Category Archives: History

Teaching the thematic study thematically: a small research project (pt 1)

Posted on February 4, 2019 by sallythorne

This blog post is very overdue. I spoke at ResearchEd Rugby last June and started writing it then, but – busy. So busy. However, I have more data now that Y11 have sat their mocks and it has prompted me … Continue reading →

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Supporting students with revision

Posted on April 8, 2018 by sallythorne

Thinking about when I have needed to revise for exams in the past, I am aware of various behaviours I exhibit that get in the way of any actual revision. I agonise over which parts I should be revising first. … Continue reading →

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#youreallyshouldteach…Interpretations of Abolition

Posted on March 17, 2018 by sallythorne

With the new A-level came a new coursework topic. I now offer my year 12s the option of writing their essay about the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which is particularly pertinent to the school’s context. Much reading ensued. Most of the … Continue reading →

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GCSE reading

Posted on January 16, 2018 by sallythorne

If I ever thought that history teacher Twitter was a bubble, history teacher Facebook reconfirms it every day. These groups are exceptionally helpful for sharing ideas, tips, resources and advice given by exam boards, but I must admit that I … Continue reading →

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#youreallyshouldteach…Emma of Normandy

Posted on December 9, 2017 by sallythorne

Last year, one of my favourite year 11s approached me at the end of the lesson and asked me if I’d ever heard of Emma of Normandy. Her gran has asked for a reading recommendation, she explained. I had not, … Continue reading →

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A Tale of Two Year 11s

Posted on March 5, 2017 by sallythorne

I inherited two year 11 groups upon my arrival at the new school. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. The best: sparky students, quicker relationship building due to seeing them more often, the promise … Continue reading →

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The Knowledge

Posted on December 13, 2016 by sallythorne

I’m coming clean now and admitting I thought the knowledge vs skills thing a false dichotomy (and an enormous distraction, but that’s for another time). This is a conclusion I came to after spending a great deal of time mystified as … Continue reading →

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#youreallyshouldteach…Vlad the Impaler

Posted on October 31, 2016 by sallythorne

Ben Newmark and Mike Stuchbery over on Twitter have been hoping to highlight some obscure bits of history that are worth teaching. I’m going to bang my Vlad the Impaler drum again. In my final year at university I took … Continue reading →

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Resources for revising Crime and Punishment

Posted on June 4, 2016 by sallythorne

Just reading back over my last blog post. “Less busy”, haha. Anyway, I have a couple of helpful things to share. The first is a set of Crime and Punishment flashcards I made for my Y11s. These are modelled on … Continue reading →

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Development Study: The British Diet Through Time

Posted on May 13, 2015 by sallythorne

I’ve written in brief about the development study we’ve taught in year 8 this year, here and here, where I explain my efforts to get students reading difficult sources. Having explained the annotated timeline assessment as part of the HA … Continue reading →

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