New
New
Year 6

Sikhs: the story of a British community

I can explain how Sikhs have contributed to British history and why some places in the UK have large Sikh communities.

New
New
Year 6

Sikhs: the story of a British community

I can explain how Sikhs have contributed to British history and why some places in the UK have large Sikh communities.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Sikhs comprise 0.9% of the population of England and Wales according to the 2021 census.
  2. There are historic Sikh communities in London and the West Midlands.
  3. The Sikh community has historic links with the UK, connected to the British Empire.
  4. Sikh soldiers were heavily involved in fighting for the British Empire, which cost many lives during the World Wars.

Keywords

  • Community - a group of people who share common interests and values

  • Service - the act of helping or doing work for others, often to support a community or cause

  • British Empire - a group of countries that were controlled or ruled by Britain

  • Gurdwara - a Sikh place of worship, where people gather to pray, learn, and share meals together

Common misconception

All Sikhs in the UK recently moved here.

There is a long historical connection between Sikhs and the UK, including their involvement in the British Empire and service in the World Wars. Many Sikh families have lived in Britain for several generations.


To help you plan your year 6 religious education lesson on: Sikhs: the story of a British community, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Research and discuss Sikh contribution to British history. Invite a speaker to share why they or their family decided to move to the UK and settled in the area they live in.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
What do many Hindus believe Brahman is?
a festival
Correct answer: the one supreme spirit
a famous temple
Q2.
What symbol represents Brahman in Hindu Dharma?
a bell
a flower
Correct answer: aum
Q3.
What is Hindu worship called?
Correct answer: puja
yoga
karma
Q4.
What do Hindus believe happens after this life?
you go to sleep forever
you become a star
Correct answer: you are reborn

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

5 Questions

Q1.
Sikh soldiers played an important role during the two World .
Correct Answer: war, wars, War, Wars
Q2.
According to the 2021 , 0.9% of people in England and Wales are Sikh.
Correct Answer: census, Census
Q3.
Where are historic Sikh communities found in the UK?
Cornwall and Kent
Correct answer: London and the West Midlands
York and Cumbria
Q4.
Why have many Sikhs settled in the UK?
for the beaches
to find treasure
Correct answer: to help rebuild after the war
Q5.
Why is it wrong to say that all Sikhs living in the UK only recently moved here?
some are from America
they live in tents
Correct answer: they’ve been here for generations