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Kingswood Secondary Academy

Ofsted Good

History

History Curriculum Intent

Our intent is comprised of the following 3 sections: 

  1. Our vision for the subject/faculty and the purpose it serves for our pupils 
     
  2. Defining what the key concepts and core domains of knowledge are, that pupils will learn about 
  3. The end points our curriculum is working towards 

 

  1. Our vision
  • Aspiration –to expose students to potential Career opportunities involved with History related to lessons taught. To offer a range of Aspirations linked to the History of the UK and the world. We provide opportunities for students to articulate their opinions via ‘Talking Points’ so that they can gain confidence to stress their ideas appropriately.
  • Core knowledge – students are taught about the History of Corby and the link to the Vikings, Medieval Realms, the Tudors and Stuarts in Year 7. In Year 8 they learn about Early African Civilisations, the Atlantic Slave Trade, WW1, Interwar Years, Ireland, WW2 and Twentieth Century USA. At KS4 students follow Edexcel and learn Early Elizabethan England, American West, Medicine Through Time and Weimar and Nazi Germany. At KS5 students are taught Italy 1896-1943, Early Tudors 1485-1558, None Examined Assessment and Civil Rights in the USA 1865-1990
  • Procedural/Powerful knowledge –History should inspire. Students are taught topics to inspire awe and wonder. Pupils will learn about chronology and why it is important. Power- what it is, why people want it and what they have done to keep hold of it. Similarity and difference across different time periods. Change over time and the skill of being able to recognise how things have changed based on the study of ideas, events and artefacts.  Cause and consequence – how events and decisions produce later actions and effects.  Perspectives- how people experience events differently. Empathy and being able to understand another person’s views. Significance- how do we judge this and why must historians attempt to determine relative significance.
  • Developing cultural capital –Learning about history in a classroom is one thing. Experiencing History via re-enactment such as the Living History group for WW1, day trips to Warwick Castle, Lincoln Castle and Prison and Duxford is another. Residential visits to the Somme and Berlin bring History alive. The ability to hear a Holocaust survivor speak and to visit Auschwitz give students totally new perspectives beyond the classroom.
  • Developing character – enabling our students to RISE. In particular developing our Core Values of:
  • Respect- History teaches students about periods of time when groups were not respected and how we can learn to never repeat this again.
  • Independence- History teaches students the skills of independent research, the excitement of a student discovering information for themselves and sharing this with the class.
  • Service- History teaches students about those that have served in the past and the impact this service has had on society today and how we can continue to serve our communities
  • Empathy- History is intrinsically about learning from other people’s experiences. Students placing themselves in the ‘shoes of others’ This is taught throughout our curriculum. 
  • Identifying and addressing context specific need – Our pupils are all unique and valued members of our community. The History curriculum is differentiated to allow each student to thrive and achieve. Students with specific needs are supported through a variety of methods from support in lessons to financial help for trips.  

  • Learning is sequential – The History curriculum is sequenced to allow student’s knowledge and understanding to grow and build on prior knowledge. Students are taught using DNA’s to recall knowledge. Students are taught with retrieval tasks to ensure that their knowledge builds and avoids cognitive overload.  

 

  1. Our key concepts and core domains of knowledge

 

At Key Stage 3, learners will experience a broad a rich curriculum comprising:

 

Year 7 the History of Corby and the link to the Vikings, Medieval Realms, the Tudors and Stuarts.

 

Year 8 the British Empire and Slavery, Industrial Revolution, World War One, Women and the Interwar years.

Year 9 they will learn about World War Two and the Homefront, the Holocaust, Migration through Time, Civil Rights in the USA, The Cold War and Medieval Medicine.

At Key Stage 4, learners will study GCSE in History. Over the life of the course, learners will study:

  • Early Elizabethan England 1558-88
  • The American West c.1835-1895
  • Medicine in Britain c.1250- present & The British Sector of the5 Western Front 1914-1918
  • Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918-39

At Key Stage 5, learners will study A Level History. Over the life of the course, learners will study:

  • Italian Fascism 1896-1943
  • Early Tudors 1485-1558
  • Non Examined Assessment
  • Civil Rights in the USA 1865-1992
  1. The end points of our curriculum

 

By the end of each year our learners will be able to:

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Year 12

Year 13

- Describe and explain Corby’s local history with specific reference to the Vikings, be able to understand how England developed during the Medieval period with specific reference to power and the church. They will be able to describe and explain what changed during the Tudor and Stuart periods with reference to the significance of key individuals.

- Students will be able to describe features of a period/event, make inferences from historical sources, write a narrative account about an event. They will also be able to give a judgement on how far they agree about the significance of an event and begin to use sources to look at utility.

- Understand the place of History in culture within the UK and the wider world. Be able to reflect on how a countries actions can be viewed within a country and by others

- Experience ‘awe and wonder’ at the topics they learn about. They will be able to piece together events from the past and draw conclusions about the consequences of events and the actions of those in power and create judgements about the significance of these events.

