History

Intent:

We believe it is the History curriculum’s moral imperative to develop all minds to think independently, respect and consider a variety of experiences and opinions to develop compassionate, and strong-minded individuals. Our historians become successful and progressive global citizens by studying a knowledge rich curriculum that offers the depth and breadth that truly reflects the history of our world. Through this curriculum, complimented and enabled through the development of literacy skills, pupils are prepared to tackle the rigours of a changing world.

Resources and Routes:

History is taught by three subject specialists who have designed the curriculum to be chronological in the building of the student’s knowledge, enabling us to make conceptual connections to previous content and skills therefore strengthening holistic understanding of the subject.

Schemes of work are based upon second order concepts (change, continuity, cause, consequence and comparison) and substantive concepts e.g. power, empire, monarch, parliament which are similar to those taught at GCSE and A-Level ensuring students are equipped with the necessary historical skills to approach more challenge content.

Our curriculum, whilst traditional in its chronological structure, is based upon enquiries questions such as, ‘Did an Orange man cause the Troubles in Northern Ireland?’ with the aim of exposing students to a more diverse perception of the past e.g. Black Tudors, female suffrage, impact of the British Empire and the Middle East conflicts. These enquiries will be adapted to keep pace with the evolving historiography. There is a strong emphasis on British History and values and the impact of major turning points in World History.

All teachers teach according to the component plan but have the independence to deliver the content according to their own teaching style and for the needs of individual classes. We are consistent in our use of substantive concepts.

In Key Stage 3 students receive 1 hour of History per week. The popular GCSE course follows the OCR B syllabus and is taught across 2.5 hours per week. At A-Level we offer the OCR A studying US Civil Rights, The Early Tudors, Russia with the NEA on a topic of the student's choice after discussion with their teacher.

Trips:

The study of history comes even more alive when you can see it, touch it and smell it! In order to broaden the horizons and experiences of our students we are looking to develop additional trips than what is currently offered:

Year 11 – Exeter Cathedral
KS4 & 5 – New York and Washington D.C. residential

History Curriculum - Key Stage 3

YEAR 7

Autumn	Spring	Summer
EQ: Who and what are the British? Migration through time overview Why did the Romans invade Britain? Were the Anglo-Saxons the founders of England? Were the Vikings just bloodthirsty raiders?	EQ: How powerful and influential was the Church in the medieval period? Why was the Church so powerful in the Middle Ages? At what point did Becket have to die? What were the Crusades and why did people join them? What was the impact of the Crusades?	EQ: What was it like to live in the Early Modern Period? Why did Henry VIII break with Rome? How far was England a Protestant country by the death of Henry VIII? Who was more successful in changing religion of England: Edward or Mary? Why was Elizabeth I a legend? What was like to live under the Tudors? Why was there a Gunpowder Plot? Why was Charles I executed? Cromwell – Hero or Villain?
EQ: How did the Norman invasion impact England? Who was the best man for the job? Was Stamford Bridge really a victory for Harold? Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? How did the Feudal System help William control England? How did castles help William control England? Did William only use violence to stop rebellions against him?	EQ: Did medieval people’s lives change for the better? How accurate is the interpretation of King John in Disney’s Robin Hood? Why was King John forced to agree to the Magna Carta? How did the Black Death change the village of Alton? How did people survive the Black Death? Why did the peasant’s revolt in 1381?	Value

YEAR 8

Autumn	Spring	Summer
EQ: How far did life change during the Industrial Revolution? What changed during the Industrial Revolution? What was life like for children in the mills? Is a sweep as lucky as lucky can be?	EQ: How far are the developments in Mali and Benin evidence of a West African ‘Boom’ in the 15th century? Why study African kingdoms pre-1700s? How did the Kingdom of Benin develop 900-1601? What was life like in the kingdom of Benin? How far had Benin experienced a ‘golden age’ by 1700? Benin Bronzes: Should they be returned to Benin?	EQ: What was the impact of the British Empire? Why did Britain want an empire? How did Britain affect India? What were the British doing in the Middle East? Why did Britain want to colonise Africa?
EQ: How far did Britain become democratic? Why did a massacre happen at St. Peter’s field in 1819? Who were the Chartists and what did democracy mean to them? To what extent was the campaign for women’s suffrage united in aims but divided in methods? Were the Suffragettes terrorists? Why were women given the vote in 1918?	EQ: How did slavery impact on the people involved? Why did Britain get involved in Slavery? How did the Atlantic slave trade work? What were the experiences of the Middle Passage? How harsh were punishments on slave plantations? What was life like on the plantations? What was the historical significance of William Wilberforce?	EQ: Was the “Great War” that great? What were the MAIN causes of WW1? What was the trigger for the First World War? How were propaganda posters effective? Why would a 15yr old join up in 1914? What was life like in the trenches? Who were the fallen?

