When we started imagining Local Stories for Learners, one thing was clear from the beginning: the stories needed to resonate.

They needed to be grounded in Bradford – in the people, communities and histories that make this district so distinctive.

This commitment builds on insights from the Monuments Review, which highlighted the need for more inclusive storytelling – ensuring that the diverse communities and young people of Bradford see their histories reflected in the stories we tell about our city. . These packs are one response to that call – offering new narratives and perspectives that centre lived experience and build pride in place.

But more than that, the stories had to matter to learners. That meant thinking carefully not just about what stories we told, but how we told them – and who we told them with.

Listening first

We began with a long listening phase. We spoke to educators across Bradford – in schools, alternative provision, home education and SEND settings – to understand what they needed, what already worked well, and what felt missing.

We also reached out to artists, curators, local historians, archivists, community organisations and residents. Some stories came to us through those conversations. Others were sparked by a photograph, a voice note, a memory shared in a workshop.

What we were looking for weren’t just facts or historical ‘firsts’, but stories with texture – stories that could open up big conversations around identity, culture, injustice and belonging.

Balancing the collection

We knew we needed balance: across themes, across age ranges, across the different kinds of creative prompts and resources that make up each pack.

We worked hard to find stories that were genuinely local, but that could still connect with wider classroom conversations. Whether it’s a poem about football or an oral history about working in Bradford’s mills, every pack is rooted in place but designed to spark ideas far beyond it.