History

‘Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it’
George Santanaya

As a department we have the following aims and ambitions for our students:

To foster inquisitiveness, to inspire intellectual curiosity, and cultivate a love of the study of History.
To equip students with a coherent narrative of British, European, and World History, based around a well-sequenced and inclusive curriculum.
To develop an understanding of key historical concepts: change, continuity, causation, consequence, and significance.
To develop mastery of key historical skills: enquiry, interpretation, use of evidence, application of knowledge, communication, and construction of supported arguments.
To develop a rich body of knowledge of key historical events, significant developments, and important themes in history.

Welcome to the History Department – Subject Leader: Mr G Loftus

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 3 History is taught in mixed ability sets for one hour a week. The curriculum provides an excellent grounding in the subject, and provides students with the foundation skills required for study at GCSE. An innovative, thematic approach has been adopted, allowing students to appreciate change over time and compare and contrast periods, whilst having a chronological understanding.

Programmes of study include:

Year 7: ‘Monarchs, Monks and Migrants’

What is History?
How civilised were the Ancient Greeks?
Who rules the Roman Empire?
What impact has foreign settlers had on Britain?
Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?
How did the Normans change England?

Year 8: ‘How British Civilisation expanded out into the world’

What was the greatest impact of the Crusades?
How powerful were the monarchs of mediaeval England?
Were Tudors really the start of the English Renaissance?
Was the English Civil War the beginning of British Democracy?
Why were Africans enslaved?
How did the British Empire impact the Indian sub-continent?

Year 9: ‘Modern Civilisation, innovation and crisis’

Did the Suffragettes help or hinder the campaign for women’s suffrage?
Why did WWI become so bloody?
How similar were the 20th Century dictators?
When did World War II turn against Hitler?
How did civil rights develop in the 20th Century?
What were the causes of our contemporary conflicts?

We end the year with a case study which explores how change has been achieved across the twentieth century.

History Curriculum Rationale and Overview Year 7

History Curriculum Rationale and Overview Year 8

History Curriculum Rationale and Overview Year 9

Key Stage 4

Key Stage 4 – GCSE History

GCSE History covers some of the most significant and exciting events in British, European, and World history. The course develops the ability to analyse and evaluate the significance of past events, and develops an understanding of key historical concepts such as cause and consequence.

History develops skills in debating, analysing, justifying, and reading between the lines: skills that are highly prized by universities and employers alike. Studying History gives you the power to ask questions of the past, in order to understand the world we live in today.

The Cold War:

A study in depth that examines the main events of the most tense and exciting years of the twentieth century and includes the Cuban Missile Crisis, the nuclear ‘Arms Race’, and the Berlin Wall.

Weimar and Nazi Germany:

A study in depth of one of the most notorious – and fascinating – periods in European History. The topic includes the rise to power of the Nazi Party, life in Nazi Germany, Hitler’s leadership style, and the Holocaust.

Medicine in Britain:

A gruesome study of how medicine has changed from medieval to modern times. The topic includes an in-depth look at injuries, treatment and the trenches of the British Sector at the Western Front, 1914–18.

Early Elizabethan England:

A study of one of the most iconic women in British History: Elizabeth I. The study examines the challenges she faced when she came to the throne, both from abroad and from within her own country. The topic includes Elizabethan life in the Age of Exploration.

How is History GCSE assessed?

Paper 1 (30%) = Medicine in Britain – 1 hour 15 minutes
Paper 2 (40%) = The Cold War and Early Elizabethan England – 1 hour 45 minutes
Paper 3 (30%) = Nazi Germany – 1 hour 20 minutes

There is no controlled assessment (coursework) in GCSE History.

Exam board: Edexcel

History Curriculum Rationale and Overview Year 10

History Curriculum Rationale and Overview Year 11

Key Stage 5

Key Stage 5 – A Level History

Unit 1: A study in breadth – In search of the American Dream: the USA c1917 – 96, A study in depth – Interpretations of Reagan

Unit 2: India – 1914 to 1948: The Road to Independence

Unit 3: Poverty, public health and the state in Britain, c1780 – 1939

Unit 4: Controlled Assessment: A study in depth which will investigate different historical perspectives on a given controversial issue. Students will study how different societies, historians, and the media have interpreted significant events and individuals.

Exam board: Edexcel

History Curriculum Rationale and Overview Year 12

How parents/carers can support learning

Parents / carers can play a huge role in supporting the study of History. Whether at KS3 or KS4, we would encourage you to ask what is currently being studied, prompt discussions of the key issues, and take an active interest. We are always happy to recommend books, films, or trips that can support each element of the History curriculum.

Parents can discuss with the students how they plan to manage their time for the home learning tasks. We strongly encourage students to gain background research from books rather than the internet as it is often age-inappropriate for students. The school library is well stocked and the librarians are more than willing to help students find their way to useful books, although encouraging students to use local libraries and books at home would also support us in this. Visiting historical sites and encouraging discussion about the topics studied in class is also useful.