 

- Explain and analyse early African Civilisations. Analyse how and why this changed and allowed the Atlantic Slave Trade to develop. They will study the changes experienced due to the Industrial Revolution socially, economically and politically. Explain the causes of WW1. Explain and analyse the consequence of war and the interwar period. Students will also study the impact of WW1 on Women and how they campaigned for equal rights.

- Students will be able to extend their knowledge about power and change over time. They will be able to interpret different perspectives on events, look at cause and consequence. Students will be able to show the skill of empathy as well as giving a judgement based on historical evidence.

-Articulate why people in power acted as they did in the past and the consequences of this. They will be able to critically evaluate both source material and different interpretations about the past. They will be able to make a judgement about how significant people and events were in shaping a country.

- Analyse and evaluate the causes, main events and consequences of World War Two. They will study the main turning points and the Homefront. Explain and analyse how and why the Holocaust happened. Analyse and evaluate Migration over time. Looking at how the UK has been influenced by migration from the Bronze Age to the Modern Day. Analyse events in Twentieth Century USA with specific reference to Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter. They will also learn about the events of the Cold War and the impact on the world.

- Students will look at Medieval period of Medicine retrieving knowledge from Y7.

- Build upon their Core Knowledge and key concepts to answer assessment questions which focus on understand second order concepts such as power, cause and consequence, religion, significance, change over time and key individuals as well as further developing empathy. Have the ability to give a judgement based on evidence. Further embedding the skills of AO1 knowledge and understanding and AO2 analysis and evaluation. AO3 use of Primary sources and AO4 Secondary Interpretations.

 

- Analyse and evaluate how Medicine has developed from c.1250 to the modern day. Understand key time periods, developments, inventions, progress and regress. Study the Historic environment of the British Sector of the Western Front and understand how illness and injuries were treated as well as the conditions people lived in.

- Understand the significance of Early Elizabethan England. Analyse and evaluate the problems Elizabeth faced as a Queen. Analyse the role of the government. Analyse how Elizabeth dealt with religion. Analyse the problems Elizabeth faced from home and abroad. Analyse what Elizabethans did with their free time. Evaluate why poverty increased during this period and why Elizabethans began to explore the world.

- Build upon their KS3 knowledge Core Knowledge and key concepts to answer exam style questions and understand second order concepts such as change over time, cause and consequence, religion, significance, perspectives and key individuals as well as further developing empathy. Have the ability to give a judgement based on evidence. Further embedding the skills of AO1 knowledge and understanding, AO2 analysis and evaluation, AO3 use of Primary sources. 

 

- Understand how the American West went from deserted Plains with a nomadic Native American population to being populated by White settlers. Analyse and evaluate what changes this brought to the West including with Plains Indians way of life, the Gold Rush, Law and Order, Cowboys and the cattle industry, The Indian Wars and Manifest Destiny.

Study Weimar and Nazi Germany in depth. Understand how a political situation can have an impact on people’s lives. Evaluate ideas of revolution, the economy, depression, politics and democracy, power and significance.

- Build upon their KS3 knowledge Core Knowledge and key concepts to answer exam style questions and understand second order concepts such as change over time, cause and consequence, religion, significance, perspectives and key individuals as well as further developing empathy. Have the ability to give a judgement based on evidence. Further embedding the skills of AO1 knowledge and understanding, AO2 analysis and evaluation, AO3 use of Primary sources AO4 use of secondary interpretations. Express themselves using specific technical language. Be able to formulate an argument which is substantiated with evidence. Be able to analyse and evaluate historic sources and interpretations.

- Foster a lifelong love of History. Have the desire to learn more about the place where they live, places they visit and people they meet as well as understand events in the wider world and how history has influenced these.

- Understand how Italy developed from a democratic Liberal State to a Fascist dictatorship. Analyse how themes of domestic policy, foreign policy and political ideals changed a country. To evaluate the significance of events and individuals.

- Understand the early Tudors. How struggles for power have shaped England. Learn about the significance of individuals and be able to weigh up evidence to draw substantiated conclusions

- Further developing AO1 and AO2 from KS4. Developing further independence and the ability to write like an historian.

 

- Understand how Civil Rights in the USA developed from 1865-1992. Study how African Americans, Native Americans, Trade Union and Women all campaigned for better civil rights. Looks at key periods and turning points in History.

- Devise their own NEA question which is researched using primary sources and interpretations. Be able to produce 3500 words which gives and substantiated judgement.

- Further develop AO1, AO2 from year 12 and learn the skills of AO3 for A Level history.

- KS5 students will have the skills to grapple with source material and interpretations to formulate their own questions, research as a scholar, draw conclusions from evidence and make a substantiated judgement about events from the past.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Ofsted
  • NOS
  • NOS 2
  • Career Mark
  • DofE
  • London Institute