An overview of the GCSE History exam boards covering Edexcel, AQA, OCR and WJEC. I have put key details in tables that show you how each is assessed, the weighting of marks and topics. Each exam board overview is printable and easily comparable so departments can select the best choice for your school. I have also included a link to each spec for each exam board.

An introduction to the changing nature of co-operation between countries and peoples. First display a map of Ireland and Great Britain on the whiteboard. Model the co-operation evident between these two countries. Hand out cards with facts and information about countries to pupils. In pairs or small groups, pupils explore how the countries co-operate with each other and any reasons why they would not.

I have used this simple activity for the past few years as an introduction to History in year 7. Though it can be adapted for other subjects. Give pupils 10 minutes to walk around and find people who they a share a hobby etc with. Put a cap on naming the same person twice to avoid friendships. Then go through each question and get their views. This is where you can discuss social History and tell them about topics they are going to learn about.

Use this with your History, Geography and RE classes to help them remember key spelling, punctuation and grammar areas to look for in their work. Easy to remember in time for the exam or get them practicing in KS3 in readiness. Print them off and laminate them. Distribute after any extended writing task and give them just five minutes to use it to check their work. By the time the exam arrives they should remember some of the key areas to watch out for when they read through their answers.

A philosophic assembly based around the question: What could you do right now that your future self would thank you for? Lots of thinking here for your pupils! Also includes references to a bucket list and then back to how pupils could make changes now in school to help them later.

A detailed SOW that includes: - Lesson Objectives and outcomes - Key questions to use for lessons - Coherent sequence of lessons that build up to an assessment - Suggested activities to use in every lesson

A simple marking assessment sheet that attaches to pupils work with criteria based on life after levels - emerging, secure and mastery. Easily adaptable to suit each schools criteria. Also has: - areas for peer and self assessment - suggested next steps for the pupil

A simple double sided sheet for students to use for researching information about key places for World Religions. Includes pictures and criteria for them to research.

A video data capture sheet that links to the Sky Atlantic 'British' series. I use this as an introduction to British society 1900 - 1953.

A resource to be used in a computing suite but does not need internet access. All sources are in the document and the lesson contains 3 tasks to complete on either MS Word or PowerPoint. Easily adaptable to whatever platform you use.

A fantastic way of revising rationing in WWII. How you play: - Each pair of pupils needs one learning grid and two dice - One pupil roles both dice and counts the number along the bottom and then up the grid. This gives them the first image. The pupil then repeats the process again to get another image. It is then down to them to explain how the rationing images are linked. Imagination time! - The other pupil then does the same. - The best explanations can be written down after around fifteen minutes. This task is a great way to revise key topics and help develop explanations. There is also a simpler grid for lower ability pupils.

A revision exercise that brings together the main ideas about the role of government during both world wars.

A worksheet that should be produced in A3 and used as a revision activity to capture the main aspects surrounding women in both world wars. Pupils can then compare the similarities and differences between the two wars.

A history themed set of activities that can completed with classes over the festive period. Includes: - A quiz about the traditions of Christmas - An answer sheet for teachers - A timeline task for pupils to complete in the classroom and in the computer suite I have extended this activity by: - With KS2 groups I would advise using computers to research more facts and then get groups of pupils to present a short news broadcast about different time periods, e.g. Christmas in Medieval times , Christmas in Tudor times and Christmas in Victorian times. You can then have discussions about similarities and differences between the periods. - With older KS3 groups I am getting the pupils to place lots of facts about Christmas on the timeline and then getting them to put them in groups, e.g. facts about traditions, facts about rulers and highlighting these. Then we are looking for any turning points or times of continuity through history.

An activity whereby pupils use the internet or textbooks to compare censorship and propaganda in WWII and WWI.

Two starter activities that think about control and the Medieval Norman Conquest of Britain: - One activity gets pupils to guess the method of control William used. This can be followed up with a discussion about how useful each of them were. - The second activity is an SEN task based on the P level system.

A lesson that explores the reasons why British society changed between 1900 and 1953. The main activity involves pupils populating an A3 sheet about three main factors of change at the time - The government, Media and Industry. The lesson was supplemented by the British Society 1900 - 1953 textbook but you can easily adapt the resources to make them how you want.

2 resources for studying the Pilgrimage of Grace: - A two page internet worksheet to help students capture the key aspects of the event and try and compare it with others - A sentence starter sheet for lower ability pupils to aid with extended writing

An assembly that explores difference and why in Britain we tolerate this with reference to British values including democracy.

A full lesson on the government reaction to the suffragettes which includes: Link to a clip and accompanying data capture sheet Source exercise and resources Easy to follow lesson objectives with a progress bar to help pupils gage their progress