Educate, inform, inspire: Commonwealth War Graves’ extensive education & outreach resources

Commonwealth War Graves is on a mission to educate and inform the public on the World Wars. How? With a range of unique educational resources for all ages.

Commonwealth War Graves Educational Resources

The importance of teaching World War history

(© IWM (CRH 29))

The World Wars are some of the most significant events in human history.

These global conflicts shaped the world we live in today. We can learn many lessons from both wars and the experiences of those who served.

As well as commemorating 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth, Commonwealth War Graves aims to educate people of all ages on the significance of the World Wars, our work, and what service personnel worldwide went through in these world-changing events.

What can we learn from the World Wars?

There is a lot to learn from World War history. Teaching these subjects brings some important benefits for students across all key stages and beyond.

• The stories of the war dead – Everyone who served and fell in military service is more than just a name on a headstone or war memorial. Each was a real person with their own life and experiences. Through our educational resources, we can share their stories, which helps us connect more with those in our care and greater understand the human cost of war.
• Our work – Since the First World War, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has been charged with commemorating all of the Commonwealth’s war dead of the world wars. Several of our resources share what goes into our work, such as identifying casualties, caring for our sites, and the myriad ways we care for and commemorate all those in our care.
• A global perspective – The forces of the British Empire were incredibly diverse. Soldiers were recruited and served in all corners of the globe. It’s important to understand the diversity of those who fought and fell, and learning about the World Wars helps us do just that.
• The power of peace & diplomacy – The 1.7 million men and women in our care are sobering reminders of the cost of human conflict. Learning their stories can help impart the lessons of peace and international cooperation to younger generations.
• Women and civilians' wartime roles – We often think in only in terms of those who fought when it comes to studying the World Wars, but women played an enormous role in both wars. Through learning about their experiences and contributions, we get a better understanding of the war’s influence on society.

Where can you find CWGC’s educational resources?

All of our educational resources are available to download from our website. Visit our educational resources page to see all available resources.

Each resource is free to use. See the description for which age group or key stage they are aimed at. Of course, they can be easily adapted to other age groups too!

Download our eductional resources

Example World War educational resources you can download

Here are some of the educational resources available to download from our website. Use them to help build young people’s understanding of the World Wars.

Women in the Second World War

This new teaching resource explores a wide range of stories of women commemorated by Commonwealth War Graves. From Special Operations Executive operatives, nursing and medical teams, to Air Transport Auxiliary pilots, these stories are set against the wider context of women’s war work.

While Women in the World Wars is primarily aimed at KS2/KS3 students, the information could be used with any age group interested in learning more stories about women in the Second World War.

One Day in a World War

One Day in a World War is a classroom resource which encourages students aged 11-14 to use the CWGC online database.
In addition to honing their research and critical thinking skills, One Day in a World War doubles as an opportunity to explore the scale of the First World War and its global impact.

Focusing on a single day, 16 September 1916, the resource uses casualty stories and CWGC data to highlight the global nature of the conflict, encouraging students to think about what exactly made the First World War a ‘world war’.

The role of the Indian Army and African labourers, as well as that of many other nationalities, are highlighted, helping teachers and students alike move away from a purely UK-centric view of the Great War.

A similar resource, One Day in a World War for D-Day, is also available, focusing on 6 June 1944, highlighting how Operation Overlord was not the only operation happening on that day in the Second World War. This resource is designed for pupils aged 9-12.

South Africa in World War One

This multimedia resource seeks to educate intermediate and senior students on South Africa’s First World War experience. 

From the Western Front, African theatres, the Middle East, and the Home Front, this resource dive deep into the theatres and people who served in South Africa’s armed forces in the Great War.

Partners in South Africa and the UK have teamed up to create a diverse educational experience that reflects the interests of a broad audience: two virtual reality films, a heritage app, an exhibition, and an education pack for teachers.

Develop new skills and research your personal or community’s World War history

We have recently launched materials that support young people completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award. These are designed to enable young people to complete the Skills section of the award while deepening their knowledge and understanding about the World Wars.

We’ve created a series of bitesize guides which take you, step-by-step, through the process of learning more about those we commemorate.

Discover how to use our war records beyond simple casualty searches to better understand where your family members served in wartime.

We’ve created guides that detail casualty research across the main Commonwealth nations, as the chief branches of the armed forces, and female and African service personnel.

Combine guides to give you greater insights into the people behind the headstones.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be a family member. If your interest has been piqued by any of the names you’ve seen on a headstone or a war memorial, then our research guides will help you find more information about them to bring them to life. 

Start exploring their stories today.

Download our research guides

The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation, the charitable arm of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, is focussed on outreach and education.

One of the chief outreach initiatives is the Foundation Speakers & Tour Guides Programme.

We have over 300 expert speakers and tour guides who engage with people of all ages across the UK in schools, colleges, universities and through many different social and community groups.

Our tours and talks cover various subjects relevant to the CWGC, including architecture, horticulture, conservation, our archive and the history of the individuals commemorated in the sites we care for.

We can adapt our presentations to your requirements, tailoring content to reflect a particular location, region or theme. Delivering over one thousand presentations a year, we connect people with the wide-ranging scope of the CWGC, from its origins in the 1920s to the relevance of its work today and in the future. 
 
Talks and tours can be booked online. You can also download education materials to support school visits to CWGC sites across the globe.

Commonwealth War Graves Foundation projects rely on the generosity of our supporters and members. Visit the Foundation website today to learn more and to make a donation.

Learning outside the classroom: Outreach programmes

The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation, the charitable arm of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, is focussed on outreach and education.

One of the chief outreach initiatives is the Foundation Speakers & Tour Guides Programme.

We have over 300 expert speakers and tour guides who engage with people of all ages across the UK in schools, colleges, universities and through many different social and community groups.

Our tours and talks cover various subjects relevant to the CWGC, including architecture, horticulture, conservation, our archive and the history of the individuals commemorated in the sites we care for.

We can adapt our presentations to your requirements, tailoring content to reflect a particular location, region or theme. Delivering over one thousand presentations a year, we connect people with the wide-ranging scope of the CWGC, from its origins in the 1920s to the relevance of its work today and in the future. 
 
Talks and tours can be booked online. You can also download education materials to support school visits to CWGC sites across the globe.

Commonwealth War Graves Foundation projects rely on the generosity of our supporters and members. Visit the Foundation website today to learn more and to make a donation.

See CWGC’s educational resource today

Whether for in-classroom or personal research, our education resources are here to help you.

Visit the educational resource page to access all of our free education materials.