History Curriculum Overview
Aim
Here at Southmoor Academy, we aim to securely equip all of our students for life beyond school as successful, confident, responsible and respectful citizens. We believe that education provides the key to social mobility and our curriculum is designed to build strong foundations in the knowledge, understanding and skills which lead to academic and personal success. We want our students to enjoy the challenges that learning offers.
Our aims are underpinned by a culture of high aspirations. Through developing positive relationships, we work towards every individual having a strong belief in their own abilities so that they work hard, build resilience and achieve their very best.
Intent
The history curriculum includes formal teaching through subject areas, assemblies and extracurricular activities.
We regularly review content to ensure we continue to meet our curriculum aims and provide every pupil with a history curriculum which:
- Inspires curiosity to know more about the past
- Builds a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world
- Encourages perceptive questioning, critical thinking, the ability to weigh evidence, sift arguments and develop perspective and judgement
- Understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time
The History curriculum is planned to enable all students to develop skills in the following areas:
- Source analysis and evaluation
- Chronological understanding
- Change and continuity
- Cause and consequence
- Analysis of significance
- Evaluation of interpretations
Throughout our programmes of study, every attempt is made to make explicit links to careers and the world of work. In addition to subject specific links, we aim to explicitly reinforce the skills and aptitudes which support employers say are important in the workplace;
- Resilience (Aiming High Staying Positive Learning from Mistakes)
- Collaboration (Teamwork Leadership Communication)
- Creativity (Originality, Problem Solving, Independent Study)
The British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect of those with different faiths and beliefs are taught explicitly within the History curriculum and reinforced in the way in which the school operates.
Sequence and structure
Our curriculum is split in to Key Stage 3 (years 7 and 8) and Key Stage 4 (years 9, 10 and 11).
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Key Stage 3 Curriculum
KS3 Half Term 1 Half Term 2 Half Term 3 Half Term 4 Half Term 5 Half Term 6 Year 7 How did William conquer and control England? Norman conquest including: Succession Crisis, Battle of Hastings, Rebellions, Castles, Feudal and Domesday
Cause and consequence, analysis of source material.
Who had power in the Middle Ages? Challenges to power including: Henry II and Becket, King John and the Magna Carta, Peasants Revolt
Significance, analysis of source material
What was ordinary Life like in the Middle Ages? The different experience of rich and poor to include food, homes, clothes, fashions, fun, crime and punishment, Black Death
Change and continuity similarities and differences in sources,
How terrible were the Tudors? To include: Henry VIII, religious changes, Edward, Mary and Elizabeth
Chronological understanding, interpretation
Was Elizabeth Britain’s greatest monarch? To include:
Spanish Armada, religious changes, challenges to monarchy-Mary Queen of Scots, everyday life- homes, towns, poverty
Cause and consequence, source evaluation, change and continuity
Was it a ‘Civil’ War? To include:
Causes of Civil War, two sides, key battles, impact of war, trial and execution of Charles
Cause and Consequences interpretation,
Source analysis
Year 8 What was ordinary life like in the Industrial Revolution? To include: homes and living conditions, factory life, health, cholera, crime and punishment
Comparing source material and evaluation, interpretation
Should Britain say sorry for the Slave Trade? To include: Empire building, Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, life on plantations, slave resistance and abolition
Source evaluation, interpretation
Was it ‘Great War’? To include: long and short term causes of war ,propaganda, trench life, Battle of the Somme, local war heroes, impact on mental health, armistice
Causation,
Significance
Source evaluation
How was WWII a total war? To include:
Causes of WWII, impact at home- evacuation, rationing, women at work
Change and continuity
Comparing source material
How did Hitler control Nazi Germany? To include: how Hitler gained power, propaganda, terror, life for children, Holocaust
Source evaluation, interpretation, causation
Was the twentieth century ‘America’s century’? To include: 1920s Boom, 1930s Depression, 1950s/60s Civil Rights, 1950s/60s
Culture
Comparing source material/ evaluation
Consequence
Interpretation
We know that students who read well achieve well. As such all subject areas are committed to providing regular opportunities to read extensively ad enrich learning.
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Key Stage 4 Curriculum
Our Key Stage 4 Curriculum
At Key Stage 4 students follow the AQA.
KS 4 Half Term 1 Half Term 2 Half Term 3 Half Term 4 Half Term 5 Half Term 6 Year 9 America: Opportunity and inequality 1920-73: 1920s To include: Isolationism, economic boom, poverty, Entertainment
Comparing source material, source evaluation, consequence, interpretation.
America: Opportunity and Inequality 1920s/30s To include: Women, Racial issues, Prohibition, Hoover and Depression
Comparing source material, source evaluation, consequence, interpretation.
America: Opportunity and inequality 1920-73: Post war To include: Impact of WWII, culture, McCarthyism, 1960s social changes, Civil Rights, Women’s rights
Comparing source material, source evaluation, consequence, interpretation.
Conflict and tension 1918-39: Treaty of Versailles Toinclude:
Aims of Peacemakers, Terms of Treaty, Reactions.
Source Analysis, source evaluation, cause/consequences, interpretation.
