History
Our aim: ‘Making connections’ and learning about ‘people and the world around us’, is what links the Humanities vision to the History curriculum. We deal with traditions and cultural precepts that have shaped laws, attitudes, and beliefs, and therefore societies, for centuries. We want our learners to connect with people from diverse cultural backgrounds and build deeper knowledge and understanding.
Curriculum Overview
Our curriculum in Years 7 to 9 focuses on building a chronological understanding of the past, from the medieval to the modern world. Big Questions are used to build knowledge and curiosity. Students are expected to identify points and substantiate explanations with relevant knowledge, showing respect and an awareness of other viewpoints and opinions.
In Years 10 and 11 we follow the OCR B GCSE specification which consists of five components. Students study a range of topics including; Public Health, c.1250-present, The Norman Conquest, 1065-1087, the Making of America, c.1789-1900 and Living Under Nazi Rule, 1933-45. Students also carry out a local study (The Development of Cowley Road) before time is given for revision and preparation for the GCSE exams.
Year 7 Topics
Term 1 – The purpose of History. Why do we study History? The Norman Conquest. How did the Normans Conquer England?
Term 2 – The Crusades. What were the Crusades?
Term 3 – Medieval England. What mattered to medieval people?
Term 4 – Was the Black Death the most significant moment of the Middle Ages?
Term 5 – The Tudors. Was Henry VIII a tyrant Tudor?
Term 6 – The Mughal Empire. Who was the greatest Mughal emperor?
Year 8 Topics
Term 1 – How far was Elizabethan England really a golden age?
Term 2 – The British Empire and the Slave Trade. How did sugar corrupt the world?
Term 3 – The industrial revolution. What was the impact of the Industrial Revolution on working people's lives?
Term 4 – Australia. How did the British colonise Australia?
Term 5 – World War One. What was the impact of WW1 on people’s lives?
Term 6 – Winston Churchill. How should Winston Churchill be remembered?
Year 9 Topics
Term 1 – Suffrage and Equal Rights – How have civil rights developed over time?
Term 2 – Democracy to Dictatorship – The Rise of Dictators
Term 3 – Significant Turning Points in World War II
Term 4 – The Holocaust – What stories lie behind photographs of the Holocaust?
Terms 5–6 – The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s
Year 10 topics
Terms 1–2 – People’s Health, 1250–present
Terms 2–3 – The Norman Conquest, 1065–1087
Term 4 – Cowley Road Local Study – History Around Us
Terms 5–6 – The Making of America
Year 11 topics
Term 1 – The Making of America
Terms 2–4 – Living Under Nazi Rule