Key Stage Three

The teaching of history in years 7-9 will follow the guidelines set out in the National Curriculum. An outline of the topics and questions that are considered are detailed below.

Year 7

• 1066 - Why did William of Normandy become King of England in 1066 and what were the consequences?
• Who challenged the power of Medieval Kings and how did they succeed?
• What effect did religion have on people’s lives in the Middle Ages?
• What were the causes of social change in the Middle Ages?
• The Crusades - why did Britain go to war?
• The Renaissance - what was the impact of the Renaissance?

Year 8

• Why did Henry VIII break away from Rome?
• What challenges faced the Tudor monarchs?
• What were the causes of the Civil War and what were the consequences?
• The British Empire - why did Britain gain an empire?
• What were the causes and consequences of the Industrial Revolution?
• What was life like for black people in Tudor times?
• The origins, nature and consequences of slavery.

Year 9

• What was wrong with the electoral system in the 1800s?
• How did women campaign for electoral reform?
• The Civil Rights Movement - Did life improve for Black Americans after 1865?
• What were the causes of World War I?
• What was life like for soldiers in the trenches?
• Why and how did Hitler come to power?
• Why was there a second World War?
• The impact of World War II on the British people.
• The persecution of the Jews 1919-1945 - the Holocaust

Assessment in KS3 History

Formal assessments are carried out at the end of each topic. There is also an end of year assessment.

Key Stage Four

GCSE History - EDEXCEL Code: 1HA0 - Specifications

Course Content - What Will I Study

Year 10

• Unit 2: Russia 1917-1939. This will cover the Russian Revolution. Its aftermath and the growth of Communism under Stalin, up to the beginning of the Second World War.
• Unit 3: War and the Transformation of British Society 1931-1951. This is a source enquiry unit on British history and you will examine areas such as life in Britain during World War II, the changing role of women in society and the consequences of World War II

Year 11

• Unit 4: The Vietnam War. Here you will investigate the reasons why the United States became involved in this war and why they had to withdraw from it.
• Unit 1: The Cold War which developed between the Superpowers in the years after the Second World War, and which saw the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.

How will my progress be tested and examined?

• Unit 1: The Cold War
  • 1 hour 15 minutes written examination - 25% of GCSE Qualification.
• Unit 2: Russia 1917-1939
  • 1 hour 15 minutes written examination - 25% of GCSE Qualification.
• Unit 3: War and the Transformation of British Society 1931-1951
  • 1 hour 15 minutes written examination - 25% of GCSE Qualification.
• Unit 4 The Vietnam War
  • Controlled Assessment - 25% of GCSE Qualification.

Progression - How will the study of History benefit students’ future education and career?

• Knowledge gained from the study of History is in itself worthwhile, but it is also an excellent subject for developing and improving skills.
• You will learn to analyse and explain why something happened.
• You will examine different sources and learn to judge and evaluate them in their given context in order to reach a valid conclusion.
• You will have an opportunity to compare and contrast views so that you can reflect on why there are many different interpretations of the same event.
• You will have the opportunity to construct a coherent answer and organise your ideas so that you can communicate them in a clear and concise way.
• Successful historians are able to produce a well justified argument using evidence to support their views.
• These skills are useful in many fields of work, from law to journalism, from research to archaeology.
• Many historians also pursue a career in banking or finance.