What's included in the KS2 Battle of Hastings Rise and Read resource and why is it useful?

KS2 Battle of Hastings Rise and Read is a set of four short reading sessions about the battle of 1066 and the fight for the English crown. The texts build on each other across the sessions, so children grow their knowledge of the Battle of Hastings while practising key reading skills.

Session 1: an information text about the year 1066, with retrieval and vocabulary questions

Session 2: a diary entry from one of King Harold's soldiers, with summary and inference questions

Session 3: a section of the Bayeux Tapestry, with retrieval and prediction questions

Session 4: an extract from a poem about the battle, with a find-and-copy question

How do our KS2 Rise and Read resources work?

Rise and Read gives children a quick and purposeful way to settle, refocus and get ready to learn through reading. Use a session as morning work, after break or following lunch to give pupils an immediate focus as they come into the classroom.

Display each session on your whiteboard for whole-class reading practice, guided reading or small-group intervention. The questions give children regular opportunities to explain, justify and discuss their ideas.

Across the four sessions, children meet a variety of text types and images while practising skills such as retrieval, vocabulary, inference and prediction. Assessment-style questions sit alongside less formal activities, giving regular practice without needing a full comprehension test.

We have a full range of Rise and Read resources for KS1 and KS2, covering famous people, significant historical events, festivals and celebrations, sporting events and other topical occasions throughout the year.