History

Intent 

The History Curriculum will create confident and articulate historians through their study of events, people and places over chronological time. Students will develop their knowledge of local, British, European and world history from the Medieval period through to the present day, recognising that all historical events are a direct consequence of others. Whilst making connections through periods in History, students will gain insight into how sources can be interpreted in different ways, developing skills of inference and usefulness. Students will recognise the importance of how monarchs, leaders and role models have changed history and shaped society in order to develop an understanding of the world around them in the present. Students will develop their oracy and literacy skills through discussion and debate, becoming empathetic individuals in their modern world.
 

Learning hours

Knowledge, Understanding and Skills

At Key Stage 3, students are required to learn a combination of historical skills and key knowledge in order to develop into young historians. Their learning journey begins with the foundations of being a historian, exploring questions such as "What is evidence?" and "How can we infer from evidence?" This helps students build the critical thinking skills necessary for historical inquiry. They will then develop these skills when studying key historical themes from pre-1066 until the modern day, including key events, people, and societal changes. The specific knowledge they learn will be built upon to complete extended writing and make informed judgements about history, coupled with the ability to evaluate evidence by analyzing both the content and provenance of sources.

At Key Stage 4, History students deepen their understanding by studying a range of significant historical periods and topics. They will explore the American West, Elizabethan England, Germany and the Weimar Republic, and Crime and Punishment, gaining insight into different cultures, time periods, and events that have shaped the modern world. This allows students to broaden their historical knowledge and understanding while refining their analytical skills. Throughout their studies, students will learn to explain and analyse key events, interpreting the past from various perspectives and understanding the long-term effects of historical developments.

In addition to mastering key knowledge, students at Key Stage 4 will be expected to demonstrate their ability to use second-order historical concepts to analyse, evaluate, and make judgements about the periods studied. They will work with a variety of sources to make informed evaluations, honing their skills in analysing evidence and historical interpretations. These tasks require students to not only demonstrate a deep understanding of the past but also to critically assess differing viewpoints and sources, preparing them for further historical study and the development of their own historical

5 year learning journey 

Specification

Edexcel History Specification- Link

Careers

Studying history helps us understand and grapple with complex questions and dilemmas by examining how the past has shaped (and continues to shape) global, national, and local relationships between societies and people.

• Researcher
• Historian
• Journalist
• Laywer
• Curator
• Teacher
• Achivist
• Archaeologist

Extra curricular opportunities

• Visit to Hampton Court Palace
• Trip to Auschwitz 
• Remembrance Day
• Six the musical 

Websites to support students learning

Website	How it supports students
Pearson Edexcel GCSE History	The official examination-board website, providing the specification, assessment structure and course information.
Pearson Course Materials	Official examination papers, mark schemes, examiner reports, sample assessments and student support materials.
Pearson Past-Paper Finder	Allows students to find official papers and mark schemes by year, paper and topic. The most recent papers may initially be restricted to schools.
Seneca – Crime and Punishment	Interactive revision covering crime, law enforcement and punishment from the medieval period to the present day.
Seneca – The American West	Covers early settlement, the Plains, migration, cattle ranching, law and order, conflict and the destruction of the traditional Plains Indian way of life.
Seneca – Early Elizabethan England	Interactive revision covering Elizabeth’s government, religion, plots, foreign threats, exploration, education and poverty.
Seneca – Weimar and Nazi Germany	Covers the Weimar Republic, Hitler’s rise, Nazi control and life in Nazi Germany.
Save My Exams – Edexcel History	Specification-matched notes, examination guidance, practice questions and model approaches. Some content requires a subscription.
Save My Exams – Weimar and Nazi Germany	Provides topic notes and guidance for inference, source-utility, interpretation and extended-response questions.
Tutor2u – The American West	Free study notes, knowledge activities and quizzes matched to the Edexcel American West period study.
Tutor2u – Early Elizabethan England	Study notes and revision activities covering all three Elizabethan key topics.
Physics & Maths Tutor – History Papers	Organises Edexcel past papers and mark schemes by paper and examination year.
MME – Edexcel History Past Papers	A clearly organised collection of papers for Crime and Punishment, Elizabethan England, the American West and Weimar and Nazi Germany.
Quizlet – Crime and Punishment	Flashcards for key dates, people, laws, crimes, punishments and developments. Teacher-approved sets are recommended because resources are user-generated.
SchoolHistory – Edexcel	Topic resources, lessons and activities for Edexcel GCSE History. Full access requires a subscription.