HISTORY - learning journey & curriculum

Students will learn a coherent and chronological understanding of the past which will enable them to understand and appreciate their own local identity and heritage as well as national and international developments through time that have shaped the world in which they live. Students will be able to analyse and interrogate the accuracy and reliability of sources, and, through this, and the acquisition and application of knowledge as an expert, be skilled at discerning what is true and what is not; this will allow students to form articulate and evidence-based opinions to confidently thrive in any career in the 21st Century.

Students will become starkly aware of how the past continues to shape the future, as well as a deep understanding of how individuals and events have changed the course of history for better and for worse, and the moral implications of this. We want students to yearn for truth and justice, to reject falsehood and injustice, and be inspired by those in history who have done the former, to transform the lives of our students.

Students will learn about local history in Y8 and understand their place in the world, based on their own local history. Every lesson enables students to talk like, write like and think like a historian by providing explicit vocabulary instruction to help students access and use academic language as well as providing the skills to critically evaluate source information. Our visits, guest speakers and cinema programme also create opportunities for students to deepen their historical understanding and inspire futures linked to the skills developed within History.

The KS3 History curriculum extends beyond the National Curriculum, delving into Victorian public health and complex topics like democracy in Year 8. Year 9 explores Indigenous Peoples of the Plains and the African Kingdom of Benin, fostering a global perspective. Building from KS2, the chronological teaching begins in 1066, examining Anglo-Saxon society. At KS5, students gain depth and breadth, culminating in a 4500-word independent NEA on Tudor rebellions. By KS3's end, students can analyse historians' interpretations, evaluate primary sources like those on the Somme, and produce evaluative and analytical extended writings.

These skills persist through KS4 and KS5, fostering a historian's mindset. Writing frames and connectives are integral in assessments, aiding students in expressing historical understanding, while critical thinking is honed through source analysis and questioning historians' interpretations, as seen in the Dunkirk study in Year 9.

Our curriculum is designed for the universal development of historical skills, irrespective of students' background, ability, or SEN. At KS3, chronological teaching with a clear skills and knowledge progression ensures continuous growth. GCSE utilises tailored in-house booklets for consistency, offering equal access to materials for disadvantaged students. SEN students with communication and learning needs focus on history evaluation rather than note-taking, promoting inclusivity for low attendance.

The curriculum emphasises developing historian skills over rote memorization. Students ask questions, analyse evidence, and form conclusions using sources, fostering communication and argumentation skills for adult life. The broad chronological narrative base cultivates cultural and historical capital, with diversity integrated, spanning Black Tudors, Empire, Life in Benin, Slavery, Abolition, Votes for Women, Colonial troops, Jewish life pre-Holocaust, and Indigenous Peoples of the Plains. Local history is explored in Year 8 through a depth study.

The KS3 History curriculum builds on recurring knowledge and concepts. Notable themes include causes of war (Y7: Battle of Hastings, Y8: English Civil War, Y9: WW1 & WW2), religious conflict (Y7: Medieval Catholicism, Y11 & Y13: Tudor Religious plots), and democracy (Y8 & Y12: Suffragettes). KS4 and KS5 spiralise knowledge, revisiting topics such as Elizabeth I, Weimar & Nazi Germany, Indigenous Peoples of the Plains, and Medicine through time. Depth studies, like African Kingdoms in Y8 and Victorian public health in Y8, enhance understanding.

KS3 students undergo fortnightly HW quizzes and half-termly formal assessments. GCSE assessments occur at the end of each unit, testing acquired knowledge. KS5 assessments focus on mastery skills, including source analysis and extended writing. Revision skills are integrated into the curriculum, with regular quizzes, tailored HW, and consolidation every half term to facilitate effective revision.