ks3 classroom

Our GCSE History resources provide engaging, enquiry-led lessons and teaching materials for Years 10 and 11. Explore GCSE and KS4 history lesson plans, PowerPoints, activities and Smart Tasks covering popular topics including Germany, Russia, the USA, international relations, the Cold War and Medicine Through Time.

Designed by an experienced history education specialist, the resources combine strong subject knowledge with imaginative classroom activities that help students develop the analysis, evaluation, source and interpretation skills required at GCSE History.

You will find that there is a wealth of advice on all aspects of leading history. Because I have spent so much of my professional life improving schools’ GCSE history results I have accumulated considerable knowledge of what works, which I want to pass on.

The 25 history departments I worked with recently showed an average improvement of half a GCSE grade for every student compared to the results two years previously. As you might expect, therefore, the sections on raising attainment and using data have had a massive influence on those departments that have already acted on the advice.

Colleagues I have worked with have kindly contributed short case studies describing how they managed to bring about rapid and substantial improvement. You can’t find this sort of material elsewhere.

Many of you reading this will be subject leaders. You are well-catered for especially in the area of monitoring. You are given shrewd advice on classroom observation, feeding back to colleagues, carrying out pupil interviews and how to conduct an effective work scrutiny. When there is just so much to do when leading a history team, you will be grateful for the excellent advice on prioritisation and forward planning – advice that really works. Likewise with monitoring.

The incredibly useful advice on conducting student, interviews and work scrutiny will prove every bit as helpful as the very practical advice on classroom observation and feeding back to colleagues. If you are looking for guidance on prioritising and forward planning you will find not only advice but an element of interactivity.For many of you, the site will simply prove to be a source of inspiration. You may choose to visit the very popular 50 great teaching ideas, or the equally influential imaginative learning activities, all of which have been tried and tested by many teachers.

GCSE History TopicHistorical focus
American West GCSEExpansion, Native Americans, settlement and the American West
Britain 1890–1975 GCSESocial, political and economic change in modern Britain
Crime and Punishment GCSECrime, policing and punishment through time
Elizabethan & Tudor England GCSEElizabethan society, religion, poverty and government
Germany 1919–1945 GCSEWeimar Germany, Hitler, Nazi rule and opposition
Historic Environment GCSESites, buildings and the historic environment
International Relations 1890–1945 GCSEWorld War One, Versailles, League of Nations and international conflict
International Relations 1945–1990 GCSECold War, superpower rivalry and international crises
Medicine Through Time GCSEMedicine, public health, surgery and medical developments
Migration GCSEMigration to Britain, causes, experiences and impact
Northern Ireland 1968–1999 GCSEThe Troubles, conflict, politics and the peace process
Russia 1905–1990 GCSETsarist Russia, revolution, Lenin, Stalin and the Soviet Union
USA 1900–1990 GCSEBoom, Depression, New Deal, civil rights and social change

Explore our GCSE History Resources

Haile Selassie
Key Stage 4 Smart Task: Scoop! What on earth was going on in Abyssinia in 1935?

This task is run along the lines of a newsroom simulation. Students take on the role of an editorial team whose job it is to make sense of a complex…

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leading
Prioritising in history at Key Stage 4

As always there is a balancing act to be done. On the one hand you have to deal with the immediate and the urgent; on the other you know that…

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ks5
Developing your staff at key stage 4

Teaching GCSE presents its own set of challenges, not least learning the code that you will need to crack to bring your students GCSE success.  Because the GCSE  history exam…

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ks5
Monitoring performance in history at KS4

The best way of monitoring students’ performance is to set frequent exam based activities, broadly under test conditions and then to mark them WITH the students using GCSE criteria. Students…

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data
Using data in history at Key Stage 4

Twelve years or so ago the only meaningful data we had for GCSE was the percentage of students achieving each grade. The headline everyone was interested in was of course…

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leading
Raising attainment at Key Stage 4

This section of the site contains four different types of advice. There is general advice, outlining factors that usually explain success at GCSE and a short paper entitled ‘Smoking Out…

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ks3 classroom
Self-evaluation in history at Key Stage 4

Getting ready for a history subject review: knowing what OFSTED inspectors are looking for and the criteria they are using   It is essential that you keep up-to-date with current OFSTED…

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KS4 lesson
Policy and vision at Key Stage 4

Many of you will feel that having a separate history policy at Key Stage 4 is unnecessary, and yet you will be surprised how many departments have never really articulated…

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Penicillin: From discovery to world-wide use? Who should take the credit?

