How was it used?

The resource was used as an introductory activity into why Henry VIII made himself Head of the Church.

• I wished to challenge pupils to find solutions for themselves.
• I also wished to use a stimulating and challenging activity to engage the pupils, to use prior knowledge to solve problems.
• Pupils worked in groups of three to sort Henry’s motives for becoming Head of the Church into four categories – Divorce, Power, Money and Son.
• The interactive PowerPoint resource was used to support the use of the paper resource that was available for download, as groups presented their ideas to the class after a period of discussion.
• Groups were chosen by me to ensure a mix of ability.  Small groups meant pupils were not afraid to give their opinions or make mistakes and therefore ensured inclusivity.
• More able and talented pupils were also put together to encourage debate and reasoning.
• Pupils provided each other with good peer support as it was they who ran the activity.
• At the end of the task pupils were asked to consider what they had learnt and whether a similar activity could be used in revision of other subjects covered.

Impact and Outcomes

• The activity allowed pupils to develop their learning, thinking and communication skills. Many pupils were able to communicate and extend their learning when pupils were asked to write extend responses.
• The pupils were very positive and enjoyed the challenges to problem solving offered through the use of interactive resources. This helped improve concentration and engagement.
• The use of more engaging visual resources ensured participation of pupils of various abilities.
• Pupils listened more attentively to their peers as co-operation and support was encouraged when pupils were engaged with interactive whiteboard activities. Pupils showed greater respect for others and were willing to wait their turn in answering questions knowing their opinion would be sought.
• Independent learning was encouraged as pupils were able work collaboratively without the involvement of the class teacher.
• More able and talented pupils were given the opportunity to develop lines of thinking and to present their ideas through verbal communication.
• Pupils were able to use the paper resources to complete an activity that required pupils to produce an extended written answer. The categorising of causes helped pupils structure their written responses.
• The activity did not need to be adapted and could be used as it was but could be added to any existing PowerPoint presentation. The functionality was also straightforward which meant it was easy for pupils to use.

Learner Feedback

“I liked the fact that I was able to give my opinion and that it was listened too.”

“At the end of the lesson I really understood why Henry did what he did and realised it was more than just about having a son.”

Lesson Learnt

Groups should be selected by the teacher to ensure a mix of ability ranges. Groups should not be too large; in fact I found three to be the right number to ensure involvement of all pupils. Ensure that a whole lesson is set aside for the activity.