Intent
We believe that historical skills and knowledge are essential components to a broad and balanced curriculum. The history curriculum is structured to allow students to explore, gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain's past and that of the wider world.
The curriculum is designed for all students to succeed, building upon skills and knowledge learnt at KS1 and lower KS2, with a hands-on approach through regular investigative work. We aim to inspire curiosity to know more about the past in a variety of innovative ways, such as: using a wide range of resources, visiting our local surrounding area and cross curricular links within other subjects. This in turn, builds a solid foundation to move onto KS4, inspiring them to become life-long learners.
Implementation
In this subject, we aim to teach history as a contemporary and dynamic subject, where topics are taught not only as discrete lessons but in a cross-curricular manner. As a department, we strive to use a variety of teaching and learning methods to bring history alive. Students are encouraged to complete long term historical topics, handle historical artefacts, research projects and presentations, evaluating both primary and secondary sources, opportunities for independent study allowing students to research and analyse the importance of a historical period.
The curriculum focuses on three key areas: historical enquiry, chronological understanding and communication. Students in history enjoy both exploring historical content, but also building on key historical skills such as analysing both primary and secondary material, applying the knowledge gained to analyse and evaluate evidence and the significance of important figures within history, understanding of source provenance, in addition to the key skills and knowledge of chronological understanding and historical enquiry. Historical topics across KS2 include: The Maya, The Romans, The Anglo-Saxons and WWII (Battle of Britain) including Post Britain 1948 with a focus on the 1960s. Historical topics across KS3 include: building up on and developing a clear understanding of chronological events and historical enquiry, through the study of a time period from 16th Century (1500s) up to and including WWI
Impact
The students are exposed to a wide variety of extra-curricular opportunities such as educational visits and whole topic days. MAT students are offered additional enrichment sessions, where knowledge and skills are developed, retained and embedded further through independent enquiry. Students are making progress in key areas such as building upon their enquiry skills, when analysing primary and secondary sources and evaluating evidence – students will be expected to use key writing skills when explaining key points.
The curriculum is designed to help develop students' historical thinking throughout both key stages whilst still encouraging a love for learning – enabling them to transfer these skills to KS4.