Students have to divide a $100 million bequest to those people who did most to develop penicillin. But in what ratio? Should Fleming get it all? What about the Oxford…

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usa flag
Teaching USA 1900-1990 to Key Stage 4

The first batch of lessons focuses on four examination favourites but each adds a different subtle twist that lifts the lesson and makes students much more active and involved in…

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ww3
Teaching international relations 1945-1990

This section, dominated by the Cold War focuses mainly on teaching its origins, its main crises and the reason why it came to an end.  With the recent ‘strengthening’ of…

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america 1920
Did everyone benefit equally from life in the USA in the 1920s? A market place activity. SMART TASK KS4

This activity is great for getting students off their feet and talking to every other students in the class – with a clear purpose! The idea is that every student…

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Suffragettes train ticket
Using artefacts to teach history at Key Stage 4

It may be some time since you last used artefacts in your GCSE teaching, but their appearance in Key Stage 4 lessons is actually on the increase in my experience. …

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Teaching chronology at Key Stage 4

The advent of the current GCSE history specifications has forced us to consider how we help students to develop chronological understanding over different time scales, be it a thousand years…

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KS4 lesson
Interpretations in GCSE history at Key Stage 4

Having worked so hard to develop pupils understanding of historical interpretations at Key Stage 3, many history teachers feel short-changed when it comes to Key Stage 4.  Not only is…

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KS4 lesson
Teaching historical enquiry at Key Stage 4

Some of the best GCSE lessons I have ever seen have been enquiry-led where students have been given a little more scope to raise their own questions, research independently and…

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KS4 lesson
Fit for purpose teaching strategies at Key Stage 4

This section has highlighted a number of issues relating to GCSE teaching that you might identify with and be interested in seeing other talented teachers’ solutions.  It does not claim…

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teaching
The teaching process in history at Key Stage 4

With so much emphasis placed on the three-part lesson, due largely to the National Strategy, it is tempting to follow that simplistic model at Key Stage 4.  Many do, and…

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planning
Long-term planning at Key Stage 4

Planning for the legacy GCSE history specifications I have featured only a few models from the existing specifications, concentrating instead on the new specifications.  For each course offered by each…

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planning
Medium term planning at Key Stage 4

What should go into a good medium term plan at key Stage 4? 1. Key questions, not just the overarching question from the Board’s specification, but sub-questions too. 2. Learning objectives. These must identify…

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planning
Short-term planning in Key Stage 4 history

My view about short-term planning at KS4 is simple; keep it short. If you are following a detailed medium-term plan, as you should be, then most of the planning has…

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KS4 lesson
Thinking skills at Key Stage 4

With a firm foundation of thinking skills now laid at Key Stage 3, thanks in part to the National Strategy, it is really important  that in GCSE classes you offer…

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KS4 lesson
History and numeracy at Key Stage 4

With so much else to focus on in GCSE history you would be pardoned for thinking that this is not top priority. Rather than add to your burden, all I…

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KS4 lesson
History and literacy at Key Stage 4

What OFSTED said  they were looking for in history lessons when reviewing literacy across the curriculum when they last published on the matter.  An insider’s view – what OFSTED are…

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KS4 lesson
Citizenship at Key Stage 4

Am I alone in feeling the pitiful irony of history not being a compulsory subject at Key Stage 4, whereas citizenship is? When I see and hear how it is…

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curriculum models
Curriculum models at KS4

As most courses are a blend of SHP and Modern World and there will be at least two new topics you were not formerly teaching, you know where you needed…

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KS4 lesson
Curriculum rationale for history at KS4

Choice of specification and order of teaching You will all been settled into your new GCSE course.If you’re thinking of changing it might be worth asking these questions. Questions for…

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50
’50’ imaginative learning activities for Key Stage 4

We all know that the learning experience for students at Key Stage 4 could be more varied in some schools. Students have told us that, time and again. The lessons…

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hitler
Why was Hitler able to consolidate his position in power between January 1933 and August 1934? Smart Task KS4

This smart task works as a starter. Students are given 7 reasons why Hitler came to power. In just 5 minutes, and working in pairs, they have to see if…

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millie
Thoroughly Modern Millie: How do we know this song is about Flappers? A quick musical starter

Students are given the lyrics of a song about flappers (copy provided) and have to find 10 references that prove the connection.  The first is done together as a whole…

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met police
GCSE SHP Crime and Punishment: The Metropolitan police force in 1830: SMART TASK

This quick starter uses the slow reveal technique which encourages students to explore parts of a cartoon in a particular sequence, before revealing the whole. Using the animated PowerPoint presentation…

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causes of ww1
How well do these cartoons cover the causes of World War One?

