Teaching and Learning Archives

Victorian cities The approach offered on this site is only one of many you might know, or even use.

Heaven forbid that teaching should ever be done to formula, but in my experience there are a number of phases a lesson might go through to achieve its objectives.

New guidelines for 21st century history

In a recently-published study by the Council of Europe entitled “Quality history in the 21st century” a number of key…

10 step guide to strengthening your history teaching

1. Ensure all topics are linked and logically sequenced At the planning stage make sure all topics are carefully linked…

9 highly effective retrieval activities that really help history to stick ..and show real historical understanding too!

To prevent retrieval activities simply resembling a random fact pub quiz consider using the following , which I’m sure many…

8 retrieval tasks that really work in history

This list is by no means exhaustive nor is it linked to just one key stage. You can think of…

Using Tudor artefacts

Idea 1: Writing an expert caption: e.g. wooden trencher Present an object such as a wooden trencher as a mystery…

Closing the circle: making sure you have an exciting, ‘fit for purpose’ learning product in your KS1 and 2 history topics

I have often thought that we don’t always invest as much time in considering the final product of a unit’s…

Grasping the chronology nettle

Everyone knows that chronology is one of the key historical concepts pupils need to learn, and yet in very few…

Running timebox – First and foremost

Why Timebox teams? First and foremost, Timebox Teams should be fun. Behind the serious intent of improving pupils’ chronological knowledge…

Timebox – KS2 Pack

Mention the teaching of chronology to most infant teachers and their eyes glaze over. Their experience is that it is…

′100′ great ideas for teaching history at KS2

This section describes the best of the imaginative ideas I have seen work successfully in the teaching of history at…

It’s time to think about the teaching of time at KS1 and 2

Time is probably the concept most fundamental to understanding history. This presents problems, of course, particularly with the youngest children….

10 top dos and don’ts of using knowledge organisers in primary history

Used well, knowledge organisers are a really powerful resource but it all depends on how they are used. However attractive…

10 Things to do to make your history teaching better at KS2

1. Teach through historical enquiries. Enquiries are the most effective subject pedagogy in history, not least because when well drafted,…

A six step approach to history lessons

Step 1: Teacher motivates pupils to want to learn and scopes the enquiry Hooking them in: eg. with a slow…

10 questions which we should ask when planning historical enquiries at KS2

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Progression in historical interpretations at Key Stage 2 – How the past is represented and interpreted in different ways, and to give reasons for this

Beginning of Key Stage Children can identify differences between versions of the same event e.g. the video gives a different…

The top 10 things you need to know about chronology at KS2, but were afraid to ask.

The top 10 things you need to know about chronology at KS2, but were afraid to ask. 1. There is…

ICT and Film in history at Key Stage 2

You may think it surprising that film and ICT appear together and not separately. With the advent of digitisation and…

Strategies for using artefacts in teaching history at KS2

Nobody would seriously doubt the value of using artefacts in history at Key Stage 1, but at Key Stage 2…

Teaching Interpretations at Key Stage 2

Although challenging, teaching interpretations in history at KS2 level is immensely rewarding when you see the ‘penny drop’ in pupils’…

Teaching enquiry in history at Key Stage 2

You will hear a lot spoken about historical enquiry, but very little written down and easily accessible. Given its central…

Fit for purpose history teaching strategies at Key Stage 1 and 2

As primary schools have been so heavily criticised by OFSTED for failing to select strategies that are fit for purpose,…

What makes an outstanding history lesson at KS2?

With very little national guidance now coming from OFSTED by way of revisions to the subject-specific criteria for outstanding primary…

The teaching process in history at KS2

Key Stage 2 history teaching is often unfairly caricatured as a teacher telling interested pupils lots of interesting stories: fun…

Views of learners in history at Key Stage 2

There has been very little published research on the views of KS2 pupils on their history work, other than lots…

The learning process in history at KS2

Given that this site specialises in giving practical support to busy teachers and subject leaders, you may be surprised to…

50 imaginative learning activities to use in history at Key Stage 2

Currently these top 50 imaginative ideas are just listed in alphabetical order with a brief description of each, cross-referenced to…

Pupils in the field excavating Roman remains

Roles of learners in history at Key Stage 2

One of the best ways of exciting young children in history is to put them in role. Dorothy Heathcote’s approach,…

20 creative products for history Key Stage 2

This section accompanies the ones on teaching and learning approaches. It offers you a few ideas you may not have…

Personalised learning in history at KS 2

This is certainly one of the key areas to be focusing on in the next few years and lies at…

Gender issues in history at Key Stage 2

It is hard to think of a teaching and learning strategy that one would use with boys. We all know…

Gifted and talented pupils in history at Key Stage 2

Much has been written in general terms about identifying and then catering for able pupils in history. OFSTED and others…

Key motivational factors in history teaching at Key Stage 2

The essence of what appeals to pupils can often be summed up by the words, People, Puzzle and Point. Children…

S.E.N. in history at Key Stage 1 and 2

By inclusion we mean three things here: setting suitable learning challenges, responding to pupils’ diverse needs, and overcoming potential barriers…

History for pupils with EAL in Key Stages 1 and 2

Most of you will be well-versed in strategies for helping children with EAL access other subjects in the curriculum and…

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