History · Year 5

Active learning ideas

Harold Godwinson: The Last Anglo-Saxon King

Active learning works for this topic because Year 5 students need to visualize three battles across vast distances, understand the physical toll on Harold’s army, and grasp how timing and endurance shaped the outcome. Moving beyond dates and names, these activities let students experience strategy, fatigue, and chance as real factors in history.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: History - Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England
• KS2: History - Significant Individuals

• 40–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 50 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Bayeux Tapestry

Provide groups with sections of the tapestry. They must 'read' the images to find clues about the battle: What weapons are they using? How can you tell the difference between a Norman and a Saxon? What happened to King Harold? They then create their own 'missing' panel for the tapestry.

Explain how Harold Godwinson became such a powerful figure in England.

Facilitation Tip

During Collaborative Investigation: The Bayeux Tapestry, assign small groups specific sections to decode so every student contributes to the whole-class reconstruction.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a member of the Witan in 1066. Who would you support for the throne and why?' Encourage students to reference Harold's past actions and the claims of others to justify their choice.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Simulation Game
• 40 min · Small Groups

Simulation Game: The Great March

On a large map of England, students move 'army' counters from London to York (Stamford Bridge) and then back down to Hastings. They must calculate the time taken and the 'exhaustion level' of the troops, discussing how this physical challenge affected the final battle at Hastings.

Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of Harold's claim to the throne.

Facilitation Tip

During Simulation: The Great March, give teams exactly 10 minutes to plan their route and pack supplies to mirror Harold’s real-time pressure.

What to look for

Provide students with a short list of statements about Harold Godwinson's rise to power. Ask them to identify each statement as true or false and provide a brief explanation for their answer, referencing specific historical details.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Formal Debate
• 45 min · Whole Class

Formal Debate: Why did William win?

Students are given four factors: The exhaustion of Harold's army, William's use of archers and cavalry, the 'fake retreat' tactic, and Harold's death. They must debate which factor was the most important, using evidence from the battle to support their argument.

Predict the challenges Harold would face as king in 1066.

Facilitation Tip

During Structured Debate: Why did William win?, provide sentence starters for claims and evidence to scaffold articulate responses.

What to look for

Ask students to write down two strengths and two weaknesses of Harold Godwinson's claim to the throne in 1066 on an index card. This checks their understanding of the competing claims and Harold's position.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should frame 1066 as a chain of events where luck and resilience mattered more than innate superiority. Avoid presenting Harold as a failed hero; instead, focus on the decisions and conditions that shaped his fate. Research shows that when students physically model events like marches and battles, they grasp the interplay of geography and human endurance better than from diagrams alone.

Successful learning looks like students connecting the sequence of battles to Harold’s exhaustion, weighing evidence to explain William’s victory, and articulating why 1066 was so pivotal. They should move from recalling facts to explaining cause and consequence using evidence from the activities.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Collaborative Investigation: The Bayeux Tapestry, watch for students assuming the tapestry shows only the Battle of Hastings.

  Point to specific panels showing the Viking ships and Stamford Bridge scene, then ask groups to locate and describe these sections to correct the misconception.

• During Structured Debate: Why did William win?, watch for students claiming the Normans were superior warriors.

  Prompt students to examine the debate evidence cards showing Harold’s long marches and William’s luck with wind delays, then ask them to revise their claims based on these turning points.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Simulation Game
• Formal Debate