Main School

History

History

We are products of our histories! The world that we live in has been shaped through time. By studying history, we gain a better understanding of the diverse world we live in. History helps us understand concepts such as change, continuity, cause and consequence, significance, and diversity. By investigating the past – by studying evidence and interpretations – we can evaluate information. Thereby giving us the skills to assess and evaluate information on a day – to – day basis. History also tells us who we are!

As a department, our intent is to ensure that our curriculum provides students with the effective opportunities to:

  • enjoy a knowledgeable-rich curriculum and explore how history shaped Britain and the World
  • travel to locations which are relevant to our student’s curriculum content e.g., Berlin, Normandy
  • provide opportunities for students to gain an understanding and skills how to evaluate sources
  • provide students with an array of transferable knowledge which will aid them in their further learning, employment, or apprenticeships

The History curriculum is underpinned by the following key Historical second order concepts and themes. These concepts/themes are revisited in each unit in order for students to connect prior learning with the new ideas:

  • change and continuity
  • cause and consequence
  • significance
  • similarity and difference
  • evidence
  • interpretations.

Key themes:

  • religion
  • conflicts
  • diversity
  • politics
  • creativity
  • civil rights
  • human rights
  • societies.

In History we aim to provide you with an understanding of key topics, themes, and historical terms that will equip you with the skills to continue your learning journey. History tells us who we are, where we came from, and provides us with the skills and understanding to help us with where we are going!
Objectives:

  • to engage students of all abilities through interesting enquiry questions, sources and differentiated activities
  • to organise and communicate students’ knowledge through diverse and engaging topics from British and World History including popular subjects such as migration over time, Middle Eastern history, the abolition of slavery, the Norman Conquest, religious change in Britain, the British Empire, conflict in the 20th century
  • to develop skills students will need at GCSE by gradually increasing the level of demand
  • to encourage KS3 students to choose history at GCSE.

The aim of our GCSE curriculum is to develop and extend students’ knowledge and understanding of specified key events, periods, and societies in British, and wider world history, and of the wide diversity of human experience. Engage in historical enquiry to develop as independent learners and as critical and reflective citizens.
The aim of our GCSE curriculum is to ensure sensible progression of content from GCSE to A Level.
KS4 Objectives:

  • develop and extend students’ knowledge and understanding of specified key events, periods and societies in local, British and wider world history, and of the wide diversity of human experience
  • engage in historical enquiry to develop as independent learners and as critical and reflective thinkers
  • develop the ability to ask relevant questions about the past, to investigate issues critically and to make valid historical claims b using a range of sources in their historical context
  • develop an awareness of why people, events and developments have been accorded historical significance and how and why different interpretations have been constructed about them
  • organise and communicate their historical knowledge and understanding in different ways and reach substantiated conclusions.