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HISTORY

» The History Team
» Curriculum Intentum
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The History Team

Curriculum Leader

Ms S Michhiana - smichhiana@theacademy.me

Teachers of History

  • Mr H Hawley
  • Mr S Turvey

Curriculum intent

COGNITION CURRICULUM

The Cognition Curriculum is highlighted at several points in the Mid-Term Plans. For example Year 7 develop reciprocity by working together to solve the mystery murder of Thomas Beckett.

Resilience is taught through both subject content such as;

  • stories of survival e.g. The Holocaust
  • immoral cases of the past e.g. The Transatlantic Slave Trade
  • homework projects e.g. Nelson Mandela and Apartheid
  • political struggles e.g. Adolf Hitler
  • key developments e.g. Penicillin….

…. and open ended mysteries of the past such as;

  • Who was responsible for the murder of Thomas Beckett?
  • Who burned the Reichstag?
  • Was Guy Fawkes set up? 

…as well as through cognition activities such as:

  • Purple pen response work
  • Homework
  • Challenge tasks

Students are regularly taught resourcefulness through the use of our resourcefulness display, CCNOP display to help them analyse sources and PEEL display to help students with extended writing as seen in each History classroom. The resourcefulness display guides students when they are unsure of what to do or finding a task difficult. This also links with our reciprocation strategies as students are encouraged to use each other i.e. buddy for support. Each display is colour coded in line with the AVA taxonomy – all pictured above. Key Stage 3 homework projects develop students’ independent research skills whilst Key stage 4 students are encouraged to use a range of mediums and platforms to access revision materials ready for their GCSEs.

Students are expected to reflect on their progress through the use of response time, self-assess their work using their skills matrix which is stuck on every exercise book, and at Key Stage Four, students RAG their knowledge checklists which are stuck in the back of every KS4 book. Year 11 students, following each assessment, complete an ‘exam wrapper’ to reflect on their progress.

Recall is taught explicitly through the use of starters, assessments and instilling ‘look book’ habits. At Key Stage 4, teachers pause courses at the end of each chapter to allow students to develop revision techniques which need to be taught. Students always respond to their feedback on exam questions using a purple pen.

CULTURE CURRICULUM

The Culture Curriculum is highlighted at several points in the Mid-Term Plans.

Topics are enriched by sharing with students comparisons to the world we live in today e.g. practices in medicine and welfare when teaching GCSE Britain; Health and the People topic, current conflicts when teaching about wars and links to the past e.g. markets, neighborhood watch etc.

There are also opportunities to make connections with local history and national history. For example, Prince Rupert Drive is named after King Charles I’s nephew who botched a battle during the Civil War. There is also a statue of John Hampden in Market Square. Hampden played a key role in Parliamentary opposition to the king and was sent for trail for his refusal to pay Ship money. Hampden was killed early in the Civil War at Chalgrove Field near Thame. We teach this to Year 7. Year 8 are offered a visit to Bletchley Park

As part of our Extra-Curricular provision we offer a Key Stage 3 club after school titled ‘Horrible Histories’ which allows students to develop their literacy skills as well as question portrayals of the past in the media. A Key Stage 4 club titled ‘History and Film’ also allows this by exploring classic films produced such as ‘Titanic’, ‘Harriet’ and ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’. All Key Stage 4 students are offered tuition after school Fridays which is very popular amongst Year 11 evident from registers.

We deliver assemblies on a range of international events such as Armistice and Holocaust Remembrance and staff get actively involved in sharing their personal experiences during Culture Week.

Students read a range of primary and secondary sources to support their learning as indicated in mid-term plans.

We invite external visitors to deliver workshops to supplement teaching e.g. ‘Rome Now’ for Year 7

We offer trips to complement the teaching of topics such as the following.

Year(s) Group

Trip Destination

Related Topic/ Unit

Year 7

 

The Black Country Living Museum

The Industrial Revolution

Warwick Castle

The Middle Ages

Year 8

Bletchley Park

World War Two

Years 9, 10, 11

Berlin

Krakow (Auschwitz)

Germany c1890 – 1945

Year 10

The Old Operating Theatre

Britain; Health and the People

Year 10

Hampton Court Palace

Elizabethan England

At Key Stage 3 we follow the National Curriculum covering a range of chronological as well as thematic studies as follows. The focus is British History but we have made a conscious effort to teach units relevant to the students we serve as well as what we think will allow them to grow in to global citizens.

Year 7

Year 8

The Middle Ages

The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Black Americans

The Tudors

World War One

The Stuarts

America 1920s and Origins of Cold War

The Industrial Revolution

World War Two

Migration

The Holocaust

CORE CURRICULUM

At Key stage 4 students cover the following AQA GCSE History units.

Each unit is worth 25% of the overall grade. There is no coursework or controlled assessment. 

  • Conflict and Tension; The Inter-War Years, 1919 – 1939
  • Germany; Democracy and Dictatorship c1890 – 1945
  • Britain; Health and the People c1000 – present day
  • Elizabeth England c1568 – 1603

CAREERS

We incorporate careers in to our curriculum through a number of ways. This includes the provision of trips, guest speakers and highlighting key skills in History through our lessons, careers displays, Options Assembly, Options booklet, Options video and the school website. Much is also done more informally through use of discussion in lessons with students and also when lessons address various jobs e.g. bacteriologist when teaching the Health unit.  

Qualifications

Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 4, our students currently follow AQA:

Paper 1: 

  • Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and dictatorship 
  • Conflict and tension: The inter-war years, 1918–1939 

Paper 2: 

  • Britain: Health and the people: c1000 to the present day 
  • Elizabethan England, c1568–1603 

Our teachers are all passionate and skilled Historians with our own areas of expertise. Our philosophy is:

  • History should be exciting and interesting!
  • History should be relevant. It should teach students something about the world they live in and help them make sense of modern life, as well as teaching them about past lives.
  • History should teach skills. 
  • Our learners should leave us with, not only a knowledge of the past, but critical thinking skills, debating skills, the ability to weigh up arguments and the ability to identify bias and propaganda – so that they can become pioneers of the future! 
  • History is about a wealth of content, but that does not mean knowing everything! 

Our learners understand that this is it the application of knowledge that works. They are prepared for public examinations, understand how to revise and go on to shape the world around them. 

Useful Links

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