Transcript History training pack

Ofsted’s subject professional development materials:
History
A training resource for
teachers of history in
secondary schools
2012
Slide 1 of 33
About this resource

Ofsted publishes a number of subject surveys every
year. They look at developments in a specific
subject over the previous three years, based on
specialist inspectors’ visits to a range of schools.

This resource has been put together to help
teachers in secondary schools reflect on the main
messages from the history report History for all’
published in March 2011.

Subject leaders should take time to go through the
resource prior to using it in a meeting. This will help
you to appreciate that everything in it cannot be
covered in one session. It is far better to select the
issues which match your priorities and to allocate
time accordingly.

At certain points, specific questions are suggested
for discussion. They are to help you focus on your
own practice.

We will start with a short quiz about history to help
you think about what you know of history teaching
today.
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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Quiz
Some questions on history at
GCSE and AS/A2
GCSE history questions
1.
How many students sat GCSE history (full course) in
2010 in England?
2.
In relation to numbers of students taking subjects at
GCSE, history comes in the top 10 of subjects, but
where precisely in the top 10 for 2010 does it sit?
3.
What proportion of students in 2010 took history at
GCSE in:
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
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4.
maintained schools?
independent schools?
academies?
What proportion of students gained at least a grade C
in GCSE history in 2010?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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GCSE history answers
1.
How many students sat GCSE history (full course) in 2010 in England?
198,200
2.
In relation to numbers of students taking subjects at GCSE, history comes in the
top 10 of subjects, but where precisely in the top 10 for 2010 does it sit?
Second, behind design technology, all options combined
3.
What proportion of students in 2010 took history at GCSE in:

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
4.
maintained schools? 30%
independent schools? 48%
academies? 20%
What proportion of students gained at least a grade C in GCSE history in 2010?
70%
Discussion point
Now answer the questions for your school. If your school differs from the
national average, why do you think this is the case?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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Post-16 history questions
1.
How many students took history in 2010 in England


2.
3.
at AS level?
at A level?
Is the trend of entries for history at A level rising or
falling?
What proportion of students taking A level history in
2010 gained grades B and above?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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Post-16 history answers
1.
2.
How many students took history in 2010 in England
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
at AS level? 48,000
at A level? 45,100
Is the trend of entries for history at A level rising or falling?
Rising
3.
What proportion of students taking A level history in 2010 gained grades B and
above?
56%
Discussion point
Again, answer the questions for your school. If your school differs from
the national average, why do you think this is the case?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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One last question
At what age can students give up history in England?
Is it…
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at the age of 13?
at the end of Key Stage 3?
at the end of Year 9?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
Slide 8 of 33
Answer
At what age can students give up history in England?
Is it…



at the age of 13?
at the end of Key Stage 3? Correct – whenever that may be.
at the end of Year 9?
Discussion points
1.
When do students in your school give up history?
2.
What particular problems does this pose for you in ensuring that you
cover the full programmes of study at Key Stage 3?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
Slide 9 of 33
Overview
This training looks at five issues considered in the report.
It poses questions for discussion and provides some of the
commentary from the report. The questions covered are:

