Reflecting on the quality of her pupils’ analyses of past diversity and complexity, Molly-Ann Navey was struck by the contrast with their writing geared to other types of disciplinary problem.  Navey therefore set out to develop entirely new sequences of lessons which would teach pupils to shape arguments about similarity and difference. This article details part of her department’s journey, beginning with a Year 8 enquiry on the home front in the First World War. Realising that the interplay of conceptually focused vocabulary and knowledge growth was not quite working, she tried again, this time with Year 9 and an enquiry on post-war Britain. Learning from the pitfalls of the first enquiry, Navey and her department were able to foster more independent, authentic and integrated writing in response to questions about similarity and difference...