History

Overview

Year 7 students begin with a skills overview such as source analysis, interpretation, understanding significance and the constantly intertwining relationship between change and continuity. These skills are then steadily embedded into chronologically ordered themes that explore the significance of turning points in the social and cultural evolution of the British Isles, with events such as when and how did the Normans conquer England? Was the Black Death really a disaster? How has history interpreted the significance of the Tudor dynasty?

Understanding of each topic is consolidated via a combination of assessed oral and written work in which students are actively encouraged to self-evaluate their own comprehension of each topic area and, with guidance, provide a platform at each assessment on which to continually build their skills.

From Year 8 onwards, these skills are further honed as students begin to explore the development of Britain and her relationship with the rest of the world from the Industrial Revolution and the building of an empire, the significance of the slave trade right up to the main long and short term events that triggered WWI. Year 9 begins by exploring WWI itself, the life of the soldiers as well as the impact of the war at home. The concepts of cause and consequence and significance are then further developed by examination of the impact of the Treaty of Versaille and how this contributed to the chain of events that led up to WWII.

Curriculum Content

Age related milestones

• Year 7
• Year 8
• Year 9

Overview

Subject aims and learning outcomes

GCSE specifications in History will support students in learning more about the history of Britain and that of the wider world. The study of history at GCSE will inspire students to deepen their understanding of the people, periods and events studied and enable them to think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, make informed decisions, and develop perspective and judgement. This, in turn, will prepare them for a role as informed, thoughtful and active citizens.

GCSE specifications in history will enable students to:

• develop and extend their knowledge and understanding of: specified key events
• periods and societies in the history of their locality, Britain, and the wider world;
• and of the wide diversity of human experience
• engage in historical enquiry to develop as independent learners and as critical and
• reflective thinkers
• develop the ability to ask relevant questions about the past, to investigate issues
• critically and to make valid historical claims by using a range of sources in their
• historical context
• develop an awareness of how and why different interpretations have been
• constructed about people, events and developments from the past and why they
• may have been accorded significance
• organise and communicate their historical knowledge and understanding in
• different ways and reach substantiated conclusions
• recognise that the discipline of history and a knowledge and understanding of the past helps them to understand their own identity and significant aspects of the world in which they live, and provides them with the basis for further wider learning and study.

Exam board and course

AQA GCSE History (8145)

Curriculum Content