Lesson exploring the changes in, and realignment of the Labour Party by 1997. The lesson starts with a source from Tony Blair focusing on the contribution of Kinnock and Smith. A clip mocking Kinnock then introduces the changes he made, allowing students to then identify and analyse the changes on the hand out. A video of the legacy of John Smith allows students to assess the claim he was ‘the best PM Britain never had’; finally moving on to analysing the a Labour Party political broadcast and the achievements made by Blair by 1997. The plenary asks students to consider who brought the most significant changes to Labour from the three leaders.

Two lesson sequence exploring the Conservatives in the period of New Labour. The lesson starts using a source to explore the issues facing the Conservatives in 1997, this then leads to students in groups analysing one conservative leader (Hague, Duncan-Smith, Howard and Cameron) to snowball this back to the rest of the group. Students then rank the cards in terms of significance as to why the Conservatives were divided in this period, linking this to policy issues causing division. Students then create a spider diagram showing why the Conservatives lost the 2001 and 2005 elections, categorising them into similarities of reasons for defeat (linked to 1997). Students then revisit the starter source and annotate around it how the Conservatives did and did not solve the issues identified by 2005. Students then complete the 10 minute essay plan (‘The Conservatives elected the wrong people to lead it between 1997 and 2005’. Assess the validity of this view) to write up at home.

Lesson analysing the successes and failures of Labour’s economic and domestic policies. The lesson starts with a headline from a newspaper in 2005 showing dissatisfaction with Labour. Students then highlight successes and failures of domestic policies and then link to the 5 key pledges made in 1997. Students than annotate a source from Gordon Brown and pick out the economic ideals of New Labour. Students then create a spider diagram picking out economic successes of New Labour leading to a judgement analysing the argument that the British economy was performing well 1997-2007. Students then practice the document question with a 10 mark source response for homework.

Lesson outlining the causes and impact of the Good Friday Agreement. The lessons starts by reviewing the Downing Street Declaration and linking it to wha it was like in northern Ireland by 1997. Pupils then use the hand out to underline and annotate why there was a good chance that peace could be achieved in 1997. A video then outlines the Good Friday Agreement with a focus on the positives and negatives of this. Using the video and hand out students then explore the disagreements that emerged after the GFA. Students then bring their learning together and list the main reasons for the success of the peace process in Northern Ireland. A summary timeline is completed for homework outlining the key aspects of Northern Ireland from 1960, categorised into successes and failures.

Lesson exploring the constitutional change enacted by the Labour Party after 1997. The lesson starts with images outlining key areas of constitutional change wanted by the Labour Party. This leads on to a video explaining devolution for Scotland and Wales, moving to students exploring the three key areas of change (devolution, reforms to parliament and citizens rights) in a snowball activity. Students then analyse the successes and failures of the reforms and the long and short term impacts, building to students linking back to New Labour promises and comparing how far constitutional changes met these promises.

Lesson exploring the ideology of Blair and New Labour. The starter recaps prior learning of why Labour won the 1997 election, leading to a video clip showing Blair on the eve of election victory. Students then analyse a source to find the meaning, exploring what Blair is trying to convey about New Labour. Pupils then analyse the 1997 election manifesto in pairs, assessing why New Labour appealed to the public. A final clip explores Blair’s reaction to the death of Princess Diana and why this appealed to the public. The plenary asks students to explain to their partner what the ‘third way’ was and successes and limitations of this.

Two lesson sequence exploring the extent of multiculturalism in Britain by 2007. The lesson starts with a video focusing on the legacy of the murder of Stephen Lawrence, asking students what they can infer about equality in the 1990s. Using the first side of the hand out students create a table showing progress/tensions re. integration, leading on to a report on the 7/7 bombings and the impact. A clip of a speech by David Cameron promotes discussion around the idea that ‘multiculturalism’ was dead by this point. Students then categorise the responses to the 7/7 bombings into positive and negative, focusing on the long term impact on race relations. A judgement line plenary allows students to show the extent of their agreement to the idea that Britain was a muticultural society by 2007, leading to a 10 mark source practice homework question on community relations.

Lesson exploring the relationship with Europe under Blair and New Labour. The lesson starts with a recap of the relationship under Thatcher/Major, leading to a clip allowing students to assess how Tony Blair would change this relationship based on his ideology/leadership style. Students then analyse the aims of British foreign policy using a Robin Cook source, moving on to assessing how Britain’s role in Europe became more positive/tensions continued. A plenary assesses what factors continued to inhibit Britain’s relationship with Europe in this period, focusing on long and short term issues.

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.

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.

