The Oxford History Teacher Network

This is a network for local history teachers, linking them to each other, to Oxford University Department of Education and to the wider university. This Network seeks to support teachers in three main ways :

1) By sharing information about school’s examination choices so that different departments following the same courses can seek advice from one another and plan together.

This list was created at the history teacher network conference in June 2015 by asking teachers present to list the    choices that they had made for A level and their current thinking about GCSE:

Schools exam choices for A level and GCSE (June 2015)

If you would like to add details of your own department’s choices please send them to katharine.burn@education.ox.ac.uk and they will be added to the database.

 

2) By running a series of small-scale projects/interest groups to work on specific projects or discuss shared issues of concern and trial new ways forward.

The three projects that will be running in 2015-16 are:

a) Task design – planning to teach the First World War. This builds on the project that David and Jason presented at the network conference in June. A particular emphasis in this second year will be on ensuring effective access and inclusion for lower attainers. If you would like to get involved, please email: jason.todd@education.ox.ac.uk

b) Life after Levels – This is a group interested in exploring possible approaches to Key Stage 3 assessment (and effective planning for progression) in light of the abolition of NC levels. It will examine alternative approaches being used and explore ways of working that accurately reflect the nature of progress in history while providing data in the format required by whole-school systems. If you would like to get involved please email: katharine.burn@education.ox.ac.uk

c) Planning and teaching the new A level specifications effectively – This group is exploring strategies for teaching A level effectively. It is not focused on any particular specification but is focusing on common challenges faced at A level (such as encouraging students to read more/more effectively; helping students recall knowledge effectively; teaching the full range of content effectively within the time available etc.) if you would like to get involved please email David Ingledew: ding8287@marlborough.oxon.sch.uk

 

3) By holding an annual conference in June. This includes presentations by leading historians (from within Oxford University and beyond) helping teachers to stay connected with current historical scholarship; reports from the small-scale projects and interest groups; lots of opportunities for networking.

The annual conference is hosted by St Hilda’s College and administrative support for the conference is provided by the Oxfordshire Teaching Schools Alliance (OTSA).

The last conference, held on 19th June at St Hilda’s College, included:

  • Presentations by the three English examination boards on their new GCSE specifications :

OCR Guide to new GCSE ; AQA Guide to new GCSE ; Overview of all new GCSEs – Historical Association

  • A brief report by Sarah Copsey on a collaborative museum learning project ‘Stronger Together’ in which Matthew Arnold Academy had been involved.

Participants were also alerted to upcoming events at the Museum of the History of Science (http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/education/secondary/ ) at Pegasus Theatre (related to US Civil Rights – see ‘Rise Up on 25 September – http://www.pegasustheatre.org.uk/?post_type=shows&p=7386 ) and to the education potential of Waddesdon Manor (Email sarah.dewberry@waddesdon.org.uk )

 

Co-ordination and Membership of the Network

The network is coordinated by a steering committee involving the history tutors from OUDE (Katharine Burn and Jason Todd) and teachers from a number of partnership schools.

Current members include David Ingledew (Marlborough School), Chris Skerry (St Gregory the Great), David Hibbert and Tracy d’Arcy (Cheney School).

If you would like to join the steering committee or find out more about network please contact: katharine.burn@education.ox.ac.uk

 

 

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