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.
AQA 8145 - analysis of Elizabethan society with focus on Great chain of being and use of videos to assess different groups in society. Summary hand out covers different groups. Assessment focus on the impatc of the rise of the Gentry in Elizabethan England.
Case study on the colonisation of Australia - source starter and video exploring treatment of the native peoples. Source analysis comparing contrasting views on the colonisation building to a judgement activity.
Two lesson sequence exploring focus on supply-side economy, and the impact of privatisation and deregulation on Britain. Videos hyperlinked in explore reactions to the policies with a summary on the creation of the Yuppie culture.
Whole lesson for new AQA 8145 History spec - opportunity to prioritise and gain a thematic overview of the problems Elizabeth faced including religion, Mary Queen of Scots, marriage etc.
AQA 8145 - exploration of causes of poverty in Elizabethan England. Introduction and link to modern day poverty, videos to introduce issue of the poor in Elizabethan England, worksheet including all relevant details and analysis of significance of factors causing the poverty with judgement plenary.
For new Germany unit - 1890-1945
Linking picture starter, group assessment of extent of Hitler's power by Jan 1933, video exploring the role of the reichstag fire, group analysis of 5 interpretations of fire, building towards a which is the most convincing interpretation question
Lesson exploring the causes of the stock market crash - links made to why the boom occured as a starter, video hyperlinked in explores key causes of the crash, moving on to a card sort activity allowing thematic categorisation and ranking of the relative significance of factors. Differentiated judgement questions included.
Lesson exploring England before 1066 focusing on society, the economy, how England was ruled and religion. The lesson uses sources as a starter, moves on to categorising themes and includes a choice of differentiated questions at the end and a progress check plenary
AQA 8145 - Analysis of the different contributions caused by WW2 and categorisation into themes, comparison question on similarities of WW1 and WW2 and mark scheme for summary assessment
Group task analysis of key victims, one victim per group using primary police reports and recollections, videos to introduce the victims used as a starter.
Exploration of key impacts of the Wall Street Crash in the USA (collapse of business, unemployment, homelessness and collapse of farming) - pupils can create an A3 symbol poster (no more than 10 words to explain each section) using the hand outs - this could be invdividual or a gorup activity. Judgement at the end regarding the most significant effect.
Lesson outlining the causes of the 1984 miners’ strike. The lesson begins with a recap of right to buy. A video introduces the miners’ strike from the Welsh perspective so students can begin to make inferences. Pupils list the various reasons for the strike using the Oxford AQA textbook pp. 128-129 making links to the successes in 1972 and 1974; pupils then rank the causes in terms of significance using the cards. The lesson culminates in an analysis of three sources (two from June 2017 exam and one new Arthur Scargill source) focusing on the reasons given in each for the strike, leading to a judgement plenary on the ‘most valid’ source using the content only.
Lesson focusing on planning a 30 mark source question linked to the June 2017 exam paper. The question: With reference to these sources and your understanding of the historical context, assess the value of these three sources to an historian studying the reasons for the 1984/85 miners’ strike. (30 marks)
Pupils use the level criteria to outline criteria for a level 4+ answer. In groups pupils analyse one source focusing on content, tone and provenance, feeding back to the whole group. A post-it plenary encourages students to reach a judgement on the ‘most valuable’ source.
NB - the Arthur Scargill source is different due to copyright, however the June 2017 mark scheme would still be valid
Lesson exploring why the poll tax was introduced and why it was hated.
The lesson starts with recapping Thatcher’s interactions/policies towards local governments. Pupils then explore any positives or negatives of the poll tax using the information given, following on with a video exploring the poll tax riots with accompanying questions. Pupils then categorise the impact of the poll tax thematically using cards, moving on to exploring the long term impact of the poll tax on Thatcher. Finally, a plenary explores why Thatcher was becoming so unpopular in the mid 1980s.
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 divisions within the Labour Party 1951-64, with focus on the Bevanites v. Gaitskellites.
The starter uses the previous lessons exploring the Conservative leaders, asking students to assess why the Conservatives were more popular. A video then introduces the divisions regarding the nuclear deterrent and a second video assesses the divisions regarding Clause IV. Students then analyse the profiles of Bevan and Gaitskell and assess the strengths and weaknesses of each and the significance of this division on the elections results 1955 and 1959. Pupils then rank the reasons for division in terms of significance, leading to a ‘write an account’ question on the reasons for Labour divisions. A corners plenary allows students to assess the relative significance of the different factors in causing the divisions in the party up to 1964.
Revision resource focusing on how to structure the ‘which interpretation do you find more convincing?’ 8 mark questions. The sheet models the responses and allows opportunities for students to practice these questions in a variety of contexts.
L2 in the 2023 Historic Environment series on Sheffield Manor Lodge.
This lesson explores the Northern Rebellion and how this developed the ‘issue’ of Mary, Queen of Scots.
The lesson begins with a recap on knowledge of the Northern rebellion using imagery, moving on to a summary video from which students note down the causes, events and impact of the rebellion. Students then highlight the hand out and choose (reduction) the 3 key points regarding the causes, key individuals, events, impact and role of Mary, Queen of Scots. Students then explore the pros and cons of the 4 strategies in dealing with Mary after the Northern Rebellion. The lesson concludes with a recap of the previous lesson’s plenary of the introduction to Sheffield Manor Lodge, with students exploring why it might be a good place to imprison Mary AFTER the Northern Rebellion.