History
Mission statement
Challenging assumptions and inspiring a passion for life-long learning through a knowledge-based, inclusive and enquiring curriculum
Curriculum Intent
The History curriculum across Key Stage 3 aims to ensure that all pupils:
- Have an emerging knowledge and understanding of the history of these islands as a clear and chronological narrative, from the Roman Empire to the end of the Second World War: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world.
- Have an emerging knowledge and understanding of the significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind
- Gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘democracy’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’
- Develop an emerging understanding of historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses
- Develop an emerging understanding the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed
- Develop an emerging historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short, medium and long-term timescales.
The History curriculum across Key Stage 4 aims to ensure that all students:
- Acquire a developing knowledge and understanding of the history of these islands as a clear, coherent, logical and chronological narrative, from Medicine and disease from the ancient times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation such as Elizabeth I and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world through a Depth Study of Germany 1919-1939 and Superpower Conflict 1941-1991.
- Develop a knowledge and understanding significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind
- gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘antibiotics’, ‘communism’, ‘absolute monarchy’, ‘dictatorship’ and ‘Fascism’
- Develop an understanding historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses
- Develop an emerging understanding of the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed
- Develop an historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short, medium and long-term timescales.
Key Stage 3
Year 7
Pupils are introduced to History at Key Stage 3 with a study of the Roman Empire. During the spring term Britain 1066-1500 becomes our focus with an in-depth study of the major features of Britain’s medieval past following the Norman Conquest. Year 7 is completed with a study of Islamic Civilisations. Pupils are introduced to a rich variety of sources to develop their historical skills, and a broad range of historical concepts to enhance their understanding of the past during the Medieval Period.
Year 8
The initial focus of this year 8 course is Britain 1500-1750. We concentrate upon the far-reaching political, social and religious changes that shaped early Modern Britain from the Tudor monarchy to the Civil War and English Republic. Pupils have the opportunity to deal with a range of historical sources and to develop their understanding of the nature of the subject. Later in the year, we study Britain 1750-1900, Public Health, and the impact of industrialisation on Britain and its increased involvement in the Slave Trade during the Early-Modern Period. We complete Year 8 with a Depth Study on Black Peoples of the Americas.
Year 9
Some pupils will not continue History beyond Year 9 so it is important that they are given an overview of the main events, personalities and developments which combine to shape both modern Britain and the 20th century world. We investigate the importance of the First World War and its consequences for those involved. We then move on to study both the social and political movements of the Twentieth century ranging from the fight for an independent Ireland, the Russian Revolution, and the rise of Adolf Hitler. The considerable amount of original film footage enables us to bring these issues to the pupils’ attention and stimulate their imagination and historical understanding, particularly during our study of the Modern Period.
Key Stage 4
The study of History at GCSE is thought-provoking, active and engaging. It gives you a deeper understanding of the world in which you live and help you to develop your skills of research, analysis and evaluation, which are particularly desirable skills at University. The topics studied have been purposefully chosen to compliment the specialities of the department as well as provide a valuable foundation for further potential study of the subject.
GCSE Examination - Edexcel
There are 3 papers to be examined.
Paper 1: Medicine in Britain 1250 to present including a study of the British sector of the Western Front: injuries, treatment and the trenches
There are 52 marks in total available with a time allowance of 1 hour and 15 minutes.
This paper assesses pupils’ ability to study thematically and use an historical environment.
Paper 2: This is divided into two topics –
Early Elizabethan England, 1558-88
Superpower Relations and the Cold War, 1941-91 (studied in Year 11)
There are 64 marks in total available with a time allowance of 1 hour and 45 minutes
This paper assesses pupils’ understanding of different time periods through examining British history.
Paper 3: Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-39 (studied in Year 11)
There are 52 marks in total available with a time allowance of 1 hour and 20 minutes
Assessment
Key Stage 3
All students complete a baseline assessment during the first two weeks of the Autumn Term. There are then 6 further formal assessments in each year covering the core skills in History including cause and consequence, source evaluation, interpretation and change and continuity. These assessments are marked using history levels, formative comments and recorded in the front of students books on their Assessment Sheets. One specific other task is also marked each half term using formative comments.
Key Stage 4
There are formal assessments at the end of each topic which are completed under exam conditions in class. These assessments are from past papers and marked using GCSE Grades, formative comments and recorded in the front of students books on their Assessment Sheets.
Key Stage 5
A Level students complete at least 2 formal assessments each half term which are generally completed under exam conditions in class. These assessments are from past papers and marked using A Level grades, formative comments and recorded on their Assessment Sheets.
Resources
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
- https://meanwhileelsewhereinhistory.wordpress.com/
- https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/
- https://spartacus-educational.com/
History isn’t just about the past, it’s also our future
- Evie, Year 9