Outstanding History Lessons At KS2

ks2 classroom

This section comprises two parts: the main one is the series of outstanding, fully-resourced and described, lessons graded 1 by an OFSTED history inspector when they were grading individual lessons.

You are given the learning objectives and every activity in sequence all with accompanying PowerPoint presentations and PDF files. The other lesson activities, from parts of lessons, are called smart tasks, exemplifying features of outstanding lessons and, again, all fully resourced.

Dealing with misconceptions – An example from Y3 ancient civilizations

If you are wrestling with the best way to cover all ancient civilizations, rather than just looking at Ancient Egypt, you might be grateful for this new overview activity in…

Teaching the Vikings: seeing the wood for the trees

Whenever you teach a topic as exciting and colourful as the Vikings there is a strong temptation to focus on the stereotypical image of the Vikings which pupils find so…

Ipswich – significant people and events

Ipswich is one of England’s oldest continuously inhabited towns, with a history shaped by trade, craftsmanship, and maritime connections. Settlement in the area dates back to Roman times, but Ipswich…

Swansea – significant people and events

As a coastal city Swansea’s history has been shaped by trade, industry, and its role as a gateway between Wales and the wider world. The area has ancient origins, but…

Stoke on Trent – significant people and events

Stoke-on-Trent’s history is closely linked to pottery, industry, and the development of modern manufacturing. The city was formed from six towns—Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton, and Longton—collectively known as “The…

Our Top 10 resource suggestions for your local history topic at KS1 and 2

By way of celebrating local history month in May we are offering you top 10 resources you can’t afford to overlook. These sit alongside the other advice files on overall…

Cambridge – significant people and events

Cambridge is obviously best known for its role in education, learning, and intellectual life. Although settlement in the area dates back to Roman times, Cambridge really began to grow in…

Much more than meat munchers and berry chewers

Why the Bronze Age diet was more varied and sophisticated than we first thought A new study from the University of York has suggested that, far from simply hunting and…

Bath – significant people and events

Bath’s identity has been shaped by hot springs, architecture, and centuries of visitors. Its story begins in the Roman period, when a major bathing and temple complex was developed around…

Preston – significant people and events

Preston’s development reflects the wider story of England’s industrial growth. Although settlement in the area dates back to Roman times, Preston first became important in the Middle Ages as a…

Truro – significant people and events

Truro’s history has been shaped by trade, religion, and regional identity. Although Cornwall has ancient origins, Truro developed most strongly during the medieval period as a market town and river…

Plymouth – significant people and events

Plymouth is a historic port city in Devon with a strong connection to exploration, naval power, and migration. Its natural harbour made it strategically important from medieval times, but Plymouth…

Gloucester – significant people and events

Gloucester is one of England’s oldest cities, with a history shaped by Roman settlement, religious importance, and strategic location. Founded by the Romans as Glevum in the first century AD,…

Chester – significant people and events

Chester is one of England’s best-preserved historic cities, with a past that stretches back almost 2,000 years so makes a wonderful local study with the advantage of linking to any…

Leeds – significant people and events

Leeds’ history has been shaped by trade, industry, and urban growth so makes a brilliant study linked to the Victorian era.. Originally a small Anglo-Saxon settlement, Leeds developed during the…

Leicester – significant people and events (Case study)

Above all, studying Leicester provides brilliant opportunities to look at diversity. Ethnic groups make up the majority of the population in Leicester so it makes perfect sense to focus on…

York – significant people and events

York is one of the oldest and most historically important cities in the United Kingdom. Its history stretches back nearly 2,000 years, beginning as a Roman fortress known as Eboracum….

Any changes for your history teaching in 2026? I’ve got one

As you will know from the headlines of the government’s recent curriculum review among the changes being recommended concerns local history. The history curriculum is seen as both mirroring modern…

Top 10 activities for local history

Whilst the activities you choose to use in your local history study will very much depend on the nature of the enquiries you are pursuing with your pupils, I still…

Teaching Local History at Key Stage 2

So, where do we start if we haven’t a clue about Local History? Unlike all other areas of study Local History has no real prescribed content. If you live in…

Exeter – significant people and events

Exeter is one of the oldest cities in England, with a history shaped by Roman rule, religion, trade, and regional power. Founded by the Romans as Isca Dumnoniorum around AD…

Sunderland – significant people and events

Sunderland is a city on the north-east coast of England whose history has been shaped by the sea, industry, and innovation. From early medieval times, settlements grew along the River…

Portsmouth – significant people and events

Portsmouth is a historic port city on the south coast of England whose identity has long been shaped by the sea and the Royal Navy. Its natural harbour made it…

Bournemouth – significant people and events

Bournemouth is an influential coastal town known for its strategic location, natural environment, and contribution to learning and innovation. Established as a health resort in the 19th century, it attracted…

