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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

Following on from our HA talk in May, @petejackson.bsky.social and I have written a blog post on writing and using well-researched stories for GCSE History. Please do check it out! open.substack.com/pub/benbasse...

open.substack.com

Making GCSE History Memorable

How historical stories can capture attention, deepen knowledge, and sharpen curriculum focus. (This post will also appear on Pete Jackson's substack)

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 14/09/2025

Everyone really needs to read this awesome blog post from @petejackson.bsky.social - it neatly summarises a lot of the strategies to be thinking about at the start of this new academic year. Go check it out!

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

I really enjoyed recording this podcast episode - I hope you all enjoy this episode and find our discussion useful! 😊 we discuss writing and using well-research and well written stories at GCSE and the importance of hinterland knowledge, world-building and key takeaways. Enjoy!

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

I LOVED recording this episode for the Reteach podcast this morning! we talked all about our collaboration on writing stories for GCSE history and there's even some storytelling! Be sure to listen when it's released 🎉🎉

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

On the way back from the HA Conference feeling incredibly energised & inspired. Real privilege to deliver a session with Pete on the power of stories at GCSE. It was so great to meet new and familiar faces & engage in fantastic curricular conversations. I LOVE our history community! #haconf25

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Pete Jackson @petejackson.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

Putting the final touches today to our HA Conference presentation on historical stories with @benbassett.bsky.social - really looking forward to sharing our work on this not least reflecting on the journey we've had using stories and reflecting on some of the mistakes we've made. #historyteacher

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

I'm looking forward to our talk at this year's HA conference. Super proud to reflect on how far we've come and how much we've learned. Excited to share practical advice, realistic next steps for history teachers, and to see familiar faces. I love the history teaching community! #haconf2025

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Absolutely loved writing this with @petejackson.bsky.social - my students really enjoyed this one!

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Pete Jackson @petejackson.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

Enjoyed using story of Audrey Hepburn today to teach the story of the Netherlands in WW2. The task of getting students to focus on their key takeaways from the story worked so well to really get students to think how they could the story as evidence for the Dutch experience in WW2 #historyteacher

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Had an absolutely fantastic time speaking about our use of stories at history GCSE! Thanks to @ttrhistory.bsky.social for inviting me and to all the lovely attendees!

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Teachers Talk History @ttrhistory.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

@benbassett.bsky.social talking about the magic of stories in the #TTRConnect History strand.

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Fantastic story from @petejackson.bsky.social yet again! Absolutely loved seeing how this story evolved and I LOVE the ending!

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Pete Jackson @petejackson.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Story of Thomas Tresham to teach OCRB Catholics - v. excited to teach this. Thanks to @benbassett.bsky.social for the fab collaboration and shout out to amazing historian @jessiechilds.bsky.social whose briliant book God's Traitors and amazing History Extra podcast inspired this. #historyteacher

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Thrilled to share that I’ve been accepted onto the MSc in Learning and Teaching at the University of Oxford, starting this September! As the first in my family to attend university, this feels even more special. Excited for the journey ahead!

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

Super pleased to have finished another story (in collab w/ the fantastic @petejackson.bsky.social) for our GCSE Nazi enquiry. I can't wait to teach this after half term! We are always open to feedback! @hughrichards.bsky.social @counsellc.bsky.social

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Another story from my collaboration with @petejackson.bsky.social - have already taught this one and it went down really well with my students. Also thanks to @helenpins.bsky.social for the fantastic book recommendation. All feedback is welcome and I hope others find this useful too!

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Really pleased to share this story on Sophie Scholl for our OCR GCSE Nazi unit. Loved researching and writing for this one and collaborating with the wonderful @petejackson.bsky.social. I hope you all like it!

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

Super excited to be presenting at the @histassoc.bsky.social conference in Liverpool with @petejackson.bsky.social on our historical story-based approach to teaching the GCSE. I have really enjoyed collaborating on this, and it has really helped my students so I can't wait to share more!

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Pete Jackson @petejackson.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

Really looking forward to the @histassoc.bsky.social Conference in May in Liverpool. Delighted to be presenting about using historical stories at GCSE and the collaboration with @benbassett.bsky.social #historyteacher

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Pete Jackson @petejackson.bsky.social · 05/01/2025

Done some revisions on our British Empire assessment - I've shared some of my thinking around it too. I've really stripped back the advice on historical writing within the assessment to reduce cog. overload and allow more freedom in the writing - 'low floor-high ceiling' the mantra #historyteacher

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

Another really enjoyable collaboration with @petejackson.bsky.social - had loads of fun suggesting edits on this one as I LOVED reading extracts from Thomas Platter's writings. Super important to us that we have the source material at the heart of our stories.

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Pete Jackson @petejackson.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Final revisions made to OCR B Bess of Hardwick story. Can't wait to teach this next week @benbassett.bsky.social Fantastic how you can really shape your own content when teaching OCR B - the freedom this gives you in planning an engaging GCSE curriculum is just fantastic. #historyteacher

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

I've really enjoyed collaborating with Pete on this one and can't wait to teach it!

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

100% agree with this and I'm really looking forward to writing more stories to tie together our Elizabethan course! Student feedback has been fantastic! Definitely could not have done this without @petejackson.bsky.social though!

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 30/09/2024

Absolutely loving collaborating with @petejackson.bsky.social on a set of stories for our GCSE enquiries on The Making of America. Really excited to share our latest story!

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 10/09/2024

Collaborating with the fantastic @petejackson.bsky.social on a set of stories for our OCR Making of America enquiries has been so enjoyable! Research for this story has mostly come from the Empire podcast 162. Greatly inspired by @counsellc.bsky.social et al! Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

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Ben Bassett @benbassett.bsky.social · 30/08/2024

It has been fantastic collaborating on the crafting of @petejackson.bsky.social story of Sacagawea! The students are going to love it. This is what the history community is all about!! #historyteacher

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