Young Historians Shine in The Western Front Association’s Malcolm Doolin Award for Local History Research 2025

The Western Front Association is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Malcolm Doolin Award for Local History Research, an annual national award celebrating original and collaborative historical research by primary and secondary school students across the UK.

This year’s competition attracted an exceptional range of entries, reflecting thoughtful research, creativity and strong local connections to the history of the First World War. The award is divided into two categories: Primary (ages 5-11) and Secondary (ages 11-16), with commemorative certificates and national recognition for all participating schools.

Kenilworth School, Warwickshire was the overall winner. 18 students from across the age range of the school took on four research topics: The Experience of Women, The Experience of Different Nationalities, Food and The Warwickshire Regiment. All the topics had a strong local history focus and each was thoroughly researched and presented with creativity and depth. The students brought their work together in a well-organised public exhibition, engaging their peers, teachers and families. The judges were particularly impressed by how many students were involved and how successfully the school had supported the development of young historians through such an ambitious and thoughtful project.

Aimee Palmer, Head of History at Kenilworth said:

“Thank you for this opportunity. It has been an incredibly valuable and fulfilling experience for our students. It has truly captured their imaginations and allowed them to research like real historians. They have all thoroughly enjoyed it and gained so much from the process – this really is the cherry on top of a wonderful year.

This has been my first year running the History Club. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for many years but hadn’t known quite where to start. When I saw the competition advertised, I felt it offered a brilliant project to work towards – one that would nurture their love of history within an academically rigorous framework.”

Other schools deservedly winning prizes were:

Feniscowles Primary School – the history club submitted a deeply personal and well-researched project exploring wartime Feniscowles. The children investigated local stories and family histories, linking them to broader wartime themes and demonstrating a high level of engagement and empathy.

Bloxham School, Oxford – the history club uncovered the intriguing story of National Filling Station No.9 – now farmland just off the M40 – this was once the site of a munitions factory making shells and mustard gas. https://youtu.be/tRd4VeCPkuU

Devonport High School, Devon – a pupil led project which placed the extensive casualty list of former pupils of the school within an impressive historiography of the war and then went on to examine a number of them in detail, displaying excellent research and presentation skills.

Hungerhill Academy, Doncaster – looked at hospitals in their area: at the requisitioning of buildings, the significant figures running them and at those treated in them. They held a well-attended presentation evening at which they shared their findings with families and friends.

Rushey Mead Academy, Leicester – the youngest group of secondary participants had researched their local war memorial. Their enthusiasm and developing research skills were very much in evidence.

Judges agreed that it has truly been an outstanding year. Several of the winning schools benefited from support from WFA Links and I should like to thank David Humberston, Rocky Salmon, Susan Tall and David Durham for the work they did with their schools and the encouragement they gave them.

As a further mark of recognition, all the winning schools, will be invited to send a small group of students and staff to represent their school at The Western Front Association’s Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph on 11 November 2025. Selected students will have the honour of laying a wreath on behalf of their school—a memorable and solemn experience in one of the country’s most significant commemorative events.

Registration is open for this award for 2025-26: https://bit.ly/WFA-Doolin-award-2025