Although many Year 2 teachers feel that they would like a break from teaching Florence Nightingale in history at KS1, they cannot deny that she does indisputably provide an excellent context for the development of a variety of important skills and concepts in history. Pupils learn about sequence, duration and consequences. They can appreciate that there are different interpretations of Florence Nightingale and can, through role play, appreciate the different attitudes people had towards her in the past.
There are a wide range of lessons here to feed the wide demand and a downloadable planner in the medium term planning section. The one of the different stages of Florence’s life provides an excellent context for numeracy, so that children see the relative lengths of time Florence spent doing different things in her life.
Comparisons with Mary Seacole offer an excellent context for discussion of the theme of fairness, and pupils can be really creative in their work on how the contribution of the two women should be commemorated.
You have told us that you need more help on assessment at KS1. So we have now gone beyond principles, suggestions, actual tasks and mark schemes to assessing actual pieces of work. You may already have... 
This lesson was taught by Judith Holmes, of Awbridge Primary School, Hampshire. Judith has supplied QCA with a number of her high quality lessons and planning. They can be found in the 'History Matters/ It worked for me' part of the site. In this...
This simple task encourages children to spot the differences between Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole.
With a large A4 image of Florence on one side, and Mary Seacole on the other, you sit with a pack of cards which...
This lesson comes about two thirds of the way through the teaching programme of Florence Nightingale. At this point the children don't know about Mary. They quickly discover her achievements and then have to work out why it is that she is relatively unknown,...
