Where do marks on KS3 assessments come from?
Thanks to Martyn Bajkowski, Head of History at Pleckgate School and member of Secondary Committee, for sharing work on assessment at Key Stage 3. Martyn shares how his department have read, thought and discussed their way to a manageable system that is focused on secure historical learning. Pupils find it engaging and it is providing the department with useful data to use to work on … Continue reading Where do marks on KS3 assessments come from?
Planning help from back issues of Teaching History
Thanks to Anne Hooper, member of HA Secondary Committee, for modelling how her department has trawled the back issues of Teaching History for curriculum planning support. The ‘vague recollection’ she talks abouts is not there in the minds of new members, but there are always people to ask. For example, a call out on Twitter for ‘anyone know a TH article that can help with…’ … Continue reading Planning help from back issues of Teaching History
Accessible Battlefields’ visits
At Secondary Committee this term we have allowed ourselves to enjoy the feeling in schools of life returning to pre-pandemic norms. We want to seize that and rekindle our love of all those things we lost when we had to ‘teach from the front behind the line’. This is the first of a series of occasional blogposts that will accompany our other efforts this year … Continue reading Accessible Battlefields’ visits
Curricular implementation at Key Stage 4: Anatomy of a GCSE History Unit.
Thanks to Hugh Richards, Head of History at Huntington School and course leader of the HA’s Subject Leader Development Programme, for this blogpost. In it Hugh walks us through the process of planning a GCSE History Unit. From that he draws out GCSE planning principles. This blogpost is useful for anyone also planning GCSE units and to discuss in departmental CPD. I have recently planned … Continue reading Curricular implementation at Key Stage 4: Anatomy of a GCSE History Unit.
A 13thC Jewish woman: Licoricia of Winchester
Thank you to William Carver of The Licoricia of Winchester Appeal (mail@licoricia.org) for this blogpost. The story of Licoricia of Winchester provides a window into the 13th century world and offers a story that can build coherent knowledge from the later to the earlier middle ages. Her story also illuminates the story of Jewish people in England in the period and is therefore an important … Continue reading A 13thC Jewish woman: Licoricia of Winchester
Hello colleagues in training and recently qualified, this is for you and your mentors!
We are starting the new academic year with a blogpost for beginning teachers. The HA defines ‘beginning teachers’ as colleagues in their training year and up to four years post qualification. Welcome to the profession! Well done on qualifying! Every best wish as you start your first post or move to your second! Thank you to all of the mentors who are supporting beginning history … Continue reading Hello colleagues in training and recently qualified, this is for you and your mentors!
Some thoughts on responding to results: a guide for new (or nervous!) Subject Leaders of History
In this blogpost Hugh Richards shares his experience of results’ days. Hugh is Head of History at Huntington School in York and the leader of the team of SLs who work on the HA’s Subject Leader Development Programme. Firstly, I am no expert on data. I am an experienced head of department, but I am not claiming any particular authority, just sharing my approach in … Continue reading Some thoughts on responding to results: a guide for new (or nervous!) Subject Leaders of History
Smartphones and Mirrors: using presentisms constructively in the classroom.
Here, Jessie Phillips, History Teacher at Sawston Village College, takes her thinking about presentism in the history classroom further. She points out that this tendency to interpret the past through present values and concepts is used by historians as a conceptual scaffold. She challenges us to think about how presentism can help pupils make their own meanings out of history. She builds on David Armitage’s … Continue reading Smartphones and Mirrors: using presentisms constructively in the classroom.
In at the deep end? Swimming lessons for newly-appointed Subject Leaders
In this blog, Catherine Priggs and Hugh Richards offer some ideas for newly-appointed Subject Leaders of History, organised month by month for the first year. Inevitably this isn’t an exhaustive list, and whilst context will determine the timing of some of the points mentioned below, the aim of this blog is to help newly-appointed Subject Leaders to reflect on key moments. Cat and Hugh are … Continue reading In at the deep end? Swimming lessons for newly-appointed Subject Leaders
Saints and lice- unravelling the medieval past
Jessie Phillips, History Teacher at Sawston Village College, shares work that relates to cultural history/perspective but with a particular focus on the medieval. Her overarching ideas are based on Wineburg’s conception of finding the ‘familiar within the strange’ and the ‘strange within the familiar’ and using this approach she unravels the attitudes, ideas and values of people in the past. She also explores (very carefully) … Continue reading Saints and lice- unravelling the medieval past
OBHD 