Category: curriculum and planning

beginning teacher, CPD, curriculum and planning, GCSE and A level, subject leadership

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.

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curriculum and planning, diversity and inclusion, teacher knowledge, teaching and learning resources

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

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curriculum and planning, GCSE and A level, subject leadership

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

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curriculum and planning, substantive knowledge

‘Curriculums are not what we put in our plans but what resides in our pupils’ minds’ D. Hibbert (HA Conference 2022)

Thanks to Kate Amery (@KatieAmery) Head of History and Politics at West Kirby Grammar School for this blogpost, which first appeared on her own blog. Kate was inspired by sessions at the HA conference… Some unrevolutionary suggestions for how I get kids to remember more stuff and grasp big ideas. Start with a bridging unit in Year 7 (courtesy of Ms Ball). Give students the opportunity … Continue reading ‘Curriculums are not what we put in our plans but what resides in our pupils’ minds’ D. Hibbert (HA Conference 2022)

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curriculum and planning, diversity and inclusion, KS3, local history, sources and evidence, teaching and learning ideas, websites and publications

Local history of the Holocaust as a ‘way in’ to broader narratives … and more

In this blogpost Andy Lawrence, Head of History at Hampton School, shares work his department have done that reveals the benefits of researching a local connection to the Holocaust. Not only has it helped integrate local history throughout KS3, it has also provided a ‘way in’ to broader narratives. By engaging the students in the research, some forgotten voices have been ‘heard’. The title of … Continue reading Local history of the Holocaust as a ‘way in’ to broader narratives … and more

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curriculum and planning, historical scholarship, KS3, local history

1381 HATF: co-planning across distance

In this blogpost HATF People of 1381 participants, Andrew Sweet (@AndrewSweet4) and Rachel Wilson (@rachelswilson91), share the first part of their work relating to the Fellowship. Their school settings and students are very different, but their aims and curricular intentions are similar, they have planning autonomy and are able to plan with their own students learning needs as a priority. Their model for co-planning is … Continue reading 1381 HATF: co-planning across distance

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beginning teacher, curriculum and planning, KS3, subject leadership, teacher knowledge

The return to formal assessment at KS3

Richard Kennett (@richkbristol), of Gatehouse Green Trust in Bristol, shares recent rethinking of KS3 assessment in his school in response to recent discussions on history edutwitter. This may be incredibly obvious to many of you but given the number of tweets I keep seeing about assessment I thought I would share what we have been doing and thinking at my school in Bristol. I am … Continue reading The return to formal assessment at KS3

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curriculum and planning, subject leadership, teacher knowledge

Igniting the spark!

This blogpost from Anne Hooper (@Hoops752) was created as a result of thinking following a professional conversation. At the last meeting of HA Secondary Committee Jason Todd (@JJtodd1966) was talking about the need to listen to children and their craving for knowing about the past. What conversations with a colleague have really made you think this month? What got you into history? I mean what … Continue reading Igniting the spark!

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curriculum and planning, diversity and inclusion, historical enquiry, substantive knowledge, teacher knowledge

A Ukrainian perspective on history teaching about Ukraine in the UK

This document contains the final draft of the conclusions made for a research project undertaken by our Ukrainian friend and history teaching colleague, Irina Kostyuk. She has been part of a project with other Ukrainian history teaching colleagues looking at how history textbooks in Germany, France, UK, Poland and Russia present the Ukrainian past. This detailed work was nearing completion and they hoped to put … Continue reading A Ukrainian perspective on history teaching about Ukraine in the UK

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curriculum and planning, historic environment, historical enquiry, teacher knowledge, teaching and learning resources

We mustn’t wait to regret a failure to face up to teaching climate change!

Thanks to Peter Langdon (@langdonhistory) for writing this blogpost to share further his work on teaching climate change in history. Peter makes a persuasive case and provides support to help us act to do our part, as history teachers, to tackle the climate crisis. This blogpost also contains details of how to join the growing network of history teachers working to do this. In the … Continue reading We mustn’t wait to regret a failure to face up to teaching climate change!

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