keystage 1

Knowing and being able to explain the sequence in which your pupils will experience their history topics is an important part of the history subject leader’s role. But it can be difficult to be sure what works best. With our wealth of experience we are well placed to give you this crucial advice. Indeed, we nail our colours to the mast so that our planning, lessons, assessment and progression all follow the same rationale and are pitched to particular year groups.

Generally, the fine distinction between year groups cannot be empirically proven by research but having worked with 500 primary schools on their history curriculum over 18 years the following resources are suitable for year 2.

That does not mean it cannot be taught in other year groups. Of course, let’s face it, whether it is taught in term 3 Year 2 or 10 weeks later in term 1 Year 3 is hardly likely to matter that much.

titanic lifeboat
Titanic – KQ5 – Why weren’t more people saved from the Titanic?

In this problem-solving activity, pupils have to speculate, using a stimulus image and then evaluate a range of given reasons…

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modern lifeboats
Titanic – KQ6 – What are the best ways of stopping disasters such as the sinking of the Titanic ever happening again?

Pupils are employed as safety advisers to the UK and US governments in the aftermath of the sinking of the…

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scott of the antartic
Scott of the Antarctic – KQ5 – Why did he not get to the South Pole first?

In this lesson in the teaching sequence on Scott as a famous person, or as part of a more integrated…

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florence nightingale
Fighting Fit. What did Florence do to improve the lives of the soldiers when she arrived in the Crimea?

In this lesson children compare the appalling conditions in the hospitals on Florence’s arrival at Scutari.  With the help of…

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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…

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Can we help our American millionaire to make his castle come alive? SMART TASK

This activity uses the idea of the Mantle of the Expert to engage children in a serious, real-life task. A…

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Castles
Spying on your rival lord’s latest new castle

This is a really fun way of helping children to look closely at the detail of a medieval castle.  They…

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mary seacole
Mary Seacole – How should we remember her?

This lesson is the second featuring Mary Seacole.  In the first her role was compared with Florence Nightingale’s. The focus…

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Amy Johnson – KQ1 – Why do you think Amy Johnson was famous?

With the help of the slow reveal of the clues in carefully arranged order, pupils build their knowledge of Amy…

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Amy Johnson – KQ2 – How did Amy the secretary end up being the first woman to fly to Australia?

This short, fun activity using mime and props, tells the story of Amy Johnson’s first flight to Australia in a…

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amy johnson cartoon
Amy Johnson – KQ3 – Why was flying to Australia so difficult for Amy Johnson?

Having heard the story of Amy Johnson’s life, pupils are now asked to focus their attention on explaining why it…

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Amy Johnson – KQ5 – How did things change for Amy Johnson after her famous flight?

Was Amy really successful for the rest of her life? A Living graph Smart Task KQ5 The focus here is…

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KS1 Star Lesson on The Great Fire

Why did the Great Fire of 1666 burn down so many more houses than other fires in London at that…

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How well do you and your pupils know Florence Nightingale?

Here are 10 probing questions. See how you get on. Oh, and the answers are given below, in case you…

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6 top history ideas to cover in your Great Fire topic

Many of you will be starting your Great Fire topic this term. Naturally you will want this to be exciting…

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Y1 explore the contents of the mystery bag
What’s in the bag and who does it belong to? Great Fire Smart Task

An object-based problem-solving approach to learning about life during the Great Fire This Smart Task is just part of a…

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Mary Anning Expert Advice
Expert Advice: Key Stage 1 – Mary Anning

She sells sea shells: planning a topic on Mary Anning, Dinosaur hunter, using the Anholt’s Stone girl, Bone girl  “Would you…

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Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale Lesson and sample planner

Fighting Fit. What did Florence do to improve the lives of the soldiers when she arrived in the Crimea? One…

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