News, Events & Meetings

History Mysteries - KS1 & 2 new

The history mysteries developed by Hertfordshire Primary History Co-ordinators at their conference in March 2006 are available for other teachers to adapt and use. More....

History Focus Weeks new

History Focus Weeks is a new resource from LCP. It contains a tool kit to help the History Co-ordinator develop whole-school history weeks. Three themes are used – Archaeology, Famous People, and Local History. All you need to effectively plan, deliver and evaluate your Focus Weeks are contained on the CD-Rom, from admin, letters, staff briefings, to certificates and awards for outstanding achievement. If you are hesitant about developing whole-school initiatives than this could be just the support you need.
The resource is extremely flexible, with all teaching and planning materials available as ‘PowerPoint’ or ‘word’ documents that allow you to easily adapt the contents and/or activities for your own needs. All activities are clearly linked to history skills and content, and opportunities for cross-curricular links highlighted.  A great support package to help you increase the reach of history in your school and community. 

• www.lcp.co.uk

Become a Leader in Holocaust Education new

The Imperial War Museum Fellowship programme provides a radically different approach to CPD.  Please see the document below for further details of this exciting opportunity.

• www.history.org.uk (pdf)

Indus Valley Young Historian Competition

The Young Historian Project Committee has again chosen Indus Valley KS2 as one of the topics for the Primary section of its annual competition. The prize will be for group or individual work, done this academic year, closing date end of July 2008. Winning entries since 2004 are presented online with panel feedback, with ideas for developing the excellent work done! You can also download a leaflet on how to enter this year

• www.harappa.com/teach

Changes to Secondary History

You will be well aware of the changes to the secondary school curriculum and examination systems in the next few years. Here are links to keep you up to date with what is happening at each key stage.

Key Stage 3
New National Curriculum programme of study for KS3 history is here.

• KS3 History Programme of Study

This is to be implemented in stages, starting with
Y7 in September 2008. More information on the new National Curriculum for KS3 is here:

• New KS3 Curriculum

GCSE

New GCSE qualification and subject criteria are now available in draft form on the QCA website. QCA are keen for a wide range of stakeholders, particularly teachers, subject communities and awarding bodies, to contribute to revisions prior to the publication of the agreed criteria via their online consultation.

The regulators want to:

• Update the content of the GCSEs

• Encourage innovative teaching, learning and assessment

• Incorporate key elements of 14–19 curriculum developments

• Ensure that the revised GCSEs complement the new Diplomas

• Revise the assessment arrangements to provide stretch and challenge for all learners and make assessment less formulaic and predictable

• Ensure that standards are maintained.

Find out more on the QCA website:

• www.qca.org.uk/qca_11693.aspx

A Level

New specifications (for teaching to start in September 2008) can be found on the exam board's websites as follows:

• www.aqa.org.uk

• www.edexcel.org.uk

• www.ocr.org.uk

British History Online

British History Online is the digital library containing some of the core printed primary and secondary sources for the medieval and modern history of the British Isles. Created by the Institute of Historical Research and the History of Parliament Trust, it aims to support academic and personal users around the world in their learning, teaching and research.

• www.british-history.ac.uk/

Choosing History at 14

Choosing History at 14 flyer can be downloaded from the Historical Association at:

• www.history.org.uk/education.asp 

This is a really useful way to promote History at Year 9 options evenings.  From the same page you can also download flyers on careers in history and careers for history graduates.

Historical Fiction Competition

Get your Year 7, 8 and 9 students to bring the past to life again!

They can set their stories in ANY period or place in the past - the Roman Empire, a medieval village, an industrial town, First World War trench, Civil War battlefield, ….

A panel will judge the entries and 6 winning students, two from each Year, will receive a cash prize of £25 and an engraved Bath Aqua Blue glass paperweight. Schools will receive a year’s FREE subscription to the Historical Association:

• www.history.org.uk

Entries must be received by 23rd May 2008.

Full details and application form:

• Word 2003, 6kb/2 pages, 13/09/2007, history_story_competition.doc

There are a number of new resources to help teachers and students explore the legacy of the slave trade to coincide with the Bicentenary of the Act to abolish the slave trade.

Understandstanding Slavery - The Big Conversation 2007

KS3 National schools competition & free teaching resources

‘The Big Conversation 2007’ is a competition, debate and showcase launched by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and Understanding Slavery to enable Key Stage 3 students to explore the legacies of the transatlantic slave trade in the context of modern day issues.

The competition has been designed to meet requirements of the Citizenship and History curriculum’s, including the addition of the transatlantic slave trade in the KS3 History programme of study and the legacies of the history in a new Citizenship strand ‘Identity and Diversity – Living Together in the UK’. More...

Hertfordshire's Hidden Histories: 2007 Bicentenary of the Act to Abolish the Slave Trade

Hertfordshire’s ‘Hidden Histories’ is a partnership project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and led by Hertfordshire Archives, investigating the links between Hertfordshire people, the slave trade and abolition.

Many African Caribbean people came to Hertfordshire before 1807, and have stories to tell. Hertfordshire people took part in the first mass human rights campaign, and were involved in the fight for freedom in Britain, the West Indies and America. Museums, archives, libraries, and community organisations in Hertfordshire will be working together during 2007 to find out more from primary sources, and give a voice to those whose stories have not been heard:

• More information and details of events and workshops

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