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New Focus Education

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Key Stage 3, GCSE and A Level History resources available for purchase and download. New Focus Education offer resources from a teacher with 10 years teaching experience, a track record of excellent outcomes and experience of leadership at several levels. The main focus is AQA 8145 and AQA A Level, with key stage three resources available with GCSE skills and requirements embedded throughout.

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Key Stage 3, GCSE and A Level History resources available for purchase and download. New Focus Education offer resources from a teacher with 10 years teaching experience, a track record of excellent outcomes and experience of leadership at several levels. The main focus is AQA 8145 and AQA A Level, with key stage three resources available with GCSE skills and requirements embedded throughout.
Life on plantations - two lesson sequence
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

Life on plantations - two lesson sequence

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Two lesson series exploring life on plantations for slaves. Lesson 1 focuses on day-day life. Hyperlinked vider starter leads to a data capture carousel activity and judgement line plenary. The second lesson involves students exploring life on plantations using sources and creating positive and negative interpretations to enable them to reach a clear judgement.
What was life like for a peasant - KS3 and suitable for AQA 8145
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

What was life like for a peasant - KS3 and suitable for AQA 8145

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*Seventh lesson in the scheme - how the Normans changed England * Lesson exploring the life of a Medieval peasant. Source starter to introduce peasant life, video introducing peasant living, cartoon strip on the daily life/routine of a peasant (limited words for challenge), positive/negative table creation on the life of a peasant, GCSE style interpretation plenary.
AQA A Level Britain 1950-2007: Thatcher as a leader
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA A Level Britain 1950-2007: Thatcher as a leader

(0)
Introduction to Thatcher - images starter, two videos comparing interpretations (hyperlinked in), spider diagrams on key aspects of Thatcher's leadership, source analysis of Thatcherism (content, tone and provenance), impact of Thatcher judgement. Homework included to research one minister with view to present findings next lesson - summary sheet to give out also attached.
AQA 8145 - Elizabeth: Why did the Spanish Armada fail? (L4 historic environment)
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA 8145 - Elizabeth: Why did the Spanish Armada fail? (L4 historic environment)

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Lessons focused around the 2020 Historic Environment on the Spanish Armada. The fourth lesson focuses on the key reasons for the failure of the Armada. The lesson starts with pupils analysing Phillip II’s plan and assessing advantages and disadvantages for Spain. Pupils then categorise the cards into reasons for failure; focusing on weather, English tactics, leadership, luck, Spanish mistakes and English ship design/weapons. Using the cards and additional information (plus relevant textbooks if required), in small groups pupils create a mini poster explaining one of the above reasons for defeat - presenting back after 15 minutes whilst all students complete a table recording the key details, allowing students to assess which reason for defeat they feel is most significant. The plenary focuses on the ‘how convincing’ question, using the Armada portrait as the source material.
AQA 7042 - Unit 6 - Workers women and the youth
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA 7042 - Unit 6 - Workers women and the youth

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Lesson exploring the impact of New Labour on workers, women and the youth 1997-2007. The lesson starts with analysis of New Labour’s impact on society using a source focusing on value and limitations. Students then use a video and hand out to categorise successes and failures of Labour policies on workers, women and the youth. Using this information students create a mind map on progress in society for these three groups assessing which groups experienced the largest change and why. This leads to judgement activity assessing the extent of progress on the key social groups.
AQA 7042 - Unit 6 - Special Relationship and War on Terror - two lessons
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA 7042 - Unit 6 - Special Relationship and War on Terror - two lessons

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Two lesson sequence exploring the development of the ‘special relationship’ under Blair and Britain’s involvement in the ‘War on Terror’ The lesson starts with a recap of what the special relationship was like by 1997, leading to assessment on how Tony Blair would change/develop this based on his ideology/leadership style. Using the hand out students list similarities and differences of the relationship under Blair, moving to analysis of a source on the ‘Blair Doctrine’ using the TEACUP frame. A clip allows students to assess how events in Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone gave Blair confidence, leading to assessment of the changes that 9/11 brought to British foreign policy. Students then categorise why the invasion of Iraq occurred, moving to assessing why the invasion of Iraq was/is so controversial. Students then analyse a source from 2006 to consider how foreign policy developed under Blair, leading a table analsying how Britain’s position in the world had changed by 2007.
Edexcel 1H10/B4 - L6 - Puritan challenge to Elizabeth's religious settlement
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

Edexcel 1H10/B4 - L6 - Puritan challenge to Elizabeth's religious settlement

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Lesson 6 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson focuses on the Puritan challenge to the religious settlement. The lesson begins with an inference starter on Puritan beliefs, before students link in why the religious settlement left some angry. Students then create a symbol poster reviewing the key aspect of Puritanism and the anger around crucifixes and vestments. Students then use the learning from the lesson to plan an answer to: Explain why the Puritans challenged Elizabeth’s religious settlement. You may use the following in your answer: • vestments • the Act of Uniformity You must also use information of your own (12 marks) Finally, students review the past three lessons in a retrieval plenary.
Edexcel 1H10/B4 - L8 - The problem of Mary, Queen of Scots
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

