Scheme of Work: King John

Subject: History | Year: 7

Class/Set: ____________ Date/Term: ____________

Intent: Students will critically evaluate the reign of King John, analysing his conflicts with the Church and the Barons to determine whether his reputation as a 'bad king' is historically justified.

Timeframe / Lesson	Lesson Title	Learning Objective (LO)	Key Activities / Assessment
Lesson 1	The Angevin Empire	To understand the extent of the lands John inherited.	Analyse: A map of the Angevin Empire in 1199. Compare: The personalities and reputations of Richard I and King John. Identify: The geographical challenges of ruling England and French territories simultaneously.
Lesson 2	Medieval Chronicles	To evaluate the reliability of contemporary sources.	Examine: Excerpts from chroniclers such as Matthew Paris and Roger of Wendover. Discuss: Why medieval monks might have held a bias against John. Define: The 'Tier 3' concept of historical interpretations.
Lesson 3	Conflict with the Pope	To explain the causes and consequences of the Interdict.	Explain: The dispute between John and Pope Innocent III over the Archbishop of Canterbury. Sequence: The timeline of the Interdict (1208) and John's excommunication. Describe: The impact of closed churches on the medieval population.
Lesson 4	Mid-Unit Assessment	To demonstrate knowledge of John’s early reign.	Assess: Formative source investigation. Task: "How useful are Sources A and B for an inquiry into King John's personality?" (Focus on provenance and content).
Lesson 5	The Road to Runnymede	To investigate why the Barons rebelled.	Research: The financial burden of 'scutage' (shield money) and failed wars in France. Categorise: The grievances of the Barons into political, financial, and personal factors. Model: The tension between the King and the nobility.
Lesson 6	Magna Carta (1215)	To analyse the significance of the 'Great Charter'.	Examine: Key clauses (e.g., Clause 39 regarding 'lawful judgment by peers'). Evaluate: Which social groups actually benefited from the charter at the time. Debate: Was the Magna Carta a victory for democracy or just for the Barons?
Lesson 7	Civil War and Death	To outline the final years of John's reign.	Describe: The First Barons' War and the invitation to Prince Louis of France. Narrate: The loss of the Crown Jewels in the Wash and John's death at Newark. Map: The fragmented state of England in 1216.
Lesson 8	The Verdict	To synthesise evidence into a formal historical argument.	Construct: A formal PEEL paragraph answering: "To what extent was King John a failure?" Review: Re-evaluate the 'Bad King' myth using evidence from the unit. Summarise: John's legacy regarding the English legal system.

Resources Needed:

• Maps of the Angevin Empire and 13th-century France.
• Transcripts of the Magna Carta (simplified for Year 7).
• Extracts from the 'Chronica Majora' (Matthew Paris).
• Comparison table for King Richard vs King John.

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⚠ TEACHER’S GUIDANCE

• 👑 Pedagogical Opportunity: Use this unit to bridge the gap between Key Stage 2 narrative-style history and Key Stage 3 analytical history. Encourage students to move beyond "John was mean" to "John’s administrative and fiscal policies alienated the political nation."
• 📜 Source Literacy: Year 7 students often struggle with the idea that primary sources can be 'wrong'. Spend additional time in Lesson 2 discussing why Matthew Paris (a monk) would be motivated to portray John negatively after the Interdict.
• ⚔️ Differentiation (GDS/SEND):
  • Support: Provide a 'word bank' for the Interdict lesson, defining complex terms like excommunication and chancellor.
  • Challenge: Ask 'Greater Depth' students to compare the Magna Carta to modern 'British Values', specifically the Rule of Law.
• ⚠️ Safeguarding & Nuance: When discussing medieval punishments or the Interdict, ensure students understand the high level of religiosity in the 13th century to avoid modern-day secular dismissal of the Pope's power.

Teacher's Key & Mirror-Labeling:

• Lesson 1 Answer: The Angevin Empire spanned from the Scottish border to the Pyrenees. John inherited it in a state of fiscal exhaustion following Richard I's crusades.
• Lesson 2 Answer: Chroniclers were primarily monks; John’s clash with the Pope meant church-based writers were predisposed to vilify him.
• Lesson 3 Answer: The Interdict meant no Christian burials, baptisms, or marriages could take place, causing immense social and spiritual anxiety for the peasantry.
• Lesson 4 Answer: Assessment criteria should focus on identifying the 'origin' and 'purpose' of the sources provided.
• Lesson 5 Answer: Scutage was a tax paid in lieu of military service. John raised it 11 times in 15 years (1199–1214), far more than his predecessors.
• Lesson 6 Answer: Clause 39 is the foundation of Habeas Corpus. Initially, it only protected 'free men', excluding the vast majority of the serf population.
• Lesson 7 Answer: The 'Wash' is an estuary in East Anglia; the loss of the baggage train symbolised the total collapse of John’s military and financial authority.
• Lesson 8 Answer: A successful PEEL paragraph will acknowledge John's failures in war but might balance this with his efficiency in judicial administration or the impossible situation he inherited.