Intent

The purpose of the study of history is to develop students’ sense of identity, understand their place in the world, how and why the world and society have changed and the different experiences of various groups of people in the past. By doing this, students will develop a tolerance and worldview that will provide a foundation for their historical study and broader lives.

Students must be able to research, collate and interrogate evidence to form a reasoned and sustained argument. Not only is this crucial for GCSE History, should they choose to take it, but it is vital in all walks of life in both professional and personal capacities.

The curriculum will continue to be taught chronologically to keep a strong sense of chronology. This is important so that students can understand how change over time develops. However, to encourage engagement, the curriculum will slow down, spending more time telling individuals stories and looking at the depth of the topic.

In the History department, we aim to encourage students to investigate. We want to promote independent thinking and reflection by allowing students to explore, judge and apply historical evidence to test hypotheses. The department strives to challenge students' thoughts and ideas of past societies to assist their application of knowledge and understanding in the future. Students will develop a love of history and a desire to learn more about the past to help them understand the context in which they live. Furthermore, we want to enhance communication skills in a broader capacity, particularly reading and writing strategies, to assist students’ performance and success in the future.


Introduction

Students develop a broad knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Studying History should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Teaching should equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and the relationships between different groups. It gives students a sense of their own identity and the challenges of their time.

At Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, several key concepts underpin the study of history. Pupils need to understand these concepts to deepen and broaden their knowledge, skills and understanding. The key concepts developed by the History curriculum are chronological understanding, cultural, ethnic and religious diversity, change and continuity, cause and consequence, and significance and interpretation. There are also several essential skills and processes in history that students need to learn to make progress, such as historical enquiry, using evidence and communicating about the past.

At Key Stage 4, there are two final examination papers in Y11, each worth 50% of the final mark:

Paper 1: Understanding the modern world

Section A: Period studies

  • America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and inequality (25% of the final grade).

Section B: Wider world depth studies

  • Conflict and tension, 1918–1939 (25% of the final grade).

Paper 2: Shaping the Nation

Section A: Thematic studies

  • Britain: Health and the people: c.1000 to the present day. (25% of the final grade).

Section B: British depth studies, including the historic environment

Elizabethan England, c.1568–1603 (25% of the final grade).

Mr P Hinds

Head of Department
Head of Humanities

Mrs C Campbell

Mrs S Holland

Mrs B Norton

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Map

 

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

Year 7

What does it mean to be British? Was Medieval England a place of fear and decay? To what extent was there a ‘Golden Age’ in the Islamic World? Why was the Tudor dynasty significant? Why was the Tudor dynasty significant? / Was the British Empire an 'era of darkness' Was the British Empire an 'era of darkness'?

Year 8

What can we learn about the slave trade from Olaudah Equiano? What can we learn about the slave trade from Olaudah Equiano?/ How dangerous was life in Industrial Britain? How dangerous was life in Industrial Britain?/ How did warfare change from 1914-1990? How did warfare change from 1914-1990? How did warfare change from 1914-1990? /What factors caused terrorism in the 20th century? What factors caused terrorism in the 20th century? /History Mysteries – sources of enquiry

Year 9

How successful has the fight for equality been since 1900 How successful has the fight for equality been since 1900?/ How did British culture change from 1960-2000? What is involved in the study of Ancient History (taster) / What were the consequences of dictatorship in Nazi Germany? What were the consequences of dictatorship in Nazi Germany? What lessons can be learned from the Holocaust? To what extent was the USA ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave’ in the 1920s?

Key Stage 4  Curriculum Map

History 9-1

 

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

Year 10

America 1920-1973

America 1920-1973

Conflict and Tension
1919-1939

Conflict and Tension
1919-1939

Britain Health and the People

Britain Health and the People

Year 11

Britain Health and the People

Elizabethan England

Elizabethan England

Revision

Revision

Revision

 

Ancient History 9-1

 

Autumn 1

Autumn 2

Spring 1

Spring 2

Summer 1

Summer 2

Year 10

Persians

Persians

Persians

Alexander

Alexander

Romans

Year 11

Romans

Romans

Cleopatra

Cleopatra

Revision

Revision

Specifications

Pupils follow the AQA History 9-1 syllabus (8145). This course covers USA 1919 – 73AD, tConflict and Tension 1918-1939 Britain: Health and the People 1000AD – Modern day and Elizabethan England. More information can be found here - http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/history/gcse/history-8145

From September 2017 the Ancient History course will be Ancient History 9-1 (J198).  This course covers the Persian Empire, Pericles in the age of Athens, the Origins of Rome and the Republic and Hannibal.  More information can be found here - http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-ancient-history-j198-from-2017/


Revision web sites & in-school resources

Many of the revision websites still have content that is relevant from the old GCSE’s.  Very few have updated exam question content.  If it is a general quiz testing knowledge it will be relevant but if it is an exam style question it won’t be.

A revision guide will be published in August 2017 that covers all four of our options.

My Revision Notes AQA GCSE 9-1

ISBN 9781510404045  £9.99

Some useful sites are

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zj26n39

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/video/

www.johndclare.net

The conclusion to an article written by Professor David Nicholls, Department of History and Economic History, Manchester Metropolitan University, entitled

What's the Use of History? The Career Destinations of History Graduates

 

‘So what may we conclude, is the use of history in the world of work? A history degree undoubtedly provides an opening to a wide range of careers. Some will come as no surprise: teaching, academia, clerical and administrative, PR, retail and catering, politics, library, museum and information services. Others, notably business, may raise an eyebrow. Perhaps most surprising, though, is the extent to which historians have risen to the very top of a diverse range of professions and to key positions in civil society and in the attainment of which their education must have played no mean part. A truly remarkable number of history graduates have gone on to become the movers and shakers of modern-day Britain. Many top jobs are within the grasp of historians. With a history degree, you can aspire to be prime minister, press baron and media mogul, overlord of the BBC, archbishop of Canterbury, top diplomat, Oxbridge vice-chancellor, England footballer and football manager or chairman of the richest football club in the world,, celebrated pop musician, best-selling novelist, trade union boss, business millionaire and perhaps even, one day, monarch of the realm.’

Updated: Feb 2024