Curriculum
HISTORY
Why study History?
Understanding past events and people and their significance gives students a better insight into the world around them. We believe in the importance of not just learning history but learning from history. The study of History equips pupils with the ability to critically analyse source material, assess the merits of different arguments, hone their debating skills, and recognise bias and propaganda.
How will I study History?
Pupils study History through big enquiry questions. Each enquiry covers a sequence of lessons. At the end of that sequence of lessons pupils are equipped to formulate their own answer to the enquiry. These are genuine historical debates amongst academic historians. Pupils learn historical concepts that are revisited regularly in different periods of time, locations and people allowing pupils to gain a deeper understanding. Alongside this, pupils learn to be historians developing their disciplinary knowledge understanding methods of historical enquiry, how evidence is used to make historical claims and understand why there are different interpretations of the past.
What will I study at Key Stage 3?
In Year 7, pupils explore historical enquiries that span the 24Bc-1603AD. A time of Emperors, Kings and crusades. This includes:
- Roman Empire.
- Norman England.
- Norman and Arab Sicily
- The Crusades
- The Tudor Religious rollercoaster
- Slavery
In Year 8, pupils move through the study of 1500AD-1918AD A time of tyranny, racism and the power of everyday people.
Pupils explore enquiries that cover:
- Empire
- The French Revolution
- Britain and the Partition of India
- The Russian Revolution
- The Suffragettes
- The Industrial revolution and the Real peaky Blinders
In Year 9, pupils move into the twentieth century to present day. Studying the worst of Mankind: War, Holocaust and Nuclear Armageddon. Historical enquiries explore:
- WW1
- The Rise of Hitler
- 1930s Europe
- The Cold War
- Heroes of Civil Rights
- A history of Medicine
What will I study at Key Stage 4?
At Key Stage 4, pupils take a Modern depth study on Germany 1890-1945. Pupils study Weimar and Nazi Germany. This covers the Weimar Republic, Hitler’s rise to power, Nazi control and dictatorship, life in Nazi Germany.
As a thematic study, pupils study Health and the British People c1000 to the present day. This explores ideas about:
- The improvement in Surgery, medicine and public health through the middle ages, Renaissance and post-industrial world.
As a British depth study, pupils explore early Norman England. They focus on the William’s conquest, government and religion, challenges to King William at home and abroad, and Norman society and the impact on law, order and the Church. They will also explore a specific Norman site in depth focusing on its historical context and examining the relationship between a specific place and associated historical events and developments.
In addition, pupils undertake a period study focusing on the inter war years. This covers the origins of the of WW2, attempts to reduce tension post WW1 and the collapse of the League of Nations.
Curriculum Overview
| Year 7 (27BC-1605) | Year 8 (1600-1918) | Year 9 (1900-2021) |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
| Year 10 (GCSE Paper 1) | Year 11 (GCSE Paper 2) |
|---|---|
|
Conflict and Tension 1918-1939
Germany 1890-1945
|
Britain Health and the people 1000-2021
The Normans
|
Assessment at Key Stage 3
Internal assessments take place every half-term.
Assessment at Key Stage 4
History AQA 8145
|
Overview |
Focus |
|
Written exam (2 hours) |
Section A: Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and dictatorship |
|
Overview |
Focus |
|
Written exam (2 hours) |
Section A: Norman England c1000-1080 |
|
Overview |
Focus |
|
Non exam assessed component |
Based on a topic of the student’s choice on a period of history spanning 100 years. |
KS4 Exam Board Specification: AQA GCSE History (8145)
Enrichment
The department offers a range of educational visits throughout the year. In lessons, History is brought to life through re-enactments, the exploration of artefacts, original film footage and model making. Pupils can take part in school-wide competitions to increase their engagement and enhance their subject knowledge. The department also puts on live History exhibitions bringing to life stories of the past through the display of food, culture, architectures, clothing, and art. Intervention sessions to consolidate prior learning and ensure maximum progress are at the heart of our delivery model.
Careers
The study of History can lead to future careers ranging from Politics, Law, Researcher, Museum Archivist and Journalist to Librarian, Business Consultant and Editor. Famous History graduates include Louis Theroux (documentary filmmaker, author), Jonathan Ross (TV presenter), Joe Biden (US President) and Gordon Brown (ex-British Prime Minister).