History

People think that history is just a study of past events and people, although this is true history is about much more. Our aims are not just to tell stories about past events but also to broaden people’s minds to how your world has evolved. We want pupils to ask questions about the past and to express their own opinions about people and events and develop their analytical skills.

We hope that learning about past mistakes can help in ensuring they do not happen again. History can help make sense of many other subjects. Finally we believe that a lack of historical knowledge prevents people from truly understanding the world they live in.

Programme of study

Year 7

Autumn Term

We begin by studying the Roman Empire and what made them so powerful. This includes looking at various aspects such as how the government worked, the road systems, how and what they traded in and how this benefited the Roman’s. We also study the Roman army, how it worked, tactics and training. This is followed by linking the army and seeing how it worked on practise by examining some of the Roman battles. Pupils are encouraged to see these factors as a whole and how they all added to the Roman’s power. Pupils complete individual research on Roman Entertainment. We also run a trip to visit Chester and see Roman artefacts.

Spring Term

In this term we study Medieval England, we focus on political and social history. We begin with the Battle of Hastings 1066 looking at why King Harold lost the Battle and the French Duke William of Normandy won and examine the effect this had on England. The study continues by evaluating William’s rule of England and how he gained control. This will include the Domesday Book, the Feudal system and the development of castles. Pupils are given an opportunity to make their own castle as part of a competition.
We continue to look at political changes through events such as the death of Thomas Becket and the reign of King John and the start of the modern day Parliament with the Magna Carta. The topic is completed by looking at social aspects such as the Black Death and the Peasants Revolt.

Summer Term

This term we study the lives of the Native Americans. We look at the various tribes across America and how they reacted to the white settlers. We then focus on the Plain Indians and their lives, in particular the reliance on the buffalo’s, where they lived and the effect the white settlers had on them. In this unit pupils get to make their own Tipi’s and Totem Poles.
Year 8

Autumn Term

Study in this term is quite political and is based on the Tudor era. Here we study the reign’s of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, we look at how they ruled and how the changes they brought in affected the public.

Spring Term

This term we study the reign of the Stuarts and particularly focus on the English Civil War and the execution on Charles I. The pupils complete a project on the Civil War examining evidence and looking at the war affected not only the soldiers but the public too.

Summer Term

The final term is spent studying life in the 16th and 17th Centuries. This includes witchcraft, entertainment, crime and punishment, the Great Fire of London and the Plague.

Year 9

Autumn Term

Year 9 continues through the chronology of events in Britain and we focus on the British Empire between 1750 and 1900, in particular slavery in America and Britain’s involvement. We next look at how Britain changed between the same period studying housing, working conditions and transport.

Spring Term

This term looks at life during the 20th Century. We examine the differences within classes and complete a case study on the Titanic. Pupils then complete a project on the Trenches and how trench life affected the soldiers.

Summer Term

The final term is spent studying the inter-war years and life on the Home Front during World War Two. Here pupils compile their own research and perform an oral presentation showing their findings. We then study the late 20th Century, events such as the moon landings, terrorism and wars.

GSCE

We study the OCR modern world syllabus and this includes 2 exam papers. The first paper is about the events between 1918-39, therefore we study the consequences of World War 1 and the causes of World War Two. This includes the Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations, and the road to war. We also study Germany in depth between 1918-45, this includes the Weimar period the rise of the Nazis and the Nazi regime. We also study the Holocaust and the lasting effects in has had on the world.
Paper two focus’ on pupils historical skills and pupils are asked to evaluate sources. There are three topics that are studied, the first the Liberal Reforms of 1906, universal suffrage and Britain during the first world war.