History
Our History curriculum equips students with vital knowledge to understand the world today.
Curriculum Intent
We aim to teach a diverse and varied curriculum. We explore significant events, people, themes and experiences from the past to inspire students to become developing critical thinkers who have the confidence and communication skills to voice their opinion and stand up for what they believe in.
We teach that History is a construct, a deliberate storytelling of the past, and encourage students to form their own opinions, question information and engage in debates.
We are working to decolonise the curriculum and we teach our students to spot and challenge discrimination in all its forms. We believe in celebrating success and progress in History, and hope our students leave our lessons.
Key Stage 3
Our curriculum ischronological. In Year 7 we study the Norman invasion and structure ofmediaeval society. The scope then widens to the Silk Roads, before we returnback to England to see how these wider connections caused upheaval through theconsequences of the Black Death.
In year 8 ourstudents look at the significance of the European Reformation in thepost-Renaissance world. We study Enlightenment ideas and how expectations ofrights and freedoms changed during the American, French and Haitianrevolutions. We study abolition and undertake a local study of the impact ofslavery.
In Year 9 studentsexplore women’s suffrage. We uncover a child’s view of WW1 through a Herne Hillmemoir, and this thread of human stories is continued with an examination ofaccounts of the Holocaust.
We end with theswinging sixties, the Brixton riots and life behind the Iron Curtain.
Key Stage 4
We study the Edexcel History GCSE. Students who study GCSE History will begin with a thematic study of the history of medicine, which culminates in a source-based case study focused on medicine in the trenches of the Western Front during the First World War. We then go back in time to explore the reign of Elizabeth I and the lives of people living in Elizabethan England.
Our final two topics examine different aspects of the twentieth century, beginning with the Cold War. This is a fascinating topic that works really well with our final topic on the USA, taking a particular look at the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement.
Key Stage 5
Students who study ALevel History will explore three periods of history in tandem.
The Paper 1 breadthstudy is focused on Tudor England, which holds stories of political andreligious development in a tumultuous period in English history.
The Paper 2 depthstudy concentrates on Russia (1917-53), with a political narrative thatfascinates our students.
Our final courseworkunit looks at the British Empire in Africa, focusing on colonisation,decolonisation, and the imperial legacy for former British colonies. Thisengages students with one of the most fluid and important historical debatescurrently taking place today.