Edinburgh – significant people and events

Edinburgh is an influential city because it has long been a place where ideas grow and important decisions are made. Built around its famous castle, the city has seen kings,…

Brighton – significant people and events

Brighton is an influential seaside city known for its creativity, diversity and bold ideas. It grew as a popular resort in the 1800s, attracting visitors who came for fresh sea…

London – significant people and events

London is an influential city because it has been a centre of power, ideas and culture for hundreds of years. It is the capital of the United Kingdom, where important…

Cardiff – significant people and events

Cardiff is an influential capital city where ideas, leadership and culture meet. It grew from a small town into a busy port city, especially during the coal trade, when ships…

Belfast – significant people and events

Belfast is an influential city because it is a place of building, learning and big change. It grew quickly as an industrial city, famous for shipbuilding and engineering, where skilled…

Sheffield – significant people and events

Sheffield is a city of makers, famous for “steel and skill.” For a long time, hot furnaces and busy workshops produced strong metal that became tools, cutlery and parts for…

Bristol – significant people and events

Bristol is an influential city in the South West of England because it has been an important place for travel, trade and new ideas. For centuries, its busy harbour connected…

Nottingham – significant people and events

Nottingham is an influential city in England because it has inspired important ideas, stories and people for centuries. It is famous for the legend of Robin Hood, which reminds us…

Newcastle – significant people and events

Newcastle is an influential city in the North East of England because it helped power Britain’s growth and inspired many important people. In the past, it became famous for coal…

Liverpool – significant people and events

Liverpool is one of Britain’s most influential cities because its port is connected the country to the wider world and has brought new ideas, people and goods into the city…

Southampton – significant people and events

Southampton is an influential city on England’s south coast because it has connected people, places and important events for centuries. Its busy port has welcomed travellers, soldiers and newcomers from…

Glasgow – significant people and events

Glasgow is one of Scotland’s most influential cities because it has helped shape important ideas and people. In the past, it grew into a major centre for shipbuilding, trade and…

Birmingham – significant people and events

Birmingham is one of Britain’s most influential cities because it has helped shape big ideas and important people. In the past, it grew quickly during the Industrial Revolution, when inventors,…

Manchester – significant people and events

Historically significant people associated with the city of Manchester and surrounding area. Manchester is one of Britain’s most historically influential cities: a place where new ideas, new machines, and new…

Swindon – significant people and events

Swindon is a town in Wiltshire with a history shaped by industry, transport, and change. For much of the Middle Ages, it was a small market town serving the surrounding…

Coventry – significant people and events

Coventry’s history reflects some of the most important changes in British life. In the Middle Ages, Coventry grew rich through cloth and textile production, becoming one of England’s leading cities….

Victorians – end of unit quiz

Throughout this unit, we’ve explored what life was like in Britain during Queen Victoria’s long reign, from bustling factories and new inventions to strict school routines and life for rich…

Using the Maya topic to look at changing interpretations

One of the hardest ideas to teach young children is that history is a construct and liable to changing interpretations. Many really dislike the fuzziness of not knowing for sure….

Looking for a new stimulus to teach arrival of Christianity in Saxon Britain?

Earlier this summer (2025) this very rare coin was found, one of the earliest Anglo-Saxon coins in existence. What makes it fascinating is the iconography used on the coin. You…

Mystery picture – hidden meanings in a Tudor painting

One of the exciting things about teaching history is watching the penny drop with pupils who discover that history is created and is not a single uncontested story. To get…

Henry and Katherine of Aragon: a love story less well told?

A recent find in a field in Warwickshire is to be sold and the hope is that the British Museum will be successful in their bid. Not only is this…

Mayan civilization KS2 – end of unit quiz

You’ve explored the incredible world of the ancient Maya — a people who built great cities, invented their own writing system, and studied the stars to make accurate calendars. Now…

Ancient Greece – end of unit quiz

You’ve learned about the amazing people, places, and ideas from thousands of years ago — now it’s time to see what you remember! In this quiz, you’ll answer questions about…

Black and British – assessment task

This assessment task is different from the others in the KS2 suite of tasks in that it comprises multiple questions rather than one single open-ended task, assessed by outcome. For…

Planner for KS2 thematic study Black Death to today: Keeping healthy over time

This intrinsically interesting topic has been chosen as a long-term development study as it not only builds on the fact that all pupils will have some experience of this issue,…

Keeping healthy – KQ1 – What does the Black Death of 1348 tell us about people’s knowledge of health 700 years ago?

Pupils are hooked in with a story of the impact of the Black Death on one family. This is followed by an engaging analysis of an artist’s impression of a…

Outstanding History Lessons and smart tasks at KS2

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Written by Neil Thompson