History
Statement of Curriculum Intent
History plays an invaluable role, informing students about why the world is the way it is today. We want students to gain a broad perspective over a range of issues both British and international so that they feel empowered with knowledge and understanding of the way the world works. We value History for the skills of explanation, evaluation and assessment that it allows our students to develop and realise that these will be important tools for our students’ lives beyond the classroom. This means:
- Their History curriculum focusses on the reoccurring themes of: gaining and keeping control, cause and course of conflict, social change, oppression and discrimination, and equal rights.
- They will understand why they are being asked to undertake tasks and the relevance of the topic to each theme.
- Their attention will be drawn to links with our modern world in helping them to understand the world as it is today.
- They will build verbal confidence through opportunity for discussion of key concepts and issues of contention.
- They will build confidence in their written skills through a focus on using developed or specific knowledge, explanation of second order concepts, assessment of significance and source evaluation skills.
We believe that the skills our students gain in the study of History are valued in many different university courses and career paths. History is a traditional academic subject that provides students with challenge, adventure, intellectual curiosity and a better understanding of how the world as we know it today has developed.
Key Stage 3
We aim to provide the students with a broad brush understanding of British and international History between the Norman Conquest and the Second World War. Each year group accesses our 5 reoccurring themes in a cyclical nature and are not necessarily taught chronologically. Year 7 for example, study the Norman Conquest and life in medieval England; they then move onto the causes and course of the Cold War; British rule in India and its fight for independence; equal rights in 19th century Britain and persecution of witches in the 17th century.
Key Stage 4
Our GCSE course covers a broad range of diverse topics and aims to build upon and improve those skills gained in Key Stage 3. GCSE topics include the Causes and development of the Cold War up to 1971 as well as America between 1920 and 1973; we also study Health and the People from 1100 to the modern day and Elizabethan England . We use the AQA specification and students sit both Paper 1 and 2 at the end of Year 11; there is no coursework element. Our study of the Cold War is supported by offering students the opportunity to visit Berlin in the summer term of Year 10.
The History department makes full use of iPads in its teaching meaning the students enjoy a variety of different learning experiences.
Curious about the Curriculum?
Discover something new here.