Keystage history

Hoover’s rubbish: Roosevelt moves in

This lesson on a fairly familiar theme approaches GCSE cartoon analysis in a different way. Instead of showing the students…

SMART TASK Key Stage 4: Stalin and the Korean War: can you interpret the cartoon?

This Smart task uses a Punch cartoon as part of a lesson on the Korean War. It carefully steers students…

SMART TASK: Why did Communism end when it did in Eastern Europe?

Prior to writing an answer to this question students will need to organise their thinking. These factor cards might help….

Key Stage 4 Smart Task: Scoop! What on earth was going on in Abyssinia in 1935?

This task is run along the lines of a newsroom simulation. Students take on the role of an editorial team…

So you think your pupils know about Witchcraft in early modern Britain.

1. Were witches burned in English-speaking countries? A. No, they were hanged not burned, because witchcraft was a felony. This…

2 fun facts for pupils studying Florence Nightingale at KS1 and 2 key learning points

Just thought these two fun facts might interest your pupils, building on infants’ interest in animals rather than death rates…

5 quick ideas to help you to develop pupils’ genuine historical understanding at KS1 and 2

Try to develop a sense of adventure which motivates the pupils. The new lesson on Ancient Egypt has pupils planning…

Prioritising in history at Key Stage 4

As always there is a balancing act to be done. On the one hand you have to deal with the…

Developing your staff at key stage 4

Teaching GCSE presents its own set of challenges, not least learning the code that you will need to crack to…

Monitoring performance in history at KS4

The best way of monitoring students’ performance is to set frequent exam based activities, broadly under test conditions and then…

Using data in history at Key Stage 4

Twelve years or so ago the only meaningful data we had for GCSE was the percentage of students achieving each…

Raising attainment at Key Stage 4

This section of the site contains four different types of advice. There is general advice, outlining factors that usually explain…

Self-evaluation in history at Key Stage 4

Getting ready for a history subject review: knowing what OFSTED inspectors are looking for and the criteria they are using…

Policy and vision at Key Stage 4

Many of you will feel that having a separate history policy at Key Stage 4 is unnecessary, and yet you…

Penicillin: From discovery to world-wide use? Who should take the credit?

Students have to divide a $100 million bequest to those people who did most to develop penicillin. But in what…

Ancient Greece – KQ4 Part 2 – Making Greek democracy come to life – a ‘smashing’ lesson

This is a really fun, practical lesson involving smashed pottery, writing in Ancient Greek through black wax and deciphering each other’s…

Ancient Greece – KQ4 Part 3 – Would you have preferred to live in Athens or Sparta? Comparing life in Athens and Sparta: a short smart task

One way of bringing home to pupils what was so special about life in Ancient Athens is to compare it…

Ancient Greece – KQ4 Part 2 Additional information – Ancient Greek democracy. Or what links Red painted rope, an idiot ,and piloting the ship.

This article supports the fully resourced outstanding lesson on democracy that can be found here Democracy is made from two…

Ancient Greece – KQ5 Part 1 – What can we tell about the Ancient Greeks from a study of their Olympics?

We thought we would offer you a range of different cameos showing how the history of the Olympics could be…

Ancient Greece – KQ5 Part 2 – What can we tell about the Ancient Greeks from their interest in the theatre?

This key question is divided into two distinct parts, starting with Part 1 – the Olympics. This has its own…

Ancient Greece – KQ6 Part 1 – Under the Cloth: sorting the muddled collection. Is it all Greek to you?

Step 1 To introduce the notion of the Greeks having a major influence on our lives today use the activity…

OFSTED and primary history-latest

Sean Harford recently criticised schools that force pupils to repeatedly practice comprehension exercises for KS2 tests and repeats concerns that…

What is History?

12 key ideas young children need to grasp in history, and how they might do it. Most of you reading…

Independent learning in post-16 history

This section focuses mainly on ways of helping students become more effective independent leaners. The crucial role of the Student…

Time for sweeping change in history assessment at KS3, GCSE and A level is NOW.

When so much time has been spent on measuring pupils’ progress in KS3 using spurious data derived from blunt assessment…

Famous people at KS1- new resources from BBC

Over the last few weeks I have been approached by several companies bidding for the contract to produce animated films…

Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole SMART TASK

Who said it? / Who am I? This simple task encourages children to spot the differences between Florence Nightingale and…

Teaching USA 1900-1990 to Key Stage 4

The first batch of lessons focuses on four examination favourites but each adds a different subtle twist that lifts the…

Teaching international relations 1945-1990

This section, dominated by the Cold War focuses mainly on teaching its origins, its main crises and the reason why…

Did everyone benefit equally from life in the USA in the 1920s? A market place activity. SMART TASK KS4

This activity is great for getting students off their feet and talking to every other students in the class –…

Using artefacts to teach history at Key Stage 4

It may be some time since you last used artefacts in your GCSE teaching, but their appearance in Key Stage…

Using ICT and film at Key Stage 4

At first sight you might be slightly surprised to see film and ICT bundled together. Ten years ago they most…

Teaching chronology at Key Stage 4

The advent of the new GCSE history specifications for first teaching in September 2016 has forced us to consider how…

Interpretations in GCSE history at Key Stage 4

Having worked so hard to develop pupils understanding of historical interpretations at Key Stage 3, many history teachers feel short-changed…

Teaching historical enquiry at Key Stage 4

Some of the best GCSE lessons I have ever seen have been enquiry-led where students have been given a little…

Fit for purpose teaching strategies at Key Stage 4

This section has highlighted a number of issues relating to GCSE teaching that you might identify with and be interested…

The teaching process in history at Key Stage 4

With so much emphasis placed on the three-part lesson, due largely to the National Strategy, it is tempting to follow…

Long-term planning at Key Stage 4

Planning for the legacy GCSE history specifications I have featured only a few models from the existing specifications, concentrating instead…

Medium term planning at Key Stage 4

What should go into a good medium term plan at key Stage 4? 1. Key questions, not just the overarching question…

Short-term planning in Key Stage 4 history

My view about short-term planning at KS4 is simple; keep it short. If you are following a detailed medium-term plan,…

Thinking skills at Key Stage 4

With a firm foundation of thinking skills now laid at Key Stage 3, thanks in part to the National Strategy,…

History and numeracy at Key Stage 4

With so much else to focus on in GCSE history you would be pardoned for thinking that this is not…

History and literacy at Key Stage 4

What OFSTED said they were looking for in history lessons when reviewing literacy across the curriculum when they last published…

Citizenship at Key Stage 4

Am I alone in feeling the pitiful irony of history not being a compulsory subject at Key Stage 4, whereas…

Curriculum models at KS4

As most courses are a blend of SHP and Modern World and there will be at least two new topics…

Curriculum rationale for history at KS4

Choice of specification and order of teaching You will all been settled into your new GCSE course.If you’re thinking of…

’50’ imaginative learning activities for Key Stage 4

We all know that the learning experience for students at Key Stage 4 could be more varied in some schools….

LESSON IDEA: Edward IV was more successful as a king in his second reign than his first’. How far do you agree with this view?’

Activities 1. Introductory. Brainstorm Edward’s achievements and failures. 2. Provide students with cards for them to place on a spectrum…

Keeping up-to-date with your teaching of Victorian Britain at KS2

We often talk to children about the benefits that brought so many people into industrial towns in the first half…

The learning process in history at KS 1

Given that this site specialises in giving practical support to busy teachers and subject leaders, you may be surprised to…

Keystage history

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