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How popular is history in your school?
What history don’t you teach and why don’t you
teach it?
How can you ensure the most effective teaching in
history?
How can you ensure the best learning in history?
How effectively do you meet the subject-specific
history training needs of the teachers in your
school?
You can take the issues in any order and spend as long as
you like on each one. However, we suggest that at some
stage you find time to look at all five.
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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Issue 1
How popular is history in your school?
How popular is history in your school?
History is a popular subject in schools. We know this
because students told us so.
Discussion points
1.
How popular is history in your school? Apart from
option choices, how do you know?
2.
What can you do to make history more popular
and to engage more effectively with those
students who do not want to take the subject
beyond Key Stage 3?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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How popular is history in your school?
Students also told us they think history is important. In
our report, we link this to a key feature of the best history
subject leaders – ‘a well-articulated vision for history’.
Discussion points
1.
If you were to ask students in your school why
they were studying what they were studying in
history, what would their answer be? How do you
know?
2.
How do you explain the importance of history to
your students, especially the sceptical ones? What
do you or should you tell them?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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Issue 2
What history don’t you teach and why don’t you
teach it?
What history don’t you teach and why don’t
you teach it?
Politicians, academics and the media frequently complain that young people’s grasp
of history is poor. Recent newspaper headlines have included ‘No children, Hitler
came after 1066’ and ‘Trendy teaching is producing a generation of history
numbskulls’. It is also alleged that too little British history is taught in secondary
schools. As a result, it is claimed that students know very little about their country’s
history.
Discussion points
1.
Do your students leave school with a good grasp of the history they
have studied? How do you know?
2.
Are there any topics you ought to be teaching that you don’t? Why
don’t you teach them?
3.
What are you going to do about this and how are you going to fill the
gaps?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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What history don’t you teach and why don’t
you teach it?
Our evidence shows that the view that too little British history is taught in secondary
schools in England is a myth. Pupils in the schools visited studied a considerable
amount of British history and knew a great deal about the particular topics covered.
However, the large majority of the time was spent on English history rather than
wider British history.
The report recommends that secondary schools should ensure that pupils have a
greater understanding of the history of the interrelationships of the different
countries that comprise the British Isles.
Discussion points
1.
Do you teach British history or English history?
2.
What changes do you need to make to your schemes of work to
implement this recommendation?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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Issue 3
How can you ensure the most effective teaching in
history?
How can you ensure the most effective
teaching in history?
Activity
Write down three ways in which you ensure effective
teaching in history. Please make sure you are specific
about history and that you do not rely on generic aspects
of effective teaching.
Discussion point
Discuss these lists with your immediate colleague and
with the group.
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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How can you ensure the most effective
teaching in history?
Activity
Look at the next slide. It gives a list of many of the
characteristics of highly effective teaching. This list was
included in the report.
Discussion point
Did you and your colleagues identify all the points
given?
As a group and/or as individuals, select the top three
things you need to concentrate on to improve teaching
and to make it even better in your school.
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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How can you ensure the most effective
teaching in history?
The characteristics of highly effective teaching in history include:
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the development of historical thinking, analysis and evaluation at the heart of the lesson
rather than as an afterthought at the end
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a climate of historical enquiry in which trying to find the right answer really matters to the
students and where they develop an understanding of the complexities of the past
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teachers’ excellent subject knowledge, clear exposition and judicious selection of teaching
strategies, including the use of ICT
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a high level of challenge which obliges students to make well-considered judgements based
on historical evidence that is robust and increasingly broad in its range
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high-quality activities: students are engaged in presenting and developing ideas, arguing
about the past and re-evaluating their historical thinking in the light of what they have been
learning
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sufficient opportunities for students to listen, discuss and debate historical questions and to
respond thoughtfully so that others could comment
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out-of-classroom activities for all students that enrich learning in history
careful monitoring of progress by teachers during lessons and regular assessment, including
peer- and self-assessment, which enables students to know how well they are doing and
what they have to do to improve in history.
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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Issue 4
How can you ensure the best learning in history?
How can you ensure the best learning in
history?
Activity
Study these paragraphs from the report:

The best learning in history took place when the teaching developed pupils’
historical knowledge and historical thinking and, as a result, enabled them to
show their historical understanding. Historical thinking demands the ability to
investigate, consider, reflect and review the events of the past. Consequently,
pupils acquired historical knowledge which they learnt to communicate in an
increasingly sophisticated way. Their historical understanding was revealed in
the way that they communicated the developments they had studied.

Particularly effective practice was characterised by teachers who not only had
good subject knowledge, but also good subject pedagogy, that is, a good
understanding of how pupils learn in the subject. The most effective subject
pedagogy, which ensured high achievement in history, was shown by
teachers whose approach focused on well-structured enquiry,
embracing independent thinking and learning.
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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How can you ensure the best learning in
history?
Discussion points
1.
How do you structure students’ learning in history?

Think about an effective historical enquiry you have recently undertaken
with a class at Key Stage 3. What made this enquiry effective? Jot down
the three key characteristics that made this enquiry effective.
2.
Discuss the characteristics you have selected with your colleagues.