YEAR 9

Autumn	Spring	Summer
EQ: How much was Germany changed by the Nazis? Why were the Germans so angry about TOV? How did Hitler become Fuhrer in 1934? How did the Nais control Germany? How were women treated by the Nazis? What impact did the Nazis have on education?	EQ: How should the Holocaust be remembered – What was the Holocaust and why do we study it? Was the Holocaust inevitable by 1936? Why did the Police Battalion 101 shoot? What can a song tell us about life in Nazi labour camps? How did Jewish people resist the Holocaust?	EQ: Who is to blame for the Israel – Palestine conflict? Who has the strongest claim to the land between the Med and Jordan? Should the British government be praised or blamed for the Balfour Declaration? Were the Jewish forces to blame for the Arab Nakba in 1948? Was the use of Israeli forces justified in the First Intifada? Are the Palestinians mainly to blame for the failure of the Peace Process? Would a one state or two state outcome be better for Israelis and Palestinians?
EQ: Was World War Two just World War One part 2? How far is WW1 responsible for WW2? How was propaganda used during WW2? Was World War Two a ‘world war’? What were people’s experiences on the Home Front? Can the use of weapons of mass destruction ever be justified?	EQ: Why is Ireland so troubled? What is Ireland? Did an Orange Man start the Troubles? Was the Easter Rising a failure that damaged independence? Why was there a civil rights movement in Ireland? What were the methods used to gain publicity and support during the Troubles? Was the Good Friday Agreement the end of the Troubles?	Value

KS4 - OCR History B(School's History Project) J411

Assessment	Content
Paper – British History Thematic Study: People’s Health c1250-present Depth Study: The Norman Conquest 1065-1087 40 marks each Exam – 1hr 45mins 40% of total marks	People’s Health What was the most important factor preventing improvements in public health 1250-1500? -Limitations to progress; living conditions; responses to Black Death; government responses to health. What was the most important factor preventing improvements in public health 1500-1750? -Limitations to progress; living conditions; responses to Plague; government responses to health. What was the most important factor preventing improvements in public health 1750-1900? -Limitations to progress; living conditions; responses to Cholera; social reformers and government responses to health. What was the most important factor spurring on improvements in people’s health in the 20th / 21st centuries? -Causes of progress; living conditions; responses to Spanish Flu; responses to AIDs; health legislation; popularity of government intervention. The Norman Conquest To what extent did Anglo-Saxon England experience a Golden Age in 1065? Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? How did William gain full control over England between 1066 and 1071? What can research reveal about early castles? What exactly was the impact of the Norman Conquest on the English by 1087?
Paper – History Around Us Exeter Cathedral 50 marks Exam - 1hr 20% of total marks	-Why was Roman Exeter so significant? -Why did Exeter become a Cathedral city? -What was the impact of the Normans on Exeter? -Why did Bronescombe bother to re-build Exeter Cathedral? -What was the impact of the murder at the cathedral? -What was the impact of the Henrician Reformation? -What was the impact of the Reformation under Edward VI? -What was the impact of the Civil War on Exeter Cathedral? -What changes did Gilbert Scott make to Exeter Cathedral? -What effect did the Baedeker Raids have on Exeter Cathedral? -How typical is Exeter Cathedral?
Paper – World History Period Study: Making of America, 1789 – 1900 World Depth Study Living Under Nazi Rule, 1933 -1945 40 mark each Exam – 1hr 45mins 40% of total marks	Making of America What tensions arose as the USA grew 1789-1838? How did different groups see the American West 1838-1860? Slavery was the main cause of the Civil War – How far do you agree? To what extent did African Americans gain equality between 1861 and 1900? What was the impact of white settlers on the Plains? How did the lives of Native Americans change by 1900? How did the growth of big business, cities and mass migration impact on America? Living Under Nazi Rule How did Hitler become Fuhrer by 1934? How did the Nazis maintain control over Germany? Did the lives of the German people improve under the Nazis? What was the impact of WW2 on the German people What did Nazi rule mean for the people of Europe?

KS5 - OCR History A H505
British period study and enquiry: England 1485-1558: the Early Tudors
50 marks
Exam – 1hr 30mins
25% of total marks

Non-British period study: Russia 1894-1943
30 marks
Exam – 1 hr
15% of total marks

Thematic study and historical interpretations: Civil Rights in the USA 1865-1992
80 marks
Exam 2hrs 30mins
40% of total marks

Topic based essay
Non-examined assessment
40 marks
20% of total marks