Key Stage 3

Developing practical skills in your curriculum

By Amanda Clegg and Karen Collins Did your students struggle to answer practical based questions in the recent GCSE and A level examinations? How many of us have been in a practical lesson where a student has asked ‘Is this right?’ or ‘What do I do next?’ despite having a… Read More

The Long Shadow of Suffocating Injustice 

As the third anniversary of the murder of George Floyd arrives this week, thoughts will turn to how to use his story in assemblies and lessons about racial justice and the role of the police. Fundamentally, we need to encourage students to explore questions about the wider context of his… Read More

Black British History – Hidden faces, important stories

Black people have played key roles in shaping British history for centuries, but all too often their stories and contributions have been forgotten or overlooked. To mark Local History Month, we are highlighting some of the incredible people included in our Black British History KS3 Teacher Resource Pack… Read More

Empower your students to thrive in a changing world

Ed Walsh explores how you can inspire students to pursue STEM careers and the value of integrating career discussions into your teaching. Why is it important to start talking about careers in Key Stage 3? Students may start to make decisions about KS4 subjects that will affect their future… Read More

Beyond the traditional boycott narrative – time for change, action not words

In December 1955 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat when asked. All the other Black people on the bus complied but she did not. The image of a quiet respectable old lady sits comfortably in the collective popular imagination of the civil rights movement. This simple narrative… Read More

Global history broadens horizons

Laura Aitken-Burt, co-author of Knowing History second edition, explains the importance of teaching global history to your students, and how you can integrate this into your KS3 curriculum. Why is it crucial that all students learn about global history? History should be about broadening horizons, widening perspectives and giving… Read More

How to develop brilliant reading at KS3

Reading is in vogue at the moment – and rightly so! Several factors have raised the priority of reading in schools. The number of students reading at home has slowly dwindled as the number of distractions has dramatically increased. Alongside this, the GCSE changes have also increased KS3 reading demand… Read More

How to develop brilliant reading at KS3

Reading is in vogue at the moment – and rightly so! Several factors have raised the priority of reading in schools. The number of students reading at home has slowly dwindled as the number of distractions has dramatically increased. Alongside this, the GCSE changes have also increased KS3 reading demand… Read More

Leaping across the writing gap: building resilience and independence at KS3

The impact of the disrupted nature of the last few years is perhaps most felt on the continuity which is key to progression. It is surely harder than ever to get a sense of just what level students transition with from the primary phase, given the gaps in learning and… Read More

Thinking about Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee

What can the history of our rulers teach us about Black British History? By Teni Oladehin Queen Elizabeth II. Born Elizabeth Alexandria Mary Windsor on 21st April 1926, crowned Queen of England 6th February 1952. As of 2015, she became the longest reigning monarch in British History. Now – we… Read More