SEND is everyone’s business — so what does it mean for history teachers?

This article is written by Catherine Priggs, Leadership and Curriculum consultant regarding SEND and history teaching. SEND is something no history teacher can afford to see as a niche issue. Around 40% of pupils will be identified as having special educational needs at some point during their time in school. The number of pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) has grown sharply since … Continue reading SEND is everyone’s business — so what does it mean for history teachers?

Building a coherent history curriculum: why it matters and how to achieve it

By Catherine Priggs Curricular coherence is a vital element of effective curriculum design. When a curriculum coheres, it unfolds as a logical narrative, ensuring that content is not a collection of isolated topics. In a coherent curriculum, topics are woven together through overarching ideas, reinforcing pupils’ chronological and conceptual understanding. So, what does curricular coherence look like in practice? The power of sequencing A vital … Continue reading Building a coherent history curriculum: why it matters and how to achieve it

Diversifying the Second World War

This article is written by Philip Arkinstall, Curriculum Leader for History at Hardenhuish School. It compliments an earlier blog post about how to teach the Second World War (https://onebighistorydepartment.com/2023/04/25/cracking-the-enigma-a-new-approach-to-teaching-all-of-world-war-two/) Here I have reflected upon our department’s wider work on rewriting our Key Stage Three curriculum. It sits within a greater appreciation of diverse histories in the Tudor period, British Empire and the First World War. … Continue reading Diversifying the Second World War

Gained time = curriculum time

Thanks to Catherine Priggs, member of HA Secondary Committee, and Geraint Brown, HA Fellow, for this blogpost on how to use time gained in the best possible way for your history curriculum. They provide practical help to guide you in a curriculum review process. Pupils on study leave? Exam season coming to an end? More non-contact time? Now is the perfect time to relax… and … Continue reading Gained time = curriculum time

Planning enquiries: five rules of thumb

Thanks to Mike Hill, Head of History, Ark Soane Academy, and a member of HA Secondary Committee, for this blogpost to help with the planning of enquiries. Over the last term, I planned seven new enquiries and I am currently working on an eighth. I feel out of breath typing this. Planning these enquiries has sometimes felt like trial by ordeal, but it’s also been … Continue reading Planning enquiries: five rules of thumb

Using Artificial Intelligence to support history teaching

Thanks to Will Bailey-Watson, University of Reading history PGCE and member of HA Secondary Committee, for sharing his initial explorations of AI to support history teaching. Hopefully this will help to start a discussion about AI and history teaching. We’d love to hear from you! Artificial Intelligence (AI) is clearly going to change the world. It probably already has done in ways I don’t know. … Continue reading Using Artificial Intelligence to support history teaching

You might want to rethink your teaching of 1381!

Thanks to the teachers and academics of the HA Fellowship ‘The People of 1381’, the resources have now started to go ‘live’. Here is a short introduction and links to the resources. Downloadable classroom resources with teacher guidance Support for teacher knowledge, curriculum and teaching ideas The importance of The People of 1381 Why make time for the people of 1381 in a crowded curriculum? … Continue reading You might want to rethink your teaching of 1381!

Quality assuring your history curriculum by listening to students

Thanks to Phil Arkinstall and Helen Snelson of HA Secondary Committee for writing up this blogpost to share the HA Young Voices project and ideas about how you can develop your own work with students to support quality assurance processes. As history teachers we are required to quality assure what we do and to develop improvement plans. How often do we check with the young … Continue reading Quality assuring your history curriculum by listening to students

Cracking the Enigma: a new approach to teaching ALL of World War Two

Thanks to David Bailey, a history teacher at Jerudong International School, Brunei, for this blogpost. David, and his departmental colleagues, have been rethinking their approach to teaching World War Two. He hopes to start a conversation about this. Please get in touch with your ideas and think about contributing a blogpost about how you have wrestled with this issue. How do you tackle World War … Continue reading Cracking the Enigma: a new approach to teaching ALL of World War Two

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