Castles - Unit Assessment

Year 1 students delve into the historical world of castles with a comprehensive unit assessment provided by Focus Education (UK) Ltd. The assessment seeks to evaluate their knowledge on various aspects of castles, their features, and their significance in history. The quiz format invites the young historians to identify real castles that can still be visited today, such as Windsor and Caernarfon Castle, while also discerning key structural elements of a castle, like the portcullis and drawbridge. The assessment cleverly intertwines fairy tales, asking students to recognise stories that feature castles, thereby connecting literature with historical architecture.

The questionnaire further explores the reasons behind why castles were built, prompting students to consider their defensive and political roles in protecting people and helping kings control their lands. Pupils are challenged to identify the distinct characteristics of a Motte and Bailey castle and to name the residents of a castle in the olden days, such as a constable or a lord. The assessment also includes questions about the purpose of a moat and the historical figure responsible for introducing castles to England. Additionally, students are asked to identify English and Scottish castles, testing their geographical knowledge. The unit concludes with disciplinary questions that encourage students to analyse photographs of castles and deduce how certain features, like moats and the design of Motte and Bailey castles, contributed to defence strategies in historical times.