History

Our vision is to inspire our students to love and succeed in history through a varied curriculum and energetic teaching. The department share a passion for our subject which is reflected in high quality lessons and we hope that this enthusiasm is infectious! The Key Stage 3 curriculum is designed to provide a strong factual foundation for the GCSE topics, as well as a good grasp of the different skills that will be needed for success. We have worked hard to diversify the history curriculum, ensuring it is representative and celebratory of Britain’s rich and diverse history, and we continue to do so.

In addition to leading a rage of history-specific careers, such as archaeology, history is an excellent gateway subject for many careers, including law, politics and journalism. History develops students’ analytical skills, their ability to read critically and their expertise in researching, building and supporting arguments. It also provides students with the ability to see the bigger picture and consider other points of view: skills that will help them to be good citizens in the future.

Resources

History is taught in the purpose built Humanities Classrooms.
There is full use of an Interactive Whiteboard in each of the classrooms
Use of ICT facilities across the school.
There is an extensive departmental library of books and visual resources as well as access to subscribed interactive resources.

Extra Curricular

The History Department encourages students from Key Stage Three to attend the ‘History Heroes’ Club. The History Heroes club creates “This month in History” displays, reads and reviews historical fiction and investigates interesting historical issues that we are not always able to cover in class. We aim is to offer a relevant history trip to every year group. We intend to run day trips to Hampton Court and local sites connected to the Slave Trade.

Our Students Say:

‘I enjoy fun activities such as making our own board games’. – Year 7 student

‘Our History teachers are always so enthusiastic’ – Year 10 student

Years 7 - 9

Year 7

In Year 7 students study local history, ancient and Medieval Britain, The Medieval World (Africa, Asia and America), the Tudors and the Reformation.

Year 8

In Year 8 students study Stuart England and the English Civil War, the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the British Empire and the Industrial Revolution; they also follow thematic units of changes in British diet and the development of British democracy to give them experience of this type of study ready for GCSE.

Year 9

In Year 9 students study the 20th Century World including WWI, the Russian Revolution, WWII, the Holocaust, the impact of migration on Britain and conflict in the Holy Land.