Roman Britain Withdrawal

Overview

This 60-minute lesson explores the reasons behind the Roman withdrawal from Britain around AD 410, the ensuing impacts, and the Anglo-Saxon takeover. It aligns with the National Curriculum for History (England) for Key Stage 2, focusing on developing pupils’ ability to explain changes over time using historical concepts such as empire, collapse, and legacy.

National Curriculum Links

• History Programme of Study for Key Stage 2:
  • Pupils should be taught about: The Roman withdrawal from Britain and the fall of the western Roman Empire.
  • Chronological understanding: Place events from period studied on a timeline.
  • Knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes: Understand social, religious, political, technological and cultural changes during the period.
  • Historical concepts: Understand and use terms such as empire, collapse, instability, legacy, transition.
• Legal and Social History:
  • Understand rule of law and how laws evolved from Roman to Anglo-Saxon rule.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

1. Describe the main reasons why the Romans left Britain in c. AD 410.
2. Date the Roman withdrawal accurately and place it on a timeline.
3. Explain the concept of empire collapse and instability.
4. Identify how the Anglo-Saxons took over Britain and where they came from.
5. Compare and contrast Roman and Anglo-Saxon laws to understand legal transition and rule of law.
6. Use historical vocabulary appropriately: withdrawal, empire, collapse, instability, legacy, transition.

Resources Needed

• Large timeline poster (covering c. AD 0 – 600)
• Image/photo cards showing Roman Britain, the withdrawing Roman army, Anglo-Saxon settlers
• Sources: simplified Roman and Anglo-Saxon law codes (short extracts)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Worksheets for timeline activity and law comparison
• Audio-visual clip (3-4 minutes) summarising Roman withdrawal and fall of western empire (teacher-led)
• Envelopes with key vocabulary cards

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Starter quiz: Quickfire questions on Roman Britain (e.g., who ruled it? What was life like?), activating prior knowledge.
• Explain learning objectives with child-friendly language.
• Show the timeline poster; point out key dates: Roman invasion c. AD 43, Roman withdrawal c. AD 410, start of Anglo-Saxon period.
• Introduce key vocabulary: withdrawal, empire, collapse, instability, legacy, transition.
• Vocabulary cards distributed in envelopes. Pupils discuss in pairs what they think each term means before class discussion.

2. Teacher Input / Whole Class Teaching (15 minutes)

• Show a brief AV clip explaining:
  • The size and power of the Roman Empire.
  • Political instability and pressures on the Empire (barbarian invasions, economic difficulties).
  • Specific reasons for Roman withdrawal from Britain.
  • What happened immediately after Romans left.
• Use a mapped diagram to show where Anglo-Saxons came from (Germany, Denmark, Netherlands).
• Discuss: How did the withdrawal create instability in Britain?
• Introduce short extracts of Roman law vs Anglo-Saxon law to emphasise change in legal systems and the idea of rule of law.

3. Guided Work: Timeline and Sorting Activity (15 minutes)

• Pupils work in small groups (4 groups of 8) to place event cards on the large classroom timeline.
  • Events: Roman withdrawal, barbarian invasions, Anglo-Saxon arrival, fall of Roman Empire globally.
• Groups then sort law extracts into ‘Roman’ or ‘Anglo-Saxon’ to discuss changes in rulings and justice.
• Circulate to support group discussions, prompt with questions like:
  • Why might Romans have left?
  • How did Anglo-Saxon laws differ?
  • What impact would the Roman legacy have on Anglo-Saxon Britain?

4. Independent Task: ‘Imagine You Are…’ Writing (15 minutes)

• Pupils write a short historical diary entry from the perspective of:
  • A Roman soldier leaving Britain.
  • An Anglo-Saxon settler arriving.
• Instructions:
  • Use at least three key vocabulary words learned.
  • Include details on their feelings about the changes (instability, legacy, transition).
  • Consider social and political changes.

5. Plenary and Assessment (10 minutes)

• Voluntary sharing of diary entries for peer feedback.
• Recap quiz using mini whiteboards:
  • Define 'withdrawal'.
  • When did Romans leave Britain?
  • Name one reason why.
  • Who took over Britain next?
  • Give one difference between Roman and Anglo-Saxon law.
• Teacher assesses understanding through pupil responses, diary content and timeline placements.

Differentiation

• Support sheets with sentence starters for writing.
• Vocabulary matched with images for EAL or SEND pupils.
• Extension challenge: Research one aspect of Roman legacy that influenced Anglo-Saxon Britain.

Assessment for Learning

• Continuous assessment through questioning and group discussions.
• Mark diary entries with a focus on inclusion of key vocabulary and conceptual understanding.
• Evaluate timeline and law sorting for historical accuracy.

Cross-Curricular Links

• English: Diary writing enhances narrative skills.
• PSHE: Discussion of social instability and community responses.
• Geography: Map use identifying Anglo-Saxon homelands.

---

By embedding historical concepts, active participation, and creative writing, this lesson delivers a rich, curriculum-compliant experience bringing Britain’s Roman withdrawal vividly to life for Year 6 pupils.