Secondary History Lessons Come Alive!

The English Civil War and The New Model Army

Year 8s learnt about the New Model Army, led by Oliver Cromwell who improved the failing Parliamentarians´army against the Royalists in the English Civil War. They discovered lots of interesting facts about how harsh the punishments were for desertion and blasphemy, and the strict code of conduct they had to adhere to. The soldiers were chosen according to their beliefs and values rather than their wealth and status, which had been the norm until now.

The Year 8s wrote and delivered a speech in costume convincing a mob of men to join the army: “Are you tough enough?”, and “Do you want to fight for what you believe in?”.

Tomorrow we´ll discover what happens next when the Parliamentarians win the war: what do they decide to do with the King? Off with his head? Or let him escape imprisonment again? And who will replace the monarch?

A court case ensues a drama activity that includes all the details of King Charles I´s famous trial…and execution!

We can´t wait until the next History lesson!