History

Curriculum intent

To have uncompromising aspirations for every individual and for our school to be an exceptional and inspirational community of lifelong learners.
To ensure all students have the knowledge to critically engage with the conversation of humankind.

Purpose

Who does not love a good story? A tale of intrigue where the plot can twist and turn in ways that were not obvious at the start. History is a messy, complex study of humans whose decisions, personalities and flaws have helped shape our world today. Our job as a History department is to help students navigate this difficult and sometimes confusing path. As a History department we believe that by students critically engaging with evidence from a wide range of sources they can gain an understanding of how individuals and events have been represented in the past and explore the reasons why and where our views about the world have come from. We want students to have access to a wide-ranging curriculum that embeds opportunities for us to discuss challenging concepts and ideas and to develop them as critical thinkers who will continue to ask questions long after the story has ended.

Key concepts

Engage in historical enquiry (thinking about the past)
Reaching substantiated conclusions supported by evidence
Use of historical terms
Develop as critical and reflective thinkers
Analyse and evaluate source material
Ability to make links and comparisons within different time periods/factors
Developing an understanding of historical interpretations (analysing/evaluating interpretations)
Significance – understanding/explaining why some events, factors, people are more significant
Understanding the themes of politics, economics, social, religious, and cultural and how they have impacted on key events/individuals

How does our curriculum shape learners?

We want to develop empathetic young people and challenge stereotypes. Our curriculum provides opportunities for students to be empathetic learners who can communicate their opinions well. They can draw on their understanding of the past to become more aware of the challenges society is facing.

How does our curriculum shape learners?

Academic end points
Year 7	By the end of year 7 students will have started to engage in historical enquiry focusing on the Ancient and Medieval Britain period exploring the different institutions that held power (monarchy, the church) and how they used this power. They will understand how the power of the King changed over time and how different themes (political, economic, social, religious, and cultural) influenced and impacted on this change. They will begin to be curious and ask questions about the past. They will start to use key historical terms in their writing. They will continue to explore key political, economic, social, religious, and cultural themes and how these have impacted on key events within the year 7 topics. They will have developed a foundational understanding of how the past has been interpreted and how and why interpretations about a particular event may differ. They can start to critically investigate primary source material, looking at the content, origin, and nature of the source to reach supported conclusions. They can support the source with their own knowledge expanding on key quotes. They will be able to use evidence from a range of sources to reach well-reasoned judgements about the past.
Year 8	By the end of year 8 students will have continued to engage in historical enquiry focusing on how and why different societies changed politically, socially, and economically in the 17th to 19th centuries. They will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the other (groups that are on the edge of society, facing discrimination) within this period and their experiences. They will continue to be curious and ask questions about the past. They have continued to use historical terms in their writing and do this with increased accuracy. They will continue to explore key political, economic, social, religious, and cultural themes and how these have impacted on key events within the year 8 topics. They will have continued to develop their understanding of how the past has been interpreted through the unit of the British empire and how and why different interpretations can be supported by specific own knowledge to reach their own reasoned conclusions about the validity of these views. They continue to critically investigate primary source material, looking at the content, origin, and nature of the source to evaluate its validity. They can explain and support the source with their own knowledge expanding on key quotes. They will be able to use evidence from a range of sources making links between prior learning to reach well-reasoned and supported judgements about the past.
Year 9	By the end of year 9 students will confidently engage in historical enquiry focusing on the causes and course of modern conflict. Looking at what motivates different groups and individuals to fight and how successful their actions may be. They will be able to draw links between different units to build an understanding of how the past has a direct link to events taking place today. They will frequently ask questions about the past. They confidently and frequently use precise historical terms in their writing. They will continue to explore key political, economic, social, religious, and cultural themes and how these have impacted on key events within the different units at year 9. They have continued to embed their understanding of how the past has been interpreted and how different interpretations can be supported by a higher frequency of specific own knowledge. They will be able to evaluate the interpretations to reach their own reasoned conclusions about the validity of these views. They can investigate primary source material confidently critically, looking at the content, origin, and nature of the source to evaluate its validity. They can explain, support, or challenge the source with their specific own knowledge expanding on key quotes. They will be able to confidently use and evaluate evidence from a range of sources and draw on prior learning to make links between the evidence and use this to reach well-substantiated judgements about the past.
Year 10	By the end of year 10 students will have competed their first year of GCSE History and developed a knowledge and understanding of how the causes of disease, preventions and treatments in medicine have changed over time. They will be able to explain the different factors that have enabled or hindered change and be able to make links between different time periods to reach substantiated judgements on the extent of progress in different time periods. They will continue to explore key political, economic, social, religious, and cultural themes and how these have impacted on progress within medicine. They will have built on their source analysis skills from KS3 to critically investigate primary sources from the British section of the Western Front, looking at the content, origin, and natures of various sources to evaluate their validity. They will have developed an understanding of how Germany evolved after WW1 and how and why Hitler and the Nazis came to power and then established a dictatorship within Germany. They will continue to build on their interpretation skills from KS3 and investigate the different interpretations of Weimar and Nazi Germany. They will be able to evaluate the interpretations with specific subject knowledge to reach their own reasoned conclusions about the validity of these views. Throughout year 10 they will have engaged with historical enquiry.
Year 11	By the end of year 11 students will have built on their knowledge of Nazi Germany by exploring what happened after WW2 and the short term and long-term consequences of the division of Germany for the country itself and internationally. They will develop a knowledge and understanding of how the relationship changed between the USA and the USSR and reasons behind their rising tensions. They will be able to explain the key events during the Cold War looking at how they have been affected by different political and economic issues and analyse their importance in the short term and long term. Students will be more confident in their exam technique and will have used the foundational knowledge from year 10 to master key concepts such as explanation and analysis. They will be able to make links between reasons to reach substantiated conclusions about how and why the Cold War developed, progressed, and ended. They will be able to make links and comparisons between the different key events to make judgements about their significance.
Year 12	By the end of year 12 students will have engaged with how the same ideology (communism) has been introduced and developed within two different countries (China/Russia), developing their ability to understand how and why an ideology has changed over time and the significance of key individuals and events in shaping this. They will continue to explore key political, economic, social, religious, and cultural themes and how these have impacted on key events They are able to make substantiated judgement using specific knowledge. They can critically analyse both primary and secondary sources to make valid historical claims that relate to specific enquiries. They can refer to the context of the time period to expand support or challenge the claims that are being made. They will then be able to reach well-informed judgements about the source material. They will have developed their understanding of the different interpretations that have been formed about the fall of the USSR. They will be able to use their understanding of the historical context to reach their own substantiated conclusions about the validity of these different interpretations.
Year 13	By the end of year 13 students will have engaged fully in how the relationship between Britain and Ireland has developed over time and be able to think critically about how and why the relationship has changed. They will continue to explore key political, economic, social, religious, and cultural themes and how these have impacted on key events. They can draw on a range of sources to reach fully substantiated judgements about why and how the notion of Irish nationalism and the response of the British government have changed over time. They can continue to critically analyse primary sources to make valid historical claims that relate to specific enquiries. They can refer to the context of the time period to expand support and challenge the claims that are being made. They will then be able to reach well-informed judgements about the source material. They will have built on their understanding of the different interpretations that have been formed about the past. They will have conducted their own independent research into a historical event that has multiple interpretations and use a wide variety of sources to reach their own substantiated conclusions about the validity of the different interpretations.