Conflict and tension 1918-39: League of Nations To include: weaknesses in membership, structure, power, successes, diplomacy outside the League, Manchuria and Abyssinia Crisis
Source Analysis, source evaluation, cause/consequences, interpretation.
Conflict and tension 1918-39: Causes of WWII To include: How Hitler challenges the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Appeasement, Nazi-Soviet Pact and outbreak of war
Source Analysis, source evaluation, cause/consequences, interpretation.
Year 10 Health through Time: Middle Ages To include: Hippocrates and Galen, religious influences, Black Death, surgery, public health
Source evaluation, Significance, change and continuity, interpretation
Health through Time: Renaissance To include: key individuals, surgery and hospitals, Plague, vaccination
Source evaluation, Significance, change and continuity, interpretation
Health through Time: 1750-1900 To include: key individuals, improvements in surgery, germ theory and impact
Source evaluation, Significance, change and continuity, interpretation
Health through Time: 1750-1900 To include: key individuals, improvements in surgery, germ theory and impact
Source evaluation, Significance, change and continuity, interpretation
Health through Time: 20th century To include: key individuals, improvements in surgery, increased role of government
Source evaluation, Significance, change and continuity, interpretation
Norman England: To include:
Succession Crisis, How William dealt with rebellions, Castles, Domesday, Feudal system
Source evaluation, consequence, significance, interpretation
Year 11 Norman England: To include: Different experiences of rich and poor, growth in towns, law and order
Source evaluation, consequence, significance, interpretation
Norman England: To include: Religious changes, monasticism, education, environmental study
Source evaluation, consequence, significance, interpretation
Gap Analysis- Areas of Weakness. Gap Analysis- Areas of Weakness. Gap Analysis- Areas of Weakness. GCSE Examination dates. For more information about the specific details of our curriculum, please refer to the subject specific pages of our website.
How does our Curriculum cater for students with SEND?
Southmoor Academy is an inclusive academy where every child is valued and respected. We are committed to the inclusion, progress and independence of all our students, including those with SEN. We work to support our students to make progress in their learning, their emotional and social development and their independence. We actively work to support the learning and needs of all members of our community.
A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made that is additional to or different from that made generally for other children or young people of the same age. (CoP 2015, p16)
Teachers are responsible for the progress of ALL students in their class and high-quality teaching is carefully planned; this is the first step in supporting students who may have SEND. All students are challenged to do their very best and all students at the Academy are expected to make at least good progress.
Specific approaches which are used within the curriculum areas include:
- Seating to allow inclusion
- Differentiation activities to stretch and support in all lessons
- Resources are accessible
- Displays and visual learning tools are used where necessary
- Where appropriate support from additional adults is planned to scaffold students learning
- Group work and discussion
- Clear teacher/student communication
- Feedback that allows students to make progress, whether written or verbal
- Independent study/homework.
- Intervention when required
How does our curriculum cater for disadvantaged students and those from minority groups?
As a school serving an area with high levels of deprivation, we work tirelessly to raise the attainment for all students and to close any gaps that exist due to social contexts. The deliberate allocation of funding and resources has ensured that attainment gaps are closing in our drive to ensure that all pupils are equally successful when they leave the Academy. More specifically within the teaching of History, we;
- work to identify barriers, interests and what might help each pupil make the next steps in learning.
- provide targeted support for under-performing pupils during lesson time, in addition to revision lessons and intervention outside school hours.
- use strategies best suited to addressing individual needs
- Ensure there are opportunities for students to make use of resources and gain homework support outside of lesson time
Provide students with revision materials to reduce financial burden on families.
How do we make sure that our curriculum is implemented effectively?
The History curriculum leader is responsible for designing the History curriculum and monitoring implementation.
The subject leader’s monitoring is validated by senior leaders.
Staff have regular access to professional development/training to ensure that curriculum requirements are met.
Effective assessment informs staff about areas in which interventions are required. These interventions are delivered during curriculum time to enhance pupils’ capacity to access the full curriculum.
Curriculum resources are selected carefully and reviewed regularly.
Assessments are designed thoughtfully to assess student progress and also to shape future learning.
Assessments are checked for reliability within departments and across the Trust.
We have staff who mark for exam boards and provide vital CPD to the rest of the department to ensure reliability of data. We also work closely with examination team leaders across trust to valid.
Gap analysis spreadsheets are used to identify areas of development for students at KS4 to identify areas of weakness
Implemented of the History curriculum has links to future careers. Within lessons we aim to build employability skills to enable pupils to transfer these when leaving school and looking for employment and future careers. We teach team work and the importance of clear communication, improving oral and written literacy skills and homework provides effective practice of research skills. As part of the whole school careers program, pupils are expected to implement the skills acquired during lessons to plan their own journey to an interview in London and abroad. Employment opportunities associated with History and higher education opportunities are evident in lessons and we have a display board which promotes History at our trust sixth form.
How do we make sure our curriculum is having the desired impact?
- Examination results analysis and evaluation
- Termly assessments-analysis and evaluation meetings
- Lesson observations
- Learning walks
- Book scrutiny
- Regular feedback from Teaching Staff during department meetings
- Regular feedback from Middle Leaders during curriculum meetings
- Pupil Surveys
- Parental feedback