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.
Exploration of social change in the 1920s. Whiteboard picture starter, carousel activity/market place exploring differen aspects of social change (music, cars, cinema and sport), judgement on if the roaring 20s really "roared" for everyone
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 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 the different witch trials in England - starter identifying features of a witch, video hyperlinked showing a witch trial, freeze frame creation of the different trials with an explanation question linked in. Optional homework also included.
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.
*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.
Recap special relationship starter, video recap (hyperlinked in) - jot down successes/limitations of SR, video of Cold War relations (umbrella murder), explanation of détente and impact, table summary analysing foreign policy in the 1970s and link to essay question regarding the special relationship.
Punk starter - Sex Pistols and Clash videos, label a punk rocker, hyperlinked video on skinhead development and football hooliganism, linking to 25 mark essay question on transformation of society from 1964-79.
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.
Knowledge organiser that reviews three key topics integral to assessing how the power of the King changed/was challenged in Medieval England. Summary points useful for revision.
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.
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 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.
Knowledge organiser for Unit 3 of Britain 2S (Heath, Wilson and Callaghan).
The documents cover the three leaders, economy, social change and foreign affairs (with key focus on the EEC)
Revision resource focusing on how to structure the 16 mark statement essay question (e.g. How far has religion been the most important factor in bringing medical development. The sheet models the responses and allows opportunities for students to practice these questions in a variety of contexts.
Revision resource focusing on how to answer the 16 mark ‘Hardwick Hall’ question on Paper 2. The resource models the structure and models examples of good practice, offering pupils then the chance to structure their own answer. The key changes demonstrated by Hardwick are also included.
4 pack of resources focusing on the key time periods: Medieval, Renaissance and early modern, 19th century and modern. Useful for revision in class, starters/plenaries or knowledge retrieval homework.
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.
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.