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History

Understanding and analysing the past can teach us about the world we live in today and what might happen in the future. Part of the skill of studying History is the ability to effectively research and analyse the sources of information available. Our approach will be to help students to learn to do this independently, while providing the support they need to progress as much as possible. History lessons are part of the core curriculum until Year 9, after which students can choose History as one of their GCSE options.

KS3 Curriculum

Year 7 centres around the theme of power, to do this, it covers the main topics of the Anglo-Saxons, Middle Ages, the Tudors and the Stuarts. The course starts a study of the Anglo-Saxon period and a look at the History of our local city of Winchester. We then move on to the lead up to 1066 with students studying evidence to explain who had the best claim to the English throne and why William won the Battle of Hastings. Other topics are the Black Death, the Peasants’ Revolt and the feudal system. Students also study the power of the church which links to Henry VIII and the break with Rome. We also study the problems facing Elizabeth I and how she overcame them and finally the causes and events of the English Civil War.

Year 8’s learning is focussed on the concepts of protest and inequality. In or do learn about this students’ study starts with the formation of the British Empire and its impact on Britain, its colonies and the Slave Trade and the associated horrors. The students also study the Industrial Revolution and the effect it had on Britain and its people. Students will learn about the Titanic and its class system to reflect class differences in British society at the start of the 20th Century. Students study the Suffragettes and evaluate evidence to determine what happened at the Derby in June 1913. We finish the year with a study of the fight for equal rights in the 20th century mainly looking at the events in the USA.

Year 9 will be themed on conflict in the 20th Century. It starts with a study of the First World War and the horrors of trench warfare, before moving onto our first GCSE unit of Germany as detailed below. At the end of the year experiences of different nations in the Second World War are explored as well as key events.

GCSE Study

The AQA GCSE History course is studied including the following areas:

  • Germany 1890-1945: a study of Germany in the lead up to WWI, Germany between the wars and Nazi Germany
  • The Cold War 1945-1972: the start of the Cold War and the major events - the Berlin Blockade and Airlift, Hungarian Crisis, Berlin Wall, Cuban Missile Crisis, Prague Spring, Nuclear Arms race, Detente and the renewal of the Cold War
  • The Study of Medicine: a study of the development of medicine, surgery and Public Health from 1000AD to the present day
  • The Reign of Elizabeth I: c1568-1603. A depth study on the last 35 years of Elizabeth’s rule including economic, religious, political, social and cultural changes and a site-specific study.