L5 in the 2024 Historic Environment series on The Americas and Drake’s circumnavigation, 1577-1580. This lesson assesses how great an achievement Drake’s circumnavigation was. The lesson begins by using the images to recap the previous lesson - the results of the circumnavigation. Students then explore the benefits and negatives/limitations of the voyage for those stakeholders involved (e.g. Drake, his backers, his crew etc). Students then use this sheet, and the previous lesson to explore ONE of two questions assessing the achievements and successes of the voyages. In groups students plan a question and then feedback, completing the question planning grid. Students then choose one question to answer (linked to AQA updated scheme 2024). The lesson culminates in a judgement line plenary assessing how successful students consider Drake’s voyage to have been.

A lesson revising the key economic policies and social impacts of Thatcher’s government. The lesson begins with a recap of Thatcherism and opinions on her, moving to an exploration of monetarism, privatisation and deregulation. Students then examine a source exploring the impacts of her policies, leading to categorising cards into successes/failures of her policies. Students then focus on the social impacts with a table anlaysing realignment, unemployment and inflation. Students then review key economic social policies (right to buy and poll tax) with reference to their successes and failures, leading to an essay plan on the handling of industrial disputes by Thatcher. Finally, the plenary focuses on the overall success of Thatcher’s economic policies in a judgement line task.

For new Germany unit - 1890-1945 Picture starter focusing on how the depression linked to an increase in extremism, video on the impact of the depression, source sheet and explanation tasks with continuum plenary

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.

Lesson exploring division of opposition to Conservatives: Recap domestic policies of Wilson and Callaghan and assess failures, two videos on SDP hyperlinked in, exploration of Labour under Kinnock, analysis of the reasons for the divisions in opposition, judgement plenary.

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.

Eleventh lesson in the scheme - how was the power of the monarch challenged in medieval England? Lesson exploring the extent of change in the power of the King in medieval England. Starter recapping key powers a King has, information hunt with table completion on how the power of the King changed/remained the same in Medieval England (can be done as a categorisation card sort if desired), paired task reviewing how the different events studied in this unit impacted on different groups (e.g. barons, peasants), using all of this completion of living graph (attached at the end of the PPT) leading to a judgement summary answer. The post-it note plenary allows assessment of pupils understanding.

Eight lesson in the scheme - how was the power of the monarch challenged in medieval England? Lesson exploring the causes of the Peasants’ Revolt. Speech bubble starter recaps how peasants felt by 1381, differing interpretations activity linked to AQA 8145 criteria, video introducing the revolt leading to a thematic categorisation activity of the reasons for the revolt, group task arguing ONE of the main causes of the revolt leading to presentation of their arguments and a summary answer on the most important cause of the revolt. Finally, a post-it plenary allows assessment of pupils judgements on the causes of the revolt

AQA 8145 - rally-robin starter how the government could deal with the poor, two videos hyperlinked in to assess how poverty was tackled, table of laws included with assessment of how effective each law was, focus on poor law and impact, write an account question with mark scheme included as a summary.

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 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.

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 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).

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.

AQA 8145: L1 - how voyages benefitted England. Carousel activity of key explorers and table, with intoductory videos exploring the benefits. L2 - Comparison activity of Drake and Raleigh with judgement and information sheet. Videos included of circumnavigation and issues Raleigh/sailors faced. Summary explain what was important question included.

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 answer the 8 mark ‘write an account’ question on Paper 1. The resource models the structure and models examples of good practice, offering pupils then the chance to structure their own answers. Several question styles included.