History
Our History curriculum covers a broad and balanced ranged of topics from pre-1066 Britain to the present day. Throughout all key stages pupils focus on developing key historical enquiry skills which centre around concepts such as cause and consequence; significance; change and continuity; source analysis; and critically evaluating different interpretations of key historical events.
As a department, we see History as a subject that forms the bedrock of our pupils’ understanding of the culture in which they live as well as the wider world around them. The content we have selected from key stage 3 up to key stage 5 allows pupils to explore issues at a local, national and international level and empowers learners to become curious, to develop their own opinions based on a respect for evidence, and to build a deeper understanding of the present by engaging with and questioning the past.
At key stage 3, we follow a chronological sequence of topics to assist pupil understanding of the historical narrative. Our varied curriculum has been designed to ensure we are equipping pupils with the knowledge they need to help them make sense of life in the modern world. We also help pupils to make links between each lesson through structuring our schemes of work around enquiry questions such as, ‘How were the Normans able to conquer England?’ (Year 7), ‘Who benefitted from the Industrial Revolution?’ (Year 8), and ‘Does America deserve the title of leader of the free world?’ (Year 9). Throughout key stage 3 pupils undertake formative assessment tasks each half term and they complete two ‘summative assessments’ each year.
At key stage 4, pupils study Early Elizabethan England, Medicine in Britain, Superpower Relations and Weimar & Nazi Germany. We begin with Early Elizabethan England as pupils are able to build on content they have touched on in key stage 4 and familiarise themselves with the demands of the GCSE specification. These skills are then developed in the Medicine and Superpower modules which offer pupils exciting opportunities to study new topics. Throughout key stage 4 time is allocated within lessons to ensure that retrieval tasks are taking place in order to help pupils retain key knowledge and equip them with the revision skills necessary to achieve the best possible grade in their GCSE exams.
Pupils who study A-Level History then have the chance to focus on a range of new topics such as, The American Revolution, Civil Rights in the USA and Britain 1900-1951, as well as undertaking a ‘personal study’ element of the course which offers them the opportunity to explore a topic that they have a particular interest in.