History: our intent

History is about capturing the wonder of the past and developing an understanding of how we reached this point.  Through our curriculum we seek to develop in our pupils a lifelong commitment to equality, democracy and social responsibility.

 Through the use of a range of source material we aim to widen the range of experiences that our pupils are exposed to. We want to reflect the experiences and contributions of a wide range of people - women, people of colour, and from a spread of socio-economic backgrounds in order that our pupils understand the relevance and significance of equality, democracy and social responsibility as they find their place in the C21st world. Additionally, critical analysis of sources and their provenance allows pupils to identify bias, a particularly useful skill in contemporary society given the growth of social media. This supports our desire to ensure that pupils develop independence of thought.

 In lessons we are ambitious for our students by setting high expectations and not shying away from more complex concepts. We teach children to write extended answers from Year 7, and with increasingly complex modelling we show them how to analyse and evaluate. We particularly enjoy focusing on developing the ambitious use of vocabulary - not just the subject specific terminology that is needed, but tier 2 vocabulary that will prove a valuable asset throughout life.

 What we study: The History Curriculum is currently under review.

However, the outline below shows the themes the students will encounter during the academic year 2024-2025.

Year 7

What is History: Interesting historical events, why we study it, historian’s role, types of evidence, time line showing the periods

Ancient Landmarks: Tregonning Hill Project- including a Humanities Trip to the site, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Colosseum, Parthenon and the Great Wall of China

Medieval:Who were the contendors for the throne in 1066? How significant was the Battle of Stamford Bridge? Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? How did William take control of England? How useful is the Bayeux Tapestry as a source of evidence? What was the impact of the Harrying of the North? How did William solve the problem of taxes (Domesday Book)? What was the feudal system? How did Motte and Bailey castles help William keep control? Pedennis Castle Project

 Medieval Part 2: Henry I, Matilda and Henry II, Murder of Thomas Becket, the Crusades, King John, Why did the Barons want more power (Magna Carter), How much power did the Church have, Was the 'witch-hunt' a 'woman-hunt'. What impact did the Black Death have on England? Why did peasants want more power (Peasants' Revolt)? The Hundred Years War What were the Wars of the Roses.

Year 8

Tudors: Introduction to the Tudors - Context and Henry VIII, Reformation, Dissolution of the monasteries, Edward VI, Prayer Book Rebellion in Cornwall, Lady Jane Grey, Bloody Mary, Elizabeth's early life and portrait, Elizabethan society, government, poverty and leisure, Elizabeth's problems - patriarchy, marriage, heir, virigin queen, debt, religion, war, Plots and revolts: Revolt of the northern earls (1570), Ridolfi Plot (1571), Throckmorton Plot (1583), the Babington Plot (1586), Solving religion: Act of Uniformity, Solving poverty: Poor Laws, Solving debt: Sir Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh (Golden Hind), Solving invasion: Spanish Armada, Propaganda and portraits, Was it a 'Golden Age'? OR How successful was Elizabeth

Stuarts: James I and the Gunpowder Plot, Charles I. How was the world turned upside down by civil war, Pendennis Castle, Cromwell, Restoration, Glorious Revolution.

Industrial Revolution: What changed between 1750-1900? Why did the population explode between 1745 and 1901? Why was there a revolution in agriculture? What was the domestic system and how did it differ from the factory system? What were the experiences of children working in factories and coal mines during the industrial revolution? What changes were made to working conditions? Why were these changes made? What were the living conditions like in the C19th?

Empire/ Slavery: What was the British Empire and how did it rise and fall? What was the impact/legacy of the Britsh empire on the world?

USA Civil Rights: What are the origins of slavery? What is the Triangular Trade? Who benefited from Slavery? How were slaves sold? How did Slaves work? Did slaves resist? What is Abolition? Jim Crow Laws, KKK, Were the NAACP successful? Emmett Till, Windrush, Rosa Parks, MLK, Malcolm X, Black Panther Party, UK Civil Rights struggles today.

Year 9

20th Century: What was Edwardian Britain like? How did the Boer War change Britain? Who was Emily Hobhouse?

WW1: Long-term causes of WW1, Short-term causes of WW1, Schlieffen Plan, Recruitment, Homefront, Life in the Trenches, Weapons and wounds, Battle of the Somme, Empire at war, VE and Armistice, Treaty of Versailles, the impact of WW1 on women - Suffragettes (1918, 1928), What was the legacy of WW1 in terms of healthcare? (National Insurance)

 WW2: The Great Depression and Wall Street Crash, the rise of extremism and the Nazi Party, Who was Hitler? Causes of WW2, Early War – Dunkirk, The French Resistance, Homefront, Turning Points, Burma, Why was the Atomic Bomb dropped?, Can we justify Hiroshima?, Legacy of WW2

Holocaust: Pre-war Jewish life, Rise of Hitler, Persecution - Anti-Jewish laws and Kristallnacht, Ghettos and Final Solution, Victims, Resistance and rescue, British response, Bergin Belsen, Responsibility and blame, Reflection and legacy.

 Cold War: Why did the Cold War begin after World War II? What role did nuclear weapons play in the Cold War? Was the Cold War a "war" or a "peaceful" conflict? What factors led to the end of the Cold War? The rise of Russia?

Post War Britain: How did Britain recover from World War II? Why was the NHS (National Health Service) created in 1948? What were the key social changes in Britain during the 1950s and 1960s? How did the British Empire change in the post-war period? What was the significance of the 1970s economic crisis in Britain? How did Britain's role in the world change after WWII? 60s Youth Culture What was the impact of Margaret Thatcher's policies on Britain in the 1980s?

KS4 History    

Current Y11 Cohort: We have chosen to study the AQA History GCSE course:

Power and the People - thematic unit

Elizabeth I - depth study                      

Germany, 1890–1945: democracy and dictatorship - period study

Current Y10 Cohort: We have chosen to study Edexcel History GCSE course:

Medicine through time

Elizabeth

American West

Weimar/ Nazi Germany

SCHEME OF ASSESSMENT: HISTORY