5 British Heroes Your KS1 Child Should Know (And Why Stories Help Them Stick)
Your Year 1 or Year 2 child is learning about history in school. They're hearing about castles, kings, and maybe the Great Fire of London. But are they connecting those events to the values that matter in their own lives?
Here's the thing: British history is packed with people who did extraordinary things. Not because they were born special, but because they chose to be persistent, brave, creative, or kind when it mattered. And when children hear stories about real people, those values stick far better than any lecture ever could.
Here are five British heroes your KS1 child should know—and why each one matters.
1. Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859)
Who he was: An engineer who built bridges, tunnels, ships, and railways that people said were impossible.
Why it matters: Brunel heard "it can't be done" more times than most of us ever will. His Great Western Railway, Clifton Suspension Bridge, and SS Great Britain were all called crazy ideas by critics. He kept building anyway.
The value: Persistence when others doubt you. When your child wants to give up on a tricky LEGO build or a hard word in their reading book, Brunel's story reminds them that the best things take time—and plenty of people saying "no" before you get to "yes."
Engineering & Persistence2. Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Who he was: Prime Minister during World War II—but that's not the whole story. Before that, he spent years in the political wilderness, speaking up when almost no one agreed with him.
Why it matters: Churchill's "wilderness years" (1930s) are the part most KS1 curricula skip, but they're gold for children. He warned about dangers when everyone else wanted to ignore them. He kept speaking even when he was alone. And eventually, people listened.
The value: Speaking up even when you're the only one. When your child sees something unfair in the playground, or has a question no one else is asking, Churchill's story says it's okay to be the lone voice. Sometimes that's the bravest thing you can do.
Courage & Standing Alone3. Ada Lovelace (1815-1852)
Who she was: The world's first computer programmer. In the 1840s. Before computers even existed.
Why it matters: Ada looked at Charles Babbage's "Analytical Engine" (a mechanical calculator) and saw something no one else did: it could do more than maths. It could create music, art, anything you could imagine—if you could tell it the right instructions. She wrote the first algorithm. She invented computational thinking.
The value: Seeing possibilities others miss. When your child looks at a cardboard box and sees a spaceship, or uses a stick as a magic wand, that's the same imaginative leap Ada made. Creativity isn't just art—it's seeing what could be, not just what is.
Innovation & Imagination4. The Royal Navy West Africa Squadron (1808-1867)
Who they were: British sailors who patrolled the West African coast to stop slave ships after Britain abolished the slave trade.
Why it matters: These sailors spent years at sea in terrible conditions, far from home, to free people they'd never met and would never see again. They didn't do it for glory or reward. They did it because it was right.
The value: Helping people you'll never meet. When your child shares their snack with someone who forgot theirs, or donates toys to a charity shop, that's the same spirit. Generosity isn't about getting thanks—it's about making the world better for strangers.
Generosity & Sacrifice5. The Magna Carta Barons (1215)
Who they were: A group of barons who forced King John to sign the Magna Carta—a document that said even the king had to follow the rules.
Why it matters: Before 1215, the king could do whatever he wanted. The Magna Carta changed that. It said: rules have to be fair, and they have to apply to everyone, including the people in charge.
The value: Fairness and shared power. When your child complains that a playground game has unfair rules, they're echoing the Magna Carta. Democracy, justice, and fair play all start with the same idea: rules work when everyone agrees, not when one person decides for everyone else.
Fairness & DemocracyWhy Stories Work Better Than Lectures
You could tell your child: "Be persistent." "Be brave." "Be creative." And they'd nod and forget it five minutes later.
Or you could say: "Brunel built a bridge everyone said would fall down. But he knew it wouldn't, and now it's been standing for 160 years."
Guess which one they'll remember?
Stories give children a mental hook. When they face a challenge, they don't think "I should be persistent" (abstract, forgettable). They think "Brunel didn't give up when people laughed at him, so I won't give up either" (concrete, memorable).
That's the power of heroes. Not perfect people—just real people who made hard choices and showed us what's possible.
How to Bring These Heroes to Life
If you want your child to connect with these heroes, here are a few simple ways:
- Visit the sites: Walk across Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge. Visit the Churchill War Rooms in London. See Ada Lovelace's notes at the Science Museum. When children stand in the same place a hero stood, history becomes real.
- Ask "What would [hero] do?" When your child faces a tricky problem, ask: "What do you think Brunel would try?" or "What would Ada imagine?" It turns abstract values into actionable thinking.
- Read stories, not textbooks: Dates and facts don't stick. Stories do. Look for books that tell the human side of history—the doubts, the failures, the moments of choice.
- Connect to their world: "You know how you built that den even though your brother said it wouldn't work? That's like Brunel." Making the link explicit helps children see themselves in the story.
British Heroes, Modern Values, Real Stories
We're creating picture books that bring these heroes to life for KS1 children (ages 5-7). Not retellings of their lives—new stories where modern British kids face everyday challenges and discover the same values these heroes showed.
Books launching Autumn 2026:
- The Collection Jar (inspired by the West Africa Squadron)
- The Girl Who Wouldn't Shut Up (inspired by Churchill's wilderness years)
- Tomorrow's Rules (inspired by the Magna Carta)
Get notified when they launch—and grab a free sample chapter.
Read Free Sample →Final Thought
British history isn't just castles and crowns. It's people who chose to be brave, persistent, creative, and kind when it mattered. And those choices shaped the world your child lives in today.
When we teach children about heroes, we're not teaching them to worship the past. We're giving them a toolkit for the future. We're saying: Look, here's proof that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. You can too.
That's a lesson worth learning at any age—but especially at 5, 6, or 7, when the world still feels full of possibility and every problem looks solvable if you just try hard enough.
Let's give them the heroes to prove it.