Lesson reviewing the position of Britain under New Labour by 2007 The lesson starts with a video exploring the rise and fall of New Labour, allowing students to assess the key positives and negatives under Blair. Students then complete one aspect of the review table, leading to a snowball task where students teach each other. Students then use the completed table to assess the greatest successes and failures for New Labour, leading to a plenary assessing the overall impact of New Labour on Britain by 2007.

Lesson exploring the emerging youth culture in Britain 1951-64. The lesson starts with a recap of the key social and economic changes, asking students to consider what changes these would bring to the youth. A video introduces Mods and Rockers, leading to a spider diagram (using Oxford AQA textbook) on the reasons for the emergence of a distinct youth culture at this time. Pupils then use the table to explain what each image represents in relation to youth culture, leading to an analysis of the wider social tensions and what short and long term impact they would have on Britain. The plenary draws together all learning on social changes, asking students to contrast the idea of change and continuity in Britain during this period, using key prompts.

Lesson exploring change and continuity for women in Britain by 1964. The lesson starts with classic adverts for Fairy Liquid, asking students to assess how women are portrayed, moving to a contemporary source analysis task, annotating the sources to assess how women were shown in the media. Students then use the handout to complete the table task, assessing the impact of the social changes; both positive and negative on the position of women. This leads to a change and continuity task, which is rounded off with a judgement continuum allowing students to show the extent of change in the position of women by 1964.

Lesson exploring the relationship with Europe 1951-64 and the attempt to join the EEC. The starter explores the benefits and negatives of being in the EU with a link to Brexit. Students then analyse a source exploring British foreign policy aims, with focus on Britain’s view of itself as a world power at this time (leading to a 25 mark essay in two lessons time). Students then rank why Britain initially did not become a member of the EEC, linking to a clip from ‘Yes Minister’ discussing the role of Brussels. Students then explain why Britain attempted to join the EEC in the 1960s, leading to a group task assessing four key reasons why Britain was unsuccessful (De Gaulle, Commonwealth, economic successes and British political attitudes). The plenary asks for a judgement on which factor was most significant in preventing British entry.

Lesson exploring why Britain followed (and then accelerated) a policy of decolonisation 1951-64. The lesson starts with images exploring why the Empire was significant, leading to an introduction to the policy of decolonisation. Pupils then analyse part of Macmillan’s ‘winds of change’ speech assessing content, then value. In pairs pupils investigate two examples of decolonisation, then snowball to complete the table. Students then rank the reasons for the acceleration of decolonisation at this time, assessing which is most significant. The plenary is a clip of the ‘winds of change’ speech, asking students to assess if we can trust this as a key reason for decolonisation. This lesson, and the two previous will be utilised in a 25 mark essay planning lesson next in the learning sequence.

Lesson exploring how the Special Relationship between Britain and the USA changed 1951-64. The lesson starts with exploring students understanding of what the special relationship is, leading to a discussion on who holds the balance of power within it. Students then watch four videos to explore four key events - Burgess and Maclean, nuclear deterrent, Korean War and Suez Crisis (hyperlinked in), completing the table as they go. Using the Oxford AQA Making of Modern Britain textbook students then add to their table, exploring which issue/event had the biggest impact on the Special Relationship. Students then colour code the table showing how Britain was and was not still a world power by 1964, leading to a table showing change and continuity in the Special Relationship at this time. Finally a continuum plenary asks students to assess where they would place Britain on a scale in terms of their position as a world power by 1964 (links to 25 mark essay after the next lesson).

A two lesson sequence focusing on why the Conservatives fell from power in 1964, including a practice 25 mark essay and model answer. The lesson starts with what factors cause a government to lose support, leading into an assessment of the factors involved with the Conservative Party. Students then assess the relative significance of the various factors in causing the Conservative loss in 1964. The lesson then moves to analyse the role of the Profumo Affair in the Conservative fall from government, using a video and a contemporary newspaper to assess the impact of the scandal. Pupils then assess the impact of Douglas-Home on the loss of support, moving to contrast him with Harold Wilson in the Labour Party (video and note sheet included). Students then plan a segment of the following essay: “The Conservatives lost the 1964 election as they were outdated and out of touch with the electorate”. Assess the validity of this view (25 marks). Students use the mark scheme to understand how to achieve Level 3 and above in their answer, moving on to planning a segment using the DEAL frame. Pupils then complete the plan for the essay for homework.

Two lessons exploring the Conservatives leaders (Churchill, Eden, Macmillan and Douglas-Home) from 1951-64. Pupils are grouped and research one leader per group, creating a presentation to present to the class in the following lesson. Students then create a mind map making their own notes. Students then use the hand out to assess the successes and failures of each leader - the domestic policies work can be done as homework or added on in class to further assess the different strengths and weaknesses of each leader. A corners plenary allows students to demonstrate which leader was the ‘most’ successful based on their learning so far.