Vision

We want to help students understand their local, national and global circumstances through rigorous analysis of how the past has bought us here. 

Curriculum Overview

By the end of KS3, we want students to understand their local, national and global circumstances. Students study a broad range of history, ranging from local case studies to European and African History. Students broadly study events in chronological order, but there are some opportunities to study in a thematic way.

Sequencing, Setting and Support

Students are mostly taught content in chronological order, allowing them to build on their learning at each stage. For some units (e.g. C20th and C21st Conflict) students are taught in a thematic way, which allows them to analyse trends across long periods of time. Most lessons begin with a recap of previous content, which allows students to make connections in their learning across Years 7, 8 and 9 and understand how current topics build on previous ones.   

Students are taught in mixed ability groups, which allows all students to access challenging content. 

Teachers know their students well and differentiate learning so every student can succeed to the best of their ability. This included providing sentence starters, offering information which requires a lower reading age, and offering 1-1 targeted support in lessons.  

Alive Themes in History

The Alive values are fed through our curriculum. We value justice and respect, and this is reflected in our choice of topics, which cover a diverse range of people and cultures and many of which focus on protest and the fight for equal rights. We also value trust and truth and strive to prevent misconceptions about the past through encouraging critical analysis of sources. We value diversity and our intent is that the curriculum reflects the needs and backgrounds of students in our school-specific context.  

Assessment in History

Each term students complete a written assessment to check their knowledge and skills. Some of these are formative, whilst others are summative meaning that students are expected to revise and complete them without help.  

Assessments are marked using a mark scheme criterion, which is then converted into a percentage and progress descriptor. For example, a 90% score in an assessment, would be ‘Extending +’.  

As they move through KS3, students are expected to show a deeper level of knowledge and more complex analysis of the past.  

Homework and how Parents/Carers Support Learning

All homework is set on Bromcom which is an app and website available to students and parents/carers. Further information is available on our Homework page.

These are the principles which underpin our homework.

At KS3, students are expected to complete regular ‘Read and Research’ homework. These will either deepen their knowledge of a topic they have studied in class or allow them to extend their knowledge and learning about a different period/aspects of history.  

Student will be expected to complete revision homework summative assessments and will be given notice of this in lessons.  

All homework for History will be set via Bromcom. Should students need resources printing for them, they can discuss this with their teacher.  

Parents can support students with their homework by reading materials with them and discussing what students have learned.  

Useful History Resources

All resources to support learning can be found on relevant year’s Moodle page. This included access to lesson resources and textbooks, should students be absent and need support catching up.