A Guide to the New Key Stage 3 programme

A new secondary curriculum has been developed to increase flexibility for both teachers and pupils. With less prescription on subject content and the opportunity for teachers and subject leaders to tailor the curriculum to the needs of individual learners, there will be more time and space within the school day for pupils to study areas in more depth. The new curriculum will need to be in place by 2011. This allows teachers to plan ahead and to choose whether to make changes incrementally year-by-year or whether to introduce the changes all at once.

To help you implement the new curriculum, our guide provides a variety of resources that enable you to explore the concepts, processes, range and content in the new programme of study. They include background information, articles from ‘Teaching History', exemplar schemes of work, lists of useful resources and suggestions for further reading and INSET activities. You can work through the material on your own or use the materials for departmental INSET. The guide is under development and some sections have yet to be completed. It will be updated as new ideas and exemplars are devised. The guide has been produced by a number of top history teaching professionals and has been compiled and edited by Sue Bennett, freelance education consultant and Suzy Powling, freelance editor.

1. An Introduction to the new Key Stage 3 programme

1.1 Frequently asked questions

2. Key Concepts

2.1 Chronological understanding

2.1.a Ideas for CPD

2.1.b Teaching Strategies

2.1.c Ideas for developing chronological understanding in Year 9

2.1.d Ideas for developing chronological understanding in Year 11

2.1.e Further Reading & Resources

2.2 Cultural, ethnic and religious diversity

2.2.a Scheme of work - The English: a diverse people

2.3 Change and continuity

2.4 Cause and consequence

2.5 Significance

2.5.a Ideas for CPD

2.5.b Resource 1: Bosworth

2.5.c Resource 2: Significant Individuals

2.5.d Further Reading

2.6 Interpretations

2.6.a Ideas for CPD

3. Key Processes

3.1 Historical Enquiry

3.1.a Ideas for CPD

3.2 Using Evidence (1)

3.2 Using evidence (2)

3.3 Communicating about the Past

3.3.a Ideas for CPD

4. Range and Content

4.1 Overview, depth and thematic studies

4.2 Linking British, European and world history

4.3 The development of political power

4.4 England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales

4.5 The movement and settlement of peoples

4.5.1 Scheme of work - The English: a diverse people

4.6 Changing nature of everyday life

4.7 The development of the British Empire

4.8 The changing nature of conflict and co-operation

5. Curriculum Opportunites

5.1 Personal and local history

5.1.a Ideas for local and family history enquiries

5.1.b. Further Resources

5.2 Using museums and other sites

5.2.a Using museums, galleries, archives and sites

5.2.b Planning a museum/site visit checklist

5.2.c Model of carousel of activities

5.2.d Planning for out of classroom learning experiences in museums

5.2.e Further reading

5.3 Using ICT

5.4 Making links with other subjects and the dimensions

6. Planning

6.1 General guidance on planning

6.2 Importance Statement

6.3 Audit Tool

6.4 How to devise a key stage plan

6.5 How to devise a two-year plan (1)

6.5 How to devise a two-year plan (2)

6.5.a Ideas for CPD

6.5.b Further reading

6.6 How to devise a scheme of work

6.7 Progression

7. Teaching, learning and assessment

7.1 Questioning

7.2 Gifted and talented pupils

7.3 Pupils with special needs

7.4 Progression from key stage 2

7.5 Assessment

7.6 Departmental training and development