History
Knowledge
We provide students with a breadth study that empowers students to confidently understand history in a chronological framework closely linked to the national Curriculum (a bit like a box set, each episode can stand alone, but students know how the events are influenced by what has been before and can place this into a wider context). Our curriculum enables students to develop, talk and write like young Historians providing them with a wealth of core fingertip knowledge that is built upon throughout their studies.
Our curriculum will support students in understanding the present through a study of the past enabling a better understanding of people and communities, the changes that have taken place and the factors that have influenced these changes.
Year 7 focuses on the key question ‘How was Britain shaped? This encompasses National Curriculum links looking at the development of Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509 and in Britain 1509-1603. Year 8 considers the process of change titled ‘Protest, Rebellion and Revolution’, again looking at the development of state and society in Britain 1603-1745 as well as themes from the National Curriculum such as: ideas, political power, industry and empire. Year 9 moves onto a unit covering ‘World Conflict’ linking to the focus of the National Curriculum: Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world including a study of a significant society or issue in world history and its interconnections with other world developments (WWI, WWII and the Cold War).
Kettering is bursting with history; we have embedded local history throughout our curriculum enabling students to link their local history, their home town and places they are familiar with to a wider world context. Key people from Kettering and the surrounding area are discussed throughout to encourage aspirations and help support social mobility; this is also encouraged through our careers links. As well as this we aim to ensure students appreciate the role of both men and women in history and appreciate the diverse nature of history discussing achievements of people from many backgrounds and origins.
Literacy skills are embedded within the History curriculum, the use of tier three language is modelled by staff and students and an integral part of the History lessons. Students are given reading opportunities as a class, independently and in groups as well as extended writing and comprehension practice. Oracy is developed within History to enable students to develop their listening skills and become critical thinkers who are able to question and challenge.
Strength:
Through our History curriculum our students will become:
- Enthusiastic keen historians with an enquiring mindset
- Tolerant and understanding of others
- Confident in oracy and able to challenge, question evaluate and contest interpretations offered to them
- Analytical citizens who question human motivation with skill and confidence
- Proficient in the use of tier three terminology which is embedded within their written and spoken language
- Students will be able to confidently understand how people were ruled, what life was like, what people believed, what continued and changed (within the period and in comparison to previous periods studied), how significant the period was and how we know about the period – these questions will be continuously referred back to throughout the KS3 curriculum
- Resilient learners
Ambition
Through their study of History students will:
- Learn to value their learning and adopt high expectations of themselves as modelled by their teachers
- Support all students to achieve their potential in school through scaffolding, modelling and developed questioning as well as equip them with transferable skills that enable success beyond compulsory schooling
- Be fully equipped to be successful as future historians and citizens
- Understand and appreciate British values
- Be confident in their use of tier 2 and 3 language which are fluent and embedded in their discussions
- Students will have a range of opportunities to practice and become proficient in their use of second order concepts such as cause and consequence, significance, source analysis, similarity and difference, continuity and change, the use of evidence throughout Key Stage 3 thus preparing them for Key Stage 4, 5 and beyond.
- Be inspired and develop a love for History and the desire to continue exploring history throughout their lives
Subject content – years 7 to 13
Year 7: How was Britain shaped?
- Historical key skills and what was England like pre 1066?
- What was the impact of the Norman Conquest on England?
- What was life like in Medieval England?
- How did life change in the Medieval Period?
- How did a family feud shape the direction of a nation?
- How significant were the Tudors in shaping England?
Year 8: Protest, rebellion and revolution
- How significant were the Stuarts? (Seeds of change)
- What was life like as a slave?
- What was the British Empire?
- What was life like during Industrial Revolution?
- How did people lead change during the Industrial Revolution?
- What was wrong with society in 1900s?
Year 9: World Conflict
- What caused WWI and what was it like in war?
- What impact did WWI have on Europe and the rest of the world?
- Are all dictators the same?
- What are the lessons to be learnt from WWII
- How did the persecution of the Jews escalate over time? The Holocaust
Year 10 & 11: AQA Specification
- Germany 1890-1945 Democracy and Dictatorship
- Conflict and tension in Asia 1950-1975
- Britain: Health and the People
- Norman England 1066-1100
Year 12 and 13: AQA Specification
Current year 12:
- 1L The quest for political stability: Germany, 1871–1991
- 2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
Current year 13:
- 1C The Tudors: England, 1485–1603
- 2K International Relations and Global Conflict, c1890–1941
For more detailed information of the core content covered in this subject for each year group, please access the Knowledge Organisers here:
Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 and 9)
Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11)