Do you all agree?
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Do your colleagues do anything in their lessons when the students are
undertaking enquires that you do not do?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
Slide 23 of 33
How can you ensure the best learning in
history?
Activity
Read the following slide about the way in which teachers
developed pupils’ enquiry skills in history in the best
lessons observed by inspectors.
Discussion points
1.
Do your historical enquiries encompass all these
points?
2.
Which ones do you not do?
3.
How might you now amend future enquiries to
ensure that your pupils experience the best
learning in history?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
Slide 24 of 33
How can you ensure the best learning in
history?
The report noted that, in the very best lessons seen, teachers developed pupils’
enquiry skills by:
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providing a clear framework and sense of direction for the investigation
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ensuring that research activities were matched by high levels of cognitive
challenge
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encouraging students to think for themselves and giving them sufficient time to
consider what they were studying and what this told them about, for example,
the importance of an event, or the consequences of an action
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maintaining a relentless focus on subject-specific thinking that helped to
develop students’ willingness to pose high-quality historical questions, propose
hypotheses about the past and work things out for themselves.
controlling the scope of students’ expectations and encouraging them to identify
and pursue valid lines of enquiry
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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Issue 5
How effectively do you meet the training
needs of all the teachers who teach
history in your school?
How effectively do you meet the subjectspecific history training needs of the teachers
in your school?
In this section we are going to look at the importance of meeting the training needs
of all the teachers who teach history in your school, specialists and non-specialists.
We are also going to consider how well you use:
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
the expertise available in neighbouring schools to improve history in your school
the expertise available in your school to help your neighbouring schools.
Discussion points
1.
How do you and your colleagues who are subject specialists keep
yourselves up to date on history? Jot down the three main ways you
do this.
2.
How do you meet the training needs of the non-specialists who teach
history in your school? Again, jot down the three main ways you do
this.
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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How effectively do you meet the subjectspecific history training needs of the teachers
in your school?
Consider this list of some of the characteristics of good or outstanding professional
development seen in the schools visited:
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regular in-house training involving subject-specific sessions
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regular use of membership of the Historical Association (including its magazines
and monthly newsletters for secondary teachers and its online professional
development guidance)
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attendance at training sessions by examination boards
high-quality, external subject-specific training that was shared systematically and
comprehensively with colleagues in school
active encouragement of teachers to become examiners and moderators at GCSE
and/or A level and to use the expertise gained in school to help students and
teachers.
Discussion point
Compare this list with your own lists. Which of these approaches have you
used in the last year? If you are not doing any of our examples, what are
you doing to ensure improvement?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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How effectively do you meet the subjectspecific history training needs of the teachers
in your school?
In the report we noted that the most effective departments were aware of training
needs, recognised the importance of self-help and had effective links with
neighbouring schools, either within a local cluster or as part of a local authority
network. Examples of good practice included teachers:

deciding to make links with a local school for the purposes of improving
moderation of assessments at Key Stage 3
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combining with colleagues in other schools in the area who taught the same
examination course to invite the Chief Examiner to conduct a training session
about their concerns in preparing students for the examination
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using their own expertise in joining teachers from neighbouring schools to
discuss concerns and advise each other, following a survey of what training they
might offer
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taking opportunities to observe colleagues teaching, in their own school and in
neighbouring schools.
Discussion point
Which of these approaches have you used in the last year?
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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How effectively do you meet the subjectspecific history training needs of the
teachers in your school?
The report recommends that all schools should develop
formal and informal networks, clusters and federations to
provide greater opportunities for teachers of history to
work together on subject-specific training.
Discussion point
What more can you do to improve training for specialists
and non-specialists in your school and to support your
neighbouring schools, especially the primary schools, that
is appropriate and cost-effective?
For example, do you know the best departments for
history teaching within a 10- or 20-mile radius of your
school? Ofsted publishes lists of schools that have been
judged to be outstanding in subject surveys. You can
access this list at: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/schools/forschools/about-our-survey-reports
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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Summary and conclusion
Summary task
Please consider this question as your summary task:
Discussion point
What three priorities and accompanying actions do
you now have for improving history in your school as a
result of the discussions in which you have just been
engaged?
To help you in this, we suggest you look at the specific
criteria we use to judge history on subject inspections. You
can find this material on Ofsted’s website:
www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/generic-grade-descriptorsand-supplementary-subject-specific-guidance-forinspectors-making-judgements
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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Conclusion
We hope you have found this resource helpful in
prompting discussion about how to improve provision and
outcomes for young people in history in your school.
There is much more in the History for all report, which can
be found on Ofsted’s website:
www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/090223
You will also find examples of good practice on Ofsted’s
website: www.goodpractice.ofsted.gov.uk
We welcome comments on this training resource. Please
write to [email protected] and ensure that you put
‘History Professional Development Materials’ in the subject
box of your email.
Ofsted’s subject professional development materials: history (secondary schools)
January 2012
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