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.
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.
Lesson exploring the background to French control and conflict in Indochina with focus on Vietnam. The starter explores exisiting knowledge of the Vietnam conflict, moving to using a video to gain an overview of the French in Asia with accompanying video questions. The lesson then moves on to exploring why France wanted to retain Indochina and the roles played by Ho Chi Minh, the Vietminh, French, China and America in causing increasing tensions. The lesson ends with a hypothesis on the pros/cons of increased US involvement. The next lesson explores the defeat of the French at Dien Bien Phu
AQA 8145:
L1 - how voyages benefitted England. Carousel activity of key explorers and table, with intoductory videos exploring the benefits.
L2 - Comparison activity of Drake and Raleigh with judgement and information sheet. Videos included of circumnavigation and issues Raleigh/sailors faced.
Summary explain what was important question included.
Full bundle of complete lessons addressing the 2021 historic environment of Kenilworth Castle; including a model answer to the 16 mark essay question.
The lessons assess initially the relationship between Dudley and Elizabeth, moving on to the various reasons for the redevelopment of Kenilworth (marriage, legacy, progresses, fashions, defense), culminating in a thematic study of Kenilworth and the planning of a practice 16 mark essay response.
Lesson one in the series of lessons focusing on Kenilworth Castle - the historic environment study 2021
The lesson focuses on the role Dudley played in Elizabeth’s life, introducing Kenilworth.
The lesson starts with a recap of prior knowledge of Dudley from the ‘marriage’ lesson. Using the hand out students create a living graph showing how the relationship between Dudley and Elizabeth developed over time. Students then assess how their relationship would have been viewed by groups such as the royal court, privy council etc. leading to a ‘write an account’ question on the role Dudley played in Elizabeth’s life. The plenary assesses how far Dudley and Elizabeth came to marrying through a continuum.
A knowledge organiser for the 2021 historic environment Kenilworth Castle. Covers all the key content for students and links to the 7 lesson SOL giving students an overview of the motivations behind the redevelopment of Kenilworth, linked with the key design features.
Revision resource focusing on how to answer the 8 mark ‘write an account’ question on Paper 1. The resource models the structure and models examples of good practice, offering pupils then the chance to structure their own answers. Several question styles included.
Revision resource outlining how to answer the ‘8 mark write an account’ question style. Firstly the resource outlines how to answer the question, modelling examples. The students can then plan their own answers within a variety of contexts.
Two lessons focusing on revising key content and all question styles from the Health and the People topic. The starter gets pupils to recall key individuals and topics. Each question style is then broken down and planned in a structured way, covering as much content as possible. Rolling revision progress check recaps key content before the 16 mark essay question is covered.
A two lesson resource focusing on the four question styles on Elizabethan England. Trio starter, leads into planning of the first three question styles using spec questions and additional questions. The Hardwick Hall section includes a card sort and opportunity to review the key changes Hardwick Hall demonstrates before planning an answer to the Hardwick Hall question on the spec paper. These lessons should thoroughly cover the skills and much of the key content pre-examination.
A collection of resources allowing students to plan, prepare and review the question styles for America 1920-73 (AQA 8145). Suggested structures are provided, based on exam board guidance, and answers modelled; allowing students to apply their learning and practice the different question styles.
3 pack of resources focusing on the three areas of study within Conflict and Tension in Asia 1950-75. Useful for revision in class, starters/plenaries or homework knowledge retrieval.
A collection of resources allowing students to practice the different question styles for Elizabeth 8145. The resources model the structures, allowing opportunities for students to practice on a variety of sample questions.
Lesson 5 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588.
This lesson begins with a recap of the religious settlement and how Catholics and Protestants would have been pleased. Students then explore a source showing the impact the church had on people, before using a handout to review the role of the church in daily life an din enforcing the religious settlement. Students then create a perfect paragraph for the 12-mark explain question using the suggested pointers, leading to a plenary review of the role of the church and the part in played in maintaining religious order.
Lesson 25 in the scheme for Edexcel 1H10/B4 - Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588.
This double lesson explores why the attempts to colonise Virginia was significant. A starter for 10 recaps the learning on society, leading to an explanation of the significance of Virginia for England, ranking the most to least significant. Students then complete a carousel activity examining the reasons why the colonisation of Virginia failed. Students then apply their learning from the past three lessons to the following 16-mark essay question:
‘The main reason that voyages of exploration were undertaken during Elizabeth’s reign was to increase England’s wealth.’ How far do you agree? Explain your answer. (16) You may use the following in your answer:
• Spain and the New World
• Elizabeth I
You must also use information of your own.
This can be answered timed, or at home.
Finally, students assess how far they think the failures in Virginia were due to Walter Raleigh.
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.
This lesson focuses on a review of the key content and assessing the impact of the war and the ultimate reasons for US military failure.
The lesson begins with a ‘giant post it’ task reviewing knowledge of Vietnam. Students then recap the successes and failures of the four key Presidents linked to Vietnam (Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon), asking students to consider the relative success of each. A categorisation task then considers the US failures and VC successes, leading to exploration of the impact using the Oxford AQA textbook and previous knowledge to explore the impact of the Vietnam War. Students then utilise this learning in a ‘perfect paragraph’ task for the 8-mark write an account question. Finally, students use a model answer focusing on why the US lost the war to explore why this would achieve a Level 4 in the 16-mark essay response.
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.