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 key developments in understanding causes and cures of diseases in the 20th century.
The lesson starts with 5 key statements for students to respond to on their whiteboards, leading to an introductory video that summarise some of the key developments of the 20th century. Students then complete a carousel assessing various developments, completing the A3 sheet as they go. Students will focus on: long-term significance of antibiotics, alternative medicine, DNA and a timeline of treatment since 1945. Using the sheet students then choose the top 3 medical developments from the 20th century, comparing them to other ‘less significant’ developments. Students then recap the whole ‘causes and cures’ topic by matching up and explaining the trios.
Lesson exploring the development and impact of penicillin, linked to the 9 mark similarities question.
The lesson starts with a video with a note sheet, leading to a categorisation card sort task asking students to apply the key factors to the different cards (war, individuals, luck, communication, science and technology). Students then use the cards to explain how the different factors contributed to the development of penicillin, leading to a quick video recap on the impact of penicillin. Students then reach a judgement on the most important factor in the development of penicillin. Using all of their learning students plan and answer the following question: Explain two similarities of the work of Louis Pasteur and Alexander Fleming (8 marks). Students then self or peer-assess their answers using the assessment grids.
Lesson exploring the short, medium and long term significance of Germ Theory on medical understanding.
the lesson starts with a ‘factors’ sheet - asking students to categorise the evidence and explain how contributed to the understanding of germs/discovery of vaccines. Using the cards students then populate the significance table, moving on to explaining why this evidence is so significant. Using the table students complete the 8 mark assessment: Explain the significance of the discovery of Germ Theory (8 marks) - a model answer and assessment grid is included which can be used for peer/self-assessment.
Lesson comparing the role of Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch in the development and acceptance of Germ Theory.
The starter recaps prior learning of both men, leading to knowledge audit using the statements on the PPT. In groups students use the skim reading task, the previous lesson and the A3 sheets (photocopied from AQA Oxford Thematic Studies textbook) to create a poster campaigning for either Pasteur or Koch. Students then present to the group.
Students then use the cards showing the role of each man to rank in terms of significance, using these to answer a question assessing who played the most significant role in the development of Germ Theory. A judgement line plenary allows assessment of pupil views.
Lesson reviewing the CAUSES and CURES theme of Health and the People (Medieval medicine to modern medicine - including Black Death, Plague, Jenner, Germ Theory etc)
The links for learning starter encourages students to link the pictures/words and explain what links the factors. Using the cards students populate the A3 table, leading to a categorisation of factors that helped/hindered medical progress. Students then list what causes of diseases there were/beliefs and link this to the cure - this allows students to then assess which were accurate or not over time. The articulate plenary allows a recap of the key terms used in the lesson.
Lesson reviewing the theme of surgery.
The starter asks students to match up the trios and explain the links between them to their partner. Moving on the main task is a carousel activity completing the table assessing areas of development in surgery across the four key time periods. The areas of development include; training, anatomical knowledge, anesthetics, preventing blood loss, treating infection and techniques and treatments. Students then colour code the evidence into the key factors for the 16 mark essay question. A summary video reviews the key modern developments, leading to a judgement on the most significant factor in causing development in surgery from individuals, governments or science and technology. The plenary recaps key individuals in the development of surgery with a ‘who am i?’ task.
Lesson reviewing the theme Public Health.
The starter is a 3,2,1 knowledge recall task, leading to completion of a chart assessing public health from 1000-present day by categorising the evidence from the timeline into both themes and periods (medieval-modern). This leads into a challenge question assessing which development was the most helpful/most hindered public health. Pupils then write a judgement to a 16 mark question (governments most important factor) and the compare theirs to a model paragraph; annotating it showing strengths and weaknesses. The plenary is a ‘rolling revision’ - using dice to explain key knowledge to their partners.
Lessons exploring Britain pre-1066 and how the Normans gained power in the Battle of Hastings. Lessons include how Britain was ruled before 1066, the influence of the Godwin family; who the Normans were, Stamford Bridge and the Battle of Hastings. Lessons include AQA 8145 skills and question styles.
Complete series of lessons for Unit 1 of Britain 2S focusing on the Conservative dominance in the context of Labour divisions; the consumer revolution and societal changes for the youth and women, with social tensions linked to ‘the establishment’ and race relations; whilst the position of Britain in the world changed amid the Cold War and changing status of the Empire. The series of lessons includes numerous opportunities for source practice and essay planning, with AO1, AO2 and AO3 built in to all lessons. All lessons are fully resourced and have differentiated content and challenge.
Lesson focusing on planning an answer to: “By 1964 Britain could no longer consider herself a world power” (25 marks).
The lesson starts with pupils recapping the previous three lessons focusing on how Britain was and was not a world power by 1964 (evidence gathering). Students then use the mark scheme to set a target from their previous 25 mark essay to achieve the level above. Split the students in half with half planning one side of the essay, the others opposing the argument, then pair students up to swap their learning. The plenary links in to the judgement element asking pupils how far they agree Britain was no longer a world power by 1964.
Lesson allowing students the opportunity to review all content from Unit 1 of Britain 2S.
The lesson starts with an introductory video on the state of Britain by 1964. Students then focus on one aspect of Britain (politics, economy, society and foreign policy) using the textbook/class notes. Students then snowball the information with other groups to complete the A3 sheet. Students then use the sheets to assess the greatest successes/areas of failure for the Conservatives during this period, leading to a judgement line plenary.
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).
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 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 growin racial tensions due to immigration in Britain 1951-64.
The trio starter recaps previous learning over the unit. Pupils then use the images to explore the experience of ‘new Commonwealth’ immigrants and begin to think about why there would be hostility to immigrants at this time. A video (watch up to election of Wilson) explores the experience immigrants had, leading to a contemporary news report on the Notting Hill riots. Students then read and use the hand out to answer two questions on the ‘issue’ of immigration and the positive and negative impacts. Finally a source plenary allows students to practice analysing content and value of a source relating to the Notting Hill riots.
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 what ‘the establishment’ was in the context of 1951-64. The starter asks students to define what they understand of the establishment, followed up by a definition that students can highlight and discuss. Students then annotate the profiles of the Conservative PMs in this period, showing how they were associated with the establishment. A clip of ‘That Was The Week That Was’ introduces the ideas of challenges to the establishment, leading to use of the Oxford AQA textbook pp. 21-23 to list ways that deference declined in this period. The plenary asks students to consider the political and social impact of the establishment on Britain.
Lesson exploring the increase in living standards under the Conservatives, with a focus on consumerism and affluence.
The starter explores what it means to be affluent using two case studies, leading to an exploration of a source showing the changes in the lives of people in the 1950s. Three videos (adverts) explore the changes in consumerism and disposable income, leading to a discussion on the causes of affluence. Students then use the handout to explore how and why people felt better off and defining consumerism. This leads to a spider diagram on the impact of affluence. The plenary asks students to consider if this new affluence was widespread assessing the position of the working, middle and upper classes.
Lesson planning a 30 mark source question focused on the successes of the British economy 1951-64. The starter explores the mark scheme, asking students to consider what makes a L4/5 response. Pupils then add to their TEACUP analysis homework of one source, using this to complete the content, tone, provenance planning grid in relation to the question. Pupils then feed back their analysis whilst the other groups complete the rest of the planning grid. A post-it plenary asks students to assess which source they find the most valuable and justify their choice. This answer can then be written in timed conditions in class or for homework depending on curriculum time.