History

Welcome

"Our history curriculum is designed to equip our students, regardless of their starting point, with a wide range of historical knowledge and skills, enabling them to fulfil their potential and realise their ambitions in the pursuit of becoming excellent historians as they progress through the Key Stages. "

The curriculum aims to: 

  • offer historical breadth, historical balance and relevance
  • develop all the essential key historical knowledge within our curriculum, building on the historical understanding and vital skills of historians, regardless of gender, ability, ethnicity or social background
  • ensure equal access to learning for all pupils, with high expectations for every pupil and appropriate levels of challenge and support as the curriculum builds in terms of complexity
  • encourage students to enjoy history
  • foster disciplinary literacy skills across key stages
  • foster cultural development through research, engagement with scholarship to “embrace the inner geek”.
  • support pupils’, social and cultural development through a study of British history at the local, national and international level.
  • generate a wealth of cross-curricular activities including events, clubs, and trips
  • equip pupils with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to contribute positively to their community as British & global citizens
  • promote British values, including the rule of law, democracy and individual liberty.
  • prepare students for the next stage in their lives by encouraging resilience, self-reliance and an understanding of their responsibility to take ownership of their own learning as they build skills as historians 

Curriculum journey

By the end of Year 7 Historians will… 

  • Understand how Britain had changed from 410AD to 1380AD 

  • Know how China developed during the Song Dynasty 

  • Be able to use historical skills of evaluative writing of the second order concepts, contemporary source analysis and evaluation of varying historical interpretations  

By the end of Year 8 Historians will… 

  • Understand how Britain changed from 1509 to 1900 AD 

  • Know how China developed during the Ming Dynasty 

  • Be able to develop the historical skills of evaluative writing of the second order concepts, contemporary source analysis and evaluation of varying historical interpretations with increased complexity and depth 

By the end of Year 9 Historians will…  

  • Understand how Britain changed from the 1900s to the Post War period 

  • Have completed a study of how Europe and the world changed in the 20th century 

  • Be able to refine the key historical skills of evaluative writing of the second order concepts, contemporary source analysis and evaluation of varying historical interpretations with increased complexity and depth 

Year 10 Historians will.. 

  • Know how Germany changed politically and socially from 1890 – 1945 

  • Understand how superpower relations changed between East and West through the Conflict & Tension 1945 – 1972 unit 

  • Understand how Restoration Britain, 1660 – 1685 changed politically, socially and economically 

  • Be able to refine and progress their historical skills needed for these papers [more detail on AQA Website] 

  • Have explored history beyond the specifications studied 

Year 11 Historians will.. 

  • Understood how Britain was shaping and shaped by the world through the study of Migration, Empires and the People c.700 – 2016 

  • Know how to revise and prepare for the GCSE exams [more detail on AQA Website] 

  • Have explored history beyond the specifications studied  

Year 12 Historians will.. 

  • Have understood Britain’s changes through – Industrialisation & the People from 1783 – 1832 – exploring the political, economic and social changes 

  • Have understood how the United States developed in depth through American Dream – 1945 – 1963 – exploring political, social, economic and civil rights challenges 

  • Be able to develop the key A Level skill needed for these papers [more detail on AQA website] 

  • Need to understand their NEA requirements through preparation for component 3 – 20% of final exam 

 

Year 13 Historians will.. 

  • Have understood how Britain has changed over time through the breadth study – Industrialisation & the People from 1783 – 1832 – exploring the political, economic and social changes 

  • Have understood how the United States developed in depth through their unit of American Dream – 1945 – 1963 – exploring political, social, economic and civil rights challenges 

  • Be able to refine the key A Level skills needed for these papers [more detail on AQA website] 

  • Completed their NEA component 3 – 20% of final exam 

 

 

Curriculum Map

 

Autumn 1 

Autumn 2 

Spring 1 

Spring 2 

Summer 1 

Summer 2 

Year 7 

Anglo Saxons and Vikings 

Medieval Realms 

Medieval Realms 

Medieval Realms 

Song & Yuan Dynasties 

Song & Yuan Dynasties 

Year 8 

The Making of the UK 

The Making of the UK 

The 13 Colonies 

Industrial Britain and the 19th Century 

Industrial Britain and the 19th Century 

The Qing Dynasty 

Year 9 

Edwardian Britain & Titanic 

World War One and the interwar years 

Second World War era 

The Holocaust 

Post War World – Terrorism/ Post Colonialism 

20th Century China 

Year 10 

Kaiser’s Germany and Weimar 

Nazis 1933 -1945 

Conflict and Tension 

Conflict and Tension – Mock Revision 

Restoration Britain

Restoration Britain

Year 11 

Migration Mediaeval 

Migration Early Modern

Migration 19th Century 

Migration to 20th Century - Mock revision 

Revision 

 

Year 12 

Political Britain 1783-1812 

Truman 

Social Britain– Economic 1783 – 1812 

Truman 

Political Britain1812 – 1832 
Eisenhower 

Social & Economic 1812 – 1832 
Eisenhower 

Britain by 1832 
Kennedy & USA by 1963 

NEA Prep and Planning & Year 12 Consolidation 

Year 13 

Political Britain 1832 – 1846 

Johnson 

Social- Economic Britain 1832- 1846 

Johnson 

Political Britain 1846 – 1885 

Nixon 

Social & Economic Britain 1846 – 1885 

Ford & Carter 

Britain up to 1885 
America up to 1980 

Revision 

 