In pairs, Y9/GCSE students visit 9 different cartoons posted around the wall. They have to work out: Which cause is being ‘covered’ in each cartoon – sometimes two.  Which causes…

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The learning approach in history at Key Stage 4

Learning in Key Stage 4 history lessons is nearly always good but rarely is it outstanding.  Because we are so aware of the examination requirements and the need to induct…

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KS4 lesson
Learning Activities: Key Stage 4

Most evidence of history teaching at Key Stage 4 comes from OFSTED reports which repeatedly paint a picture of highly competent teaching but rather restricted learning.  Students are taught effective…

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ks3 classroom
Independence History at KS3 and GCSE

Independent Enquirers Learners can develop as independent enquirers when they are provided with opportunities in history to: explore for themselves events, issues or problems from different perspectives and consider the…

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prohibition
When Prohibition was so popular when it was introduced, why had it failed within 12 years? SMART TASK

In this varied series of activities, students predict from pictures, categorise influence cards, and create a tweet before structuring an answer that will impress a GCSE examiner. Starter Project slide…

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Raising attainment at Key Stage 4

This section of the site contains four different types of advice. There is general advice, outlining factors that usually explain success at GCSE and a short paper entitled ‘Smoking Out…

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korean war
Who started the Korean War? Smart Task

In this short starter smart task students are given two contradictory accounts of the start of the Korean War, both emanating from Korea. But which account do they think is…

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mussolini
When Italy signed two peace treaties with Abyssinia just 7 years before, why then did Mussolini invade in 1935? Explanation builder

Students are given a short answer to this question that appeared as an answer on the Student Room website. It was not worth 9 marks. Students have to work out…

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AQA
How the boards differ in their approach to the historic environment

AQA The historic environment is 10% of the overall course which equates to approximately 12 hours out of 120 guided learning hours. Students will be examined on a specific site in…

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AQA
Assessing students’ understanding of the historic environment in the new GCSE history courses

As we await the verdict of OFQUAL on the draft submissions for the new 2016 GCSE history courses, one of the more interesting outcomes will be that relating to the…

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bloody code
If the Bloody Code made so many offences punishable by death, why were so few criminals hanged? SMART TASK

Fun lesson in which small groups have to predict punishments meted out for specific crimes in 1786 using original documents and then see if they were correct. They then try…

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marshall plan logo
The Marshall Plan: How should we interpret it? Just how philanthropic was it?

The activities in this very varied lesson ask students to raise questions, place sources on a continuum, add analysis to a short descriptive account and quickly tweet a caption to…

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hitler propaganda
Hitler’s propaganda: the cult of leader. Reading internal clues. KS3 & 4 Smart Task

The aim of this short task is to encourage students to look really closely at images for what is there, not what they think should be there. Students are asked…

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Why did Germany lose the Battle of Britain?

If Britain was only a few days away from defeat in August 1940 how on earth did she win the Battle of Britain a month later? PLEASE NOTE – This…

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california gold
What was the impact of the Californian Gold Rush 1848-9? GCSE SMART TASK

In this series of short tasks GCSE students predict, infer, gather information and then improve existing explanations of the impact of the Californian Gold Rush. Firstly, students have to use…

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Migration: Online resources

Great migration site www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk Our Migration Story: The Making of Britain is an Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded collaboration between the Runnymede Trust and academics based at the universities of…

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ks3 classroom
Link between Elizabethan theatre and bear-baiting

Historic England schedulded several of London bear pits so they will not now be built over. The listing of these baiting areas in Bankside near the Globe theatre has highlighted…

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keep calm
Was there really a Blitz spirit? Killer evidence. Smart Task

Historians to this day still argue as to whether there was a Blitz spirit or not. Much depends on the evidence they use. This ‘Killer evidence’ Smart Task enables you…

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ww3
The end of the Cold War for new GCSE history: taking a fresh look

In a recent article in Teaching History David Reynolds offers some clear insights into this period which might help to clarify issues for your GCSE students. Firstly , he identifies…

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