Please note: these resources pre-date the 2014 National Curriculum. For more recent resources on Transition KS2-KS3 please see:

• Transition KS2–KS3 (Primary History article, 2021)
• Smooth Transitions: Key Stage 2 to 3 (Primary History article, 2020)
• Transition Key Stage 2 and 3 (Primary History article, 2016)
• Before 1066 & All That: Transition between KS2 & KS3 (HA Guide, 2014)

Key Stage 2-3 History Transition Project 2005

The units and resources in this area come from the Historical Association's 2005 Key Stage 2-3 History Transition Project. These resources have been relocated from the History Transition website and are meant to be resource for teachers of history in primary and secondary schools and others in the history education community. It consists of three types of resource:

• Text summaries of five training sessions for primary and secondary teachers involved in this project, designed to help raise standards in Year 6 history lessons at the end of Key Stage 2 as preparation for Key Stage 3. The summaries incorporate video clips and training resources. (See links to training sessions below)
• Eight schemes of work for Year 6 history lessons written collaboratively in clusters by groups of primary and secondary teachers. The schemes of work incorporate video clips of teaching, resources, links and examples of pupils' work. (See links to schemes of work below)
• A final report summarising the main findings of the project (attached at the end of this page).

What Were The Aims Of The Project?

• To raise standards in Year 6 history lessons at the end of Key Stage 2 as preparation for Key Stage 3 history.
• To challenge the level of work undertaken in some Key Stage 3 history classrooms by demonstrating what Year 6 pupils are capable of achieving.
• To spread the best practice of Key Stage 3 history in the areas of historical interpretation; use of ICT and application of literacy to Key Stage 2 history.
• To produce and disseminate nine exemplary schemes of work for use in Year 6 history lessons by either primary or secondary teachers (or as a combination of both teaching together).
• To produce summaries of the training sessions, which inspired the schemes of work, for dissemination.

About the Training Sessions

The first day of training to launch the Historical Associations' Key Stage 2-3 History Transition Project was held at Buckden Towers, near Huntingdon, in January 2005. The three secondary and nine primary teachers involved in the project heard three training sessions which inspired the schemes of work on this website.

The training sessions were given by Dr Michael Riley, Dr Terry Haydn, Chirstine Counsell, Andrew Wrenn and Dr Tim Lomas. 

• Transition training session 1: Historical Enquiries & Interpretations
• Transition training session 2: Using ICT in the teaching of history
• Transition training session 3: Extended writing in history
• Transition training session 4: Joan of Arc - Saint, Witch or Warrior
• Transition training session 5: What makes good primary history?

About the Schemes of Work

The Cambridgeshire secondary history teachers worked in a cluster with three colleagues from feeder primaries to produce a history scheme of work for a year 6 class. The schemes of work were drafted over two days at Hemingford Grey House, near Huntingdon. They were trialled after SATs in June and July 2005 and filmed (unrehearsed) by Andrew Wrenn, Alf Wilkinson and Paul Sutton. The video clips were edited by Paul Sutton. Each scheme of work (set out in the familiar QCA style) was based on prior learning already covered by the particular school for Key Stage 2 history in year 6 and extended this with a focus in depth on an issue of historical interpretation.

• Year 6 scheme of work: Was Boudicca Britain's first hero?
• Year 6 scheme of work: Interpretation and poor Victorian children
• Year 6 scheme of work: The New Elizabethans 
• Year 6 scheme of work: How cruel were the Victorians?
• Year 6 scheme of work: Living museums and Victorian Britain
• Year 6 scheme of work: Myths and War Evacuees

The project was steered and edited on behalf of the Historical Association by Andrew Wrenn, General Adviser for History, Cambridgeshire Advisory Service. It was funded by the Innovation Unit of the Department for Education and Skills.