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 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 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 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.

A lesson exploring the causes, events and consequences of Black Wednesday. Image starter prompts exploration of the lesson content; moving on to explanation of Black Wednesday. Pupils watch a contemporary report after Black Wednesday and discuss the significance of this on the Conservative party. Pupils use the hand out to highlight the causes and positive and negative impacts of the event; moving to analyse the significance of Black Wednesday for Britain, Europe and the wider world. Pupils write-round-robin why Major’s government did not get credit for the recovery from Black Wednesday, finishing with a plenary introducing sleaze and scandals - a link to the next lesson and a reason for the negative public perception.

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 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.

First lesson of the scheme - changes made by the Normans to England Lesson exploring the Harrying of the North. Decision making starter on views of William, source carousel/investigation of the events/actions and results of the rebellion, discussion on how the Harrying helped William, leading to a 4 mark describe GCSE style question, interpretation plenary.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.