Click here to visualise the History learner journey

Key features of learning

We explore the past and the concepts of change and continuity, causation, interpretations, significance, and evaluation are developed throughout our curriculum and at each key stage. Our lessons are shaped through enquiry questions that focus on how and why events have occurred. Enquiry and a curiosity about the past are developed through the use of enquiry lessons in each lesson and building on key themes of religion, government.

At KS3 we look to give students a broad understanding of change over time, introduce them to some of the key events and concepts from the past that we then revisit throughout the three years. We look to encourage them to enjoy learning about the past and to challenge their traditional conceptions of the past.

At KS4 we build on the work already covered in KS3 and look at the progress us as humans have made over time in terms of medical advancements. We can develop students’ appreciation of how key political, economic, and social changes have impacted and shaped the world we see today - these themes are explored in all the different units – Medicine through time, Weimar and Nazi Germany, Early Elizabethan England, and Superpower relations 1945-1991.

At KS5 we help them to understand how a key political ideology (Communism) has been interpreted and implemented in two different countries who had similar demographics. (China/Russia). We also look at the key developments in the relationship between two countries that are local to us and that has often been neglected. We give a way to study British history through a different lens which helped to reinforce the key social political ideas that were introduced at KS3 (imperialism, nationalism etc).

What will you see in History lessons?

Paired discussions, class debates and discussions. Students will work in exercise books and use textbooks and worksheets.
Visual aids
Clips used to help students understanding

What will you see in History books?

Lesson titles are framed as questions
A range of classwork and homework.
Diagrams, tables

What formative assessment will you see in History?

There will be a range of summative assessment used. Quizzes (Satchel one)
Questioning (e.g. cold-calling).
Essay practice
End of topic tests.

What is the department currently reading and why?

Ofsted Curriculum Research Review for History

Click here to view the History Curriculum map