Year 12 Politics 

Component 1- Politics 

Democracy & Participation 

Political Parties 

Component 1- Politics 

Electoral Systems 

Voting Behaviour 

Component 2 - Government 

The Constitution 

Parliament 

Component 2 - Government 

PM & Executive 

Relations between branches 

Component 1 & 2 consolidation & Component 3 – USA 

The Constitution 

Component 3 – USA 

The Constitution 

Year 13 Politics  

Component 3 – USA 

US Congress 

 

Component 1 & 2 Core political ideas 

Component 3 – USA 

US Presidency 

 

Component 1 & 2 Core political ideas 

Component 3 – USA 

US Supreme Court 

 

Component 1 & 2 Non-core political ideas 

Component 3 – USA 

US Democracy & Participation 

 

Component 1 & 2 Revision 

Revision 

 

We have five full time teachers; Mr Michael Stoker, Mr Darren Leatherbarrow, Mr Patrick Sexton, Miss Jodie Wilkinson and Mr Andrew Harding. Our head teacher, Mr Burke, also teaches various groups. We are based in our own suite of five classrooms, one of which is a multi-purpose computer room with another being a sixth form seminar room. Our department also offers excellent mentoring year after year of trainee teachers. We take great pride in the look of our department and we were very pleased to yet again be in the top 3 places for best departments in the school for the previous 5 years."

A summary of the major features of our curriculum are listed below.

Key Stage 3

From KS3 to KS5 we ensure that we provide excellent teaching and aim high, always teaching to the top. We are proud that our KS3 curriculum is current, up to date and inclusive. Our overall approach to KS3 History is to study British History chronologically from the Medieval period to the 20th century. Alongside this we also study a number of comparative international courses. Please see the accompanying information for more curriculum specifics.

 

Other events for KS3 students

One of the most successful activities run by the department at KS3 is our modelling club. Over the years the club has produced models of several significant battles including Waterloo, D-Day and Rorkes Drift. Currently students are working on a Battle of Britain dog fight as well as their own individual projects. We regularly apply for PTFA funding to sponsor our ongoing projects.

GCSE

Take up for GCSE is very strong with history continuing to be one of the most popular option subjects. We started the reformed GCSE in September 2016 and we are following the AQA specification. In paper 1 we study Germany 1890-1945 and the Cold War 1945-1972. In paper 2 we study a thematic course on British history from 790AD to the present day looking at migration and the development of empire. In the final unit of paper 2 we complete a depth study on Restoration England 1660-1685.  For the first two cohorts, on average our history students get 20% or higher than any other students of GCSE History in the country

One of the most popular elements of the GCSE course is the enrichment trip to Berlin. This trip provides an excellent opportunity for students to understand the modern courses we study in an active and engaging way. We visit a variety of places in and around the city including Sachsenhausen concentration camp, the Reichstag and many other sites of importance.

A Level

A Level recruitment has been strong since the A Level changes. Students study British history from the 1780s to 1885 and the USA from 1945 to 1980. Our NEA, modelled around dissertations at the undergraduate level, can cover a historical issue spanning 100 years, chosen entirely by our students.

Performance at A Level is also very strong. One in three of our cohorts goes on to study history or history-related degrees at Russell Group universities. We also take great pride in the success of our candidates in gaining admission to Oxbridge universities. Our department hosts regular guest speakers, university lecturers, talks, and of course,

In recent years, we have organised a study visit to New York in October half-term, and this occurs every two years. Keep an eye out, as we are always looking to adapt trips. Our results at A Level are also very successful. Since starting the new specification, we have had an average of 62% of our students achieving A*-B grades, with over 92% achieving A*-C grades

We have in recent years organised a study visit to New York in October half term and this occurs every two years. Keep an eye out as are always looking to adapt trips. Our results at A level are also very successful since starting the new specification we have had an average of 62% of our students getting A*-B and above 92% of A*-C.

A Level Politics

From September 2009 the department has offered A level Government and Politics. In year 12 students study British politics and in year 13 they study the development of political ideologies. The course is taught in a variety of ways and in particular there is a real emphasis on students engaging with current affairs in order to bring their knowledge and understanding up to date. 

As well as this we go on a number of visits and arrange talks. In recent years the department has organised a school mock elections and mock referenda. The most recent election we were very fortunate to have the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrats deliver excellent speeches to students from our entire school. Our students have also recently taken part in a model United Nations day in Oxford and are regular participants in Youth Parliament and Young EU discussions. We regularly host special guests ranging from MPs, Mayors, Ambassadors and more. 

Trips

We have a number of study visits including a comparison visit to Chepstow and Berkeley Castles, Parliament, The Commandery in Worcester, and the Imperial War Museum to support students in studying across all the different key stages. We also run a guided visit to the WWI battlefields in France and Belgium every activities week for Year 8s. As well as this we organise a number of visits from various historical backgrounds such as a WWI Tommy, local museum curators, and even guest professors from leading universities.