History

Each year group undertakes a thematic study at the start of the academic year. These focus on just one important theme in history (e.g. migration) and help students to understand how and why things have changed, or stayed the same, over time.

We divide Key Stage 3 into four periods: the Middle Ages, the Early Modern Era, the Industrial period and the 20th Century. Students study each of these periods through a series of enquiries, which gives them a big question to think about.

Throughout Key Stage 3 students will be building up a greater understanding of British, European and world history; using and evaluating historical sources and interpretations; using second-order concepts such as causation and historical significance to analyse and explain the past; and improving their writing by answering historical questions clearly.

The Key Stage 3 Curriculum Road Map can be viewed by clicking on the button below.

Our exam board is Pearson Edexcel and we take the (9-1) GCSE specification.

History is one of the most fascinating and rewarding subjects that you can study at school. Studying History involves developing historical knowledge, analysing a range of sources and texts and discussing key historical questions. You will find out the answers to questions such as ‘Why were the police unable to catch Jack the Ripper?’ and ‘how was Hitler able to create a dictatorship in Germany?’ Through this subject you will also gain a wide variety of transferable skills that will help you across all your GCSE subjects.

The subject is taught in four units. There is no coursework.

1   British Thematic Study with Historic Environment

• Crime and Punishment in Britain, c1000 to present.
• Whitechapel, c1870–c1900: crime, policing and the inner city (Jack the Ripper)

2  British Depth Study

• Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588

3  Period Study

• Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941-1991

4  Modern Depth Study

• Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-1939.

The course is assessed through three exam papers at the end of Year 11. There is no coursework.

• Paper 1:  Written examination: 1 hour 20 minutes, 30%* of the qualification
• Paper 2:  Written examination: 1 hour and 50 minutes 40%* of the qualification
• Paper 3:  Written examination: 1 hour and 30 minutes 30%* of the qualification

The Key Stage 4 Curriculum Road Map can be viewed by clicking on the button below.

Our 5-year curriculum map clearly outlines the intent, implementation, and impact of each subject, providing a comprehensive overview of the learning journey for our students. Please click on the link below to access the 5-year curriculum map for History.