Edexcel 1H10/B4 - L8 - The problem of Mary, Queen of Scots

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Lesson 8 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson focuses on the problem posed by Mary Queen of Scots. The lesson starts with a recap of existing knowledge of Mary, linking in a video exploring her background and key events associated with her. Students then create a timeline exploring how she came to be in England, with focus on Elizabeth’s actions. This then leads to an exploration of Elizabeth’s options, with students considering the strengths and weaknesses of each for Elizabeth. Finally, students summarise the pros and cons of the choice made by Elizabeth to hold Mary captive in England.
Edexcel 1H10/B4 - L24 - Raleigh and Virginia
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

Edexcel 1H10/B4 - L24 - Raleigh and Virginia

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Lesson 24 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson focuses on Raleigh’s attempts and plans to colonise Virginia. The lesson starts with a review of what students already know/can remember about Walter Raleigh, leading to a video which introduces his attempts to colonise Virginia. Students then explore the factors which influenced investment in this project, explaining how each would influence support for Raleigh’s project, moving to a strengths and weaknesses table exploring Raleigh’s plan. Students then assess how strong the plan was, building to exploring the significance in the following lesson.
Edexcel 1H10/B4 - L18 - Leisure in Elizabethan England
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

Edexcel 1H10/B4 - L18 - Leisure in Elizabethan England

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Lesson 18 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson focuses on the development of leisure in Elizabethan England. A picture starter encourages students to explore different leisure pursuits available, leading to a video which provides an overview of the period. Students then complete a data capture carousel, making notes on the different forms of leisure. Students then use this information to assess the positives and negatives of these different pastimes, leading to application to a ‘describe two features’ 4-mark response. Students then assess how similar Elizabethan leisure is to modern day leisure in a post-it note plenary.
AQA 8145 Hardwick Hall  HE 2025 L3: A study of Hardwick Hall
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA 8145 Hardwick Hall HE 2025 L3: A study of Hardwick Hall

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Lesson 3 in the Hardwick Hall 2025 Historic Environment learning sequence. This lesson focuses on Hardwick Hall in detail. The lesson begins with a video introducing Hardwick Hall and the key features, leading to how Hardwick fits the ‘typical features’ of a manor house from L1. Students then recap Bess and how she was able to fund the creation of Hardwick Hall, moving on to assessing how Hardwick Hall was similar/different to typical Elizabethan manor houses. A taboo plenary recaps the key terminology from the lesson.
AQA 8145: Conflict in Asia: Eisenhower and Kennedy's policies (Vietnam pt.1)
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA 8145: Conflict in Asia: Eisenhower and Kennedy's policies (Vietnam pt.1)

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This lesson explores how both Eisenhower and Kennedy increased US intervention in Vietnam and their similarities/differences. The lesson begins with exploration of existing knowledge of Eisenhower, using a video to make notes, with the same task utilised for Kennedy. Students then use the handout to create a table showing similarities and differences of their policies, leading to a detailed focus on the Strategic Hamlet Programme. Students then list any successes and failures so far for the US in Vietnam, finally assessing how far they agree that the Strategic Hamlet Programme was ultimately a failure for the US.
AQA 8145 - America 1920-73 - who didn't benefit from the boom in the 1920s?
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

AQA 8145 - America 1920-73 - who didn't benefit from the boom in the 1920s?

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This lesson explores the groups who didn’t benefit from the boom in the 1920s. Students begin by using a video to assess how typical this would be, leading to an image comparison of rich v poor. Students then use an information sheet to rank the different groups in society, explaining who was ‘worst affected’ during the boom years. Students then apply their learning to an 8-mark explain question, self or peer-assessing their answers. A judgement line plenary allows students to assess how far everyone shared in the boom years.
Edexcel 1H10/B4 - L12 - Commercial rivalry with Spain
LauraMeadowcroftLauraMeadowcroft

Edexcel 1H10/B4 - L12 - Commercial rivalry with Spain

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Lesson 12 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588. This lesson focuses on how England and Spain were vying for power of the seas and links in Drake’s circumnavigation. The lesson begins with a trio starter, recapping key terms/content. Students then explore Elizabeth’s foreign policy aims and how she could achieve them. Students then create a timeline of Drake’s events to plot how this impacted on Spanish relations. Students then explain what was the most significant outcome of Drake’s voyages, leading to a group task assessing the relative significance of each outcome. Finally, students show on a post-it note their opinion of the most important outcome.