Lesson exploring the negative elements of the British economy 1951-64. The lesson starts with pupils listing features of a troubled economy, leading to a comparison of Thorneycroft and McLeod’s theories and the impact on the Conservatives. Pupils then use the hand out to create a table comparing the successes and failures of the economy in this period, leading to a judgement line on how healthy the economy was. The homework is planning ONE source to address the 30 mark source question in the following lesson, allowing pupils to practice skills of primary source analysis.

Lesson exploring the post-war boom and the notion that people had ‘never had it so good’. The starter asks students to consider features of a healthy economy, moving on to assessing the famous Harold Macmillan quote and thinking why it may not be valuable. A PPB of the Conservative party allows students to assess Conservative successes, leading to a ranking card sort of the factors causing the post-war boom. A judgement is then reached regarding the most significant factors. Pupils then analyse economic data to assess the reality of the boom, leading to a plenary comparing industrial production in Britain to other nations. This leads into the following lesson assessing the ‘negatives’ in the economy.

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 Students then plan a segment of the following essay: “The Conservatives lost the 1964 election as they were outdated and out of touch with the electorate”.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.

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.

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.

Lesson exploring the Conservative election victory in 1951 and the post-war consensus. The lesson starts with a recap snowball of Britain by 1951. Pupils are then introduced to how to approach assessing the value of a source using a source regarding the Attlee legacy by Hugh Dalton. Students are guided through assessing the content and provenance, using the source on the sheet to highlight and annotate. A video then assesses why the Conservatives were successful in 1951 in comparison to Labour under Attlee, leading to a ranking exercise of the reasons for the post-war consensus regarding key policies. The plenary asks students to explain why there was a post-war consensus and why this would help the Conservatives to maintain support from the electorate.

First lesson in the Britain 2S A level unit allowing students context of 1950s Britain. The lesson starts with an overview of the A Level, moving on to looking at three videos to explore 1950s society and politics. A data capture activity allows students to gain an overview of the period, leading to a brief source analysis activity of Britain’s position in the world in the 1950s. A reduction plenary allows students to summarise Britain’s position by the 1950s. NB: A ‘how to answer the questions’ guide is also included, to give to pupils at the start of the unit.

Lesson rounding off the foreign policy section of unit 5 with a focus on the Balkans. The starter explores a map of the Balkans asking for inferences with focus on post-Cold War Europe, leading to the creation of a spider diagram using the Oxford AQA textbook assessing the causes of the troubles in the Balkans. Pupils then use the hand out to answer several questions assessing the role of the UN/EU and NATO. A video assesses the impact of the Srebrenica massacre, moving on to analysing how this changed the course of the conflict. Students round off their learning by assessing how Britain’s place in the world had changed, leading to a judgement plenary on who was more successful in foreign policy - Thatcher or Major. The essay plan is a homework, with option to assess students in timed conditions in the following lesson.

Lesson exploring the significance of Britain’s contribution to the end of the Cold War. The image starter asks students to consider how Communism collapsed, linking in contextual knowledge of the ‘state’ of the Cold War by 1987. The video outlines the collapse in Eastern Europe, encouraging students to link in knowledge of other factors that were significant in ending the Cold War. Students then assess the value of a source by Charles Powell, considering the role of Thatcher, leading to a group task assessing the contribution of Thatcher, Gorbachev and Bush/Reagan in ending the Cold War. With the completion of the table, students then answer a significance question on the role of Britain in ending the Cold War, using the indicative content to help.

Lesson exploring the state of the relationship between Britain and Europe by 1997, including the Maastricht Treaty and impact. The starter explores Thatcher’s attitudes to Europe utilising source material, focusing on linking knowledge to support/challenge the content. Pupils then recall successes and limitations of Thatcher’s foreign policy from the previous unit. Using the hand out students assess Thatcher’s attitudes to Europe (positive and negative) leading to a video further exploring Thatcher’s shifting views on the EEC. Pupils then explore the Maastricht Treaty and the general feeling of Euroscepticism and division in the Conservative party, leading to a judgement plenary on the reasons for divisions by 1994.

Lesson exploring the extent of multiculturalism and tolerance by 1997. The starter explores the case of Stephen Lawrence and considers what it shows about the extent of multiculturalism in Britain. Using Oxford AQA textbook students create a table showing progress and limitations in race relations by 1997. Students then debate the extent of tolerance in Britain utlising talk tokens, leading to a written judgement on the extent of tolerance and multiculturalism. This leads to a judgement line assessing the extent of tolerance - linking to the L4 and L5 criteria of the mark scheme.

Lesson exploring the position of women in Britain by 1997. The starter uses contemporary images to assess the changing representation of women in the media. Students then review first, second and third wave feminism using the Oxford AQA textbook and the web to assess shifts over time; moving on to using the lyrics of ‘Wannabee’ by the Spice Girls to view the new messages to women. The next activity involves assessing progress and limitations for women by 1997 using the hand out; linking in prior learning from previous units, building to answering a question on the key changes that occurred for women by 1997. The plenary asks students to vote on how far the position of women had improved by 1997, justifying their responses.

Lesson exploring the challenges to the ‘established order’ under Major. The start recaps the establishment, offering opportunity to link in prior learning. A source by the Queen referring to 1992 as ‘Annus Horibilus’ allows discussion of issues facing the establishment and a recap of source skills. Pupils then use the hand out to examine challenges to the establishment, focusing on the role of Princess Diana. Pupils then answer a question regarding the significance of challenges to the establishment, leading to a recap ‘trio’ plenary of key events/individuals from the unit.

Lesson exploring the extent of the liberalisation of society under John Major. The starter recaps social liberalism by defining the characteristics, allowing a discussion of who may oppose liberalisation. Analysis of a John Major extract allows students to infer conservative policy and attitudes towards society, leading to analysis of the role of Princess Diana in relation to AIDS patients using a news report clip. Two further videos (Peter Lilley and Gay pride march) allow a contrast of opposing views. The main activity gives students key information on the changes in society and asks them to assess the impact on wider society these changes would have. This leads to a plenary assessing how far there has been progress in the area of social liberalism by 1997.

Lesson exploring the reasons for Labour’s success in the 1997 election. The source starter allows a discussion of New Labour and the promises made; with focus on content, tone and provenance. The video of Twigg’s victory over Portillo opens the discussion about the symbolic nature of the Conservative defeat, moving into analysis of the key reasons for defeat using the hand out. A review table allows a recap of the key factors causing the defeat, leading to a corners plenary allowing students to reach a judgement on the relative importance of various factors.

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.

Lesson exploring why and how the Conservative Party was divided under John Major. The lesson begins with a contemporary image starter on causes of divisions in political parties. Pupils then recap prior reasons for divisions linking in past learning. Using the Oxford AQA textbook pupils create a spider diagram outlining the reasons for Conservative divisions, adding in knowledge of similar prior disagreements showing continuity over time. Pupils then create a table assessing the successes and failures of Major’s tenure, linking in with the essay homework (plan included). Finally, a plenary assesses the extent of the success of Major’s government, linking into the judgement on the 25 mark essay questions.