Intent

In History at Our Lady and St Chad, our intent is for the curriculum to promote a curiosity about the past for our learners and produce students who enjoy the study of history. Our history curriculum is a journey designed to inspire pupils fascination about the world and its people which will remain with them for the rest of their lives; to promote pupil’s interest and understanding about diverse places, people and events, together with a deep understanding of the chronology that has led them to their place in the modern world today. The curriculum will enable our learners to be confident in understanding and asking questions about the history of the world around them in order to appreciate how people’s lives have been shaped by history and how they will shape the world around them in the future. As part of this journey, learners will develop a greater understanding of their world and their place in it, on local, national and international scales, as well as being able to develop the skills to understand current challenges facing the modern world and how these compare to those in the past- after all, those who do not understand history are doomed to repeat it.

History is, by its nature, an investigative, analytical and debate-worthy subject which allows the development of concepts, knowledge and skills. The learners will ‘think like a historian’ and develop the ability to ask perceptive questions, think critically through weighing evidence, sifting arguments and form their own developed judgement. We will support our learners to develop these transferable skills and apply them within school and for future employment.

“The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future”

US president Theodore Roosevelt

 

Implementation

At Our Lady and St Chad, History is taught at key stages 3-5 covering GCSE and A Level, where students have the chance to build transferable knowledge and skills. At key stage three, years 7-9, students have one lesson per week. Students start by gaining a depth of understanding about the skills and use of history. By the end of year 9 students will have a chronological understanding of British and International history, covering key events such as the World Wars and the Cold War. Students will also undertake three thematic studies, similar to those at GCSE level, where they study a topic in depth, for example punishments through time and the rise of a dictatorship. Current historical thinking is also a key part of our curriculum, with new emerging historiography underpinning our curriculum, with topics taking inspiration from historians such as David Olusoga (‘Black and British’). Each topic has an overarching question title which is based on current historiographical thinking and allows students to end each unit by analysing a historian’s quote using their knowledge- a high level skill in the study of history. Key stages four and five allows students to develop their knowledge and skills further with in depth studies of both British and World events. Students have two lessons per week at key stage 4 and 4 at key stage 5. We cover a wide scope of time periods, going from the Normans to the present day.  Students are offered an extensive range of opportunities outside of the classroom to embed their historical knowledge in practice with trips across the West Midlands.

Staff have an extensive range of subject knowledge and experience which is shared across the department and underpins our curriculum. We continuously strive to develop ourselves with CPD and current reading and this continues to reflect upon our students and in their learning. We consider how students best learn and implement a range of activities to engage and bring history to life, but to also equip students with the skills they will need now and further in life. We emphasize and prioritise the literacy-based element of the subject through reading and extended writing, with much of this being students reading current historical work to get first hand experience of the work of an historian along with primary evidence based sources. A bank of subject specific vocabulary is used extensively to help students to speak and write like a historian.

 

Impact

In History at Our Lady and St Chad our passionate and supportive staff go above and beyond to ensure sustained progress and positive outcomes for our students. We offer time both inside and outside the classroom to support our students and provide them with all they require to succeed. As a department we regularly reflect and act to ensure students are always getting the best historical and skills based education possible. We ensure the curriculum offers students a chance to see sequential learning in terms of both knowledge and skills. It should be visible that students leave with an understanding of how the world around them has been formed and their place  in doing this for future generations. Students will also leave with  a set of transferable skills they can apply to their next steps, whatever that may be.

Progression Map

 

Please view the additional documents in school:

• Curriculum on a page
• Knowledge Organisers