History
Our Vision
The aim of the History curriculum is to simultaneously impart detailed historical knowledge of Britain and the wider world, alongside the development of transferable skills in argument and judgement, with the ultimate goal that students are able to better understand and appreciate the environment they live and work in.
The History curriculum aims to develop several portable skills such as thinking analytically, evaluating effectively and collaborating with others, in addition to developing transferable subject knowledge which provides added context for studies in other subjects. Through Key Stage 3 and 4, these knowledge and skills are developed continuously to ensure students become adept in them.
Key Stage 3
The Archipelago structure of the History curriculum allows us to study many different historical topics in order to ensure that the breadth possible in history is fully realised across Key Stages 3 and 4. These are linked together by ensuring that the second order concepts are revisited in every topic. This allows for continual development of historical skills whilst also expanding subject knowledge.
In Year 7 and 8, students cover a range of topics including depth studies into the Black British history, significant individuals and the Holocaust, as well as thematic studies such as power and conflict, crime and punishment and medicine over time. These topics have not only been designed to teach the students the fundamental historical skills they need to take the subject into GCSE and the ability to think analytically but give the students a broad understanding of the core British values that make our society what it is today.
Historical reasoning and use of evidence for argument is placed at the core of every lesson in this curriculum. Each lesson has a specific second order conceptual focus (historical skill) which is either developed within an individual lesson or forms part of a wider enquiry process. These skills are highlighted and introduced at the beginning of Key Stage 3 and provide a framework for students to follow until the end of Key Stage 4.
Students are regularly challenged to hold onto as much subject knowledge as possible through retrieval practice and sustained enquiries on topics that go beyond a single lesson. This allows students to immerse themselves in a historical topic for a suitable length of time that will help develop their memorisation of subject knowledge.
Home learning is regularly used either to reinforce subject knowledge alongside developing a second order concept, for example, creating a newspaper report based on and using the subject knowledge and skills developed during the lesson. In other instances, home learning is used to introduce a topic before it is started during lesson time. This allows students freedom with their research to explore a historical topic whilst also simultaneously providing opportunities for independence and responsibility of their learning.
Key Stage 4
In Key Stage 4 History, we follow the AQA GCSE History specification, delivered over one double and one single lesson a week.
The AQA (8145) course consists of:
Paper 1: Understanding the modern world
- AB: Germany 1890-1945: Democracy and Dictatorships
- BA: Conflict and tensions: The First World 1894-1918
Paper 2: Shaping the nation
- AB Britain: Power and the people: c.1170 - present day
- BC Elizabethan England c.1568-1603
Year 11 students are invited to attend regular ‘Zone’ sessions whereby they can spend more time on GCSE topics targeted to the gaps in knowledge or to support their areas for development.
Enrichment Opportunities
The History department recognises the value of trips and visits. We currently run trips to Belgium and Berlin to deepen our understanding of our World War 1 and Nazi Germany GCSE topics.
We have also had experts on the First World War visit us in school bringing along with them a collection of artefacts from the battlefield.
Assessment
Assessment at Key Stage 3 will take a variety of forms, but essentially pupils will be tested in three half-terms out of the six against a variety of skills. The assessments will examine recent topics and the topic taught previously. The format of the assessments will reflect the key skills required for GCSE and will focus on retention of knowledge over the half term or term. These will include written communication, knowledge and understanding, and source interpretation and evaluation.
GCSE assessment is carried out at the end of the course and consists of the following:
Written Exam – Paper 1: Understanding the Modern World.
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50% | Paper 1 – 2 hours |
Written Exam- Paper 2: Shaping the Nation.
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50% | Paper 1 – 2 hours |
In Key Stage 4, pupils complete a range of questions based on the exam questions of the specification they are studying which are taken from sample examination papers, textbooks or created by the classroom teacher. Exam questions will be set at appropriate times in the course to give pupils practice in developing their exam technique and conveying their knowledge and skills. In general, pupils should be completing an exam question every three or so lessons. These questions can consist of shorter 4-mark or 20-mark questions. Students are then given time to respond to the feedback that they receive and make improvements to their original drafts.