look at the data and estimate the distances travelled in a year, the average goals per game etc. 

How I would use this resource - KS3 History Teacher

Could definitely use it when researching the role of women in WW1 and their changing role. I think introducing a football theme would also appeal to many, especially boys (sorry, but it’s true) in art and design.