History

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Intent

The study of History is a crucial part of every student’s development at Oulton Academy. It is imperative that students understand key aspects of local, British and world history, so they can make sense of the current world. Our knowledge rich curriculum gives students a strong understanding of our British values such as democracy and individual liberty whilst learning about a vast array of British and world history. This is coupled with our explicit emphasis on protected characteristics and means that students feel empowered to be themselves and can go on to thrive in any further study they wish to pursue. Students have constant opportunities to demonstrate the Oulton Academy values within lessons and staff ensure that all content is both challenging and accessible, so students feel empowered to study History and be a lifelong learner.

The curriculum is delivered by passionate and experienced teachers who are well resourced and who benefit from the latest CPD in terms of both subject specific materials as well as latest pedagogy Embedding Formative Assessment - SSAT (ssatuk.co.uk). All teachers have access to the Historical Association which provides high quality resources and expert support. This membership allows us to constantly improve our provision by staying up to date with the latest research in history teaching pedagogy. 

Secondary / Historical Association (history.org.uk)

Implementation

Throughout our curriculum design process, which is mapped against the national curriculum, we had a focus on second order concepts that allow historians to explain and analyse certain events. This means that our students can engage in historical debate and analyse the events they study. Likewise, we also mapped out the different themes that students will be looking at, so they get a breadth of knowledge which is revisited to help build the students schema.

Each lesson includes opportunities for students to demonstrate their historical skills with extended writing to explain the second order concepts, or the analysis of sources and interpretations.

Iterative tasks are used to ensure students revisit and retain their long term knowledge whilst the use of Gold Zone allows student’s to demonstrate their resilience by applying their knowledge to new enquiries. We also understand the importance of literacy across the curriculum and we emphasise this throughout all aspects of study. Students develop their oracy skills through giving verbal responses, debating enquiries, and making judgements.

Content

When building our history curriculum, we had a set of aims to ensure all students can access and thrive when studying history:

  1. To get students enthusiastic about history so they can engage with the challenging content.
  2. To offer students fantastic enrichment opportunities such as school trips, history club, and in-school experiences from external agencies.
  3. To surpass the national curriculum and teach students about key events in British and world history which they might not otherwise learn about.
  4. To make our curriculum inclusive and diverse so students learn about the experiences of different minorities.
  5. To have a blend of depth and thematic topics so students can see how certain trends develop over time.
  6. To give the students a solid understanding of the modern world so they can see how the modern political climate came to be.
  7. To allow our students to be model citizens with an appreciation of the Fundamental British Values. This is achieved by the teaching of these values in historical settings.

Key Stage 3:

  • Year 7 we look at British History in the Roman period and then from 1066 until the Renaissance. This includes the study of the Norman conquest, the Crusades, and eventually leading to the reign of Charles I and the English Civil War. Year 7 ends with a thematic topic looking at the development of crime and punishment from 1066-19th Century. We study this to give students a solid foundation for earlier British history and build upon what is learned at Key Stage Two, so they can build a continuous picture of British and world history.
  • Year 8 students study the 19th and 20th centuries in more depth with an emphasis on local history in Victorian England and the development of Civil Rights in Britain and the USA. We study these so students have a deeper appreciation of citizenship and British values.
  • Year 9 students study why the 20th century can be considered a century of extremes. This includes studying World War One and Two, The Holocaust, Interwar Russia, The Holocaust, and the Vietnam War. Students will develop their understanding of Britain’s place in the world and how we can avoid the mistakes of the past.

Key Stage 4:

  • Paper 1- Medicine in Britain, c1250–present and The British sector of the Western Front, 1914–18: injuries, treatment and the trenches. This is a 1hr 15min paper and is 30% of the course.
  • Paper 2- Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–88 and Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91. This is a 1hr 45min paper and is 40% of the course.
  • Paper 3- Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39. This is a 1hr 20min paper and is 30% of the course.

We study this combination of topics as they all fascinate and challenge students with the content. All four topics link to the modern world and they all intertwine to create a broader historical picture.

Review and Evaluate 

The History department are themselves lifelong learners and so are reflective on all our practises, we are proactive in investigating best practise and sharing this learning and understanding across our network of schools. 

Further Information

If you require more detailed information, please email the Head of Department, Miss Emsley:

Year 7

What will I be studying?

Our year 7 theme is to show how the Church, state, and society changed in Britain from the Roman period, into the Norman Conquest and the importance of religion in Europe during the Middle Ages. We then look at the changes made because of the Black Death before we explore the society, state, and the Church in Tudor and Stuart England. We assess the progress of our students by asking them to analyse sources and interpretations, as well as using the second order concepts to explain events.

Enquiry: 

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HT6 

Year 7- 

How has society, state, and the Church changed in Britain? 

How did the Roman Empire impact Britain?

 

How did the collapse of the Roman Empire change Britain?

How did the Norman Conquest change Britain?

 

Why was religion the centre of people’s lives in the Middle Ages?

How far did power shift in Britain from c.1215-1400?

 

Why did the Barons rebel against King John?  

 

Was the Black Death the end of the world?

 

How did Henry VIII change the Church, state, and society in Britain?  

 

 

What was life like for people in Tudor England?

 Had much had changed since Henry VIII (reformation) 

 

 

How useful are portraits of Elizabeth to historians? 

 

 How significant was the English Civil War?

 

 

What do the Witch Hunts tell us about attitudes towards women? 

 

The Great Plague and Fire of London- What was their significance?

Concepts and themes 

Change, significance, continuity 

 

 

 

 

Empire, authority, invasion, law, attitudes, society, war 

Significance, change, continuity, similarity and difference. Interpretations and source analysis 

 

Authority, society, invasion, monarchy, religion, war 

Significance, change, continuity, similarity and difference. Source analysis and interpretations 

 

 

Politics, authority, power, state, monarchy, governance, revolts, society  

Significance and change/continuity 

 

 

 

 

Monarchy, protest, prejudice, reform, discrimination, religion, disillusion, power 

Significance and change/continuity, interpretations and source analysis 

 

 

Monarchy, protest, empire, war, authority, discrimination/prejudice. 

Significance, change, interpretations 

 

 

 

 

Prejudice, monarchy, power, attitudes, government 

Enrichment 

History Club- mosaics 

History Club- stained glass windows 

 

School trip to York

History Club- Did Robin Hood exist? 

History Club- Princes in the tower mystery 

History Club- Roanoke and Sir Francis Drake 

History Club- Student choice 

 

Career Links

  1. Journalist
  2. Policitican
  3. Historian
  4. Museum curator
  5. Administration
  6. Solicitor
  7. Teacher
  8. Barristar
  9. Information officer
  10. Human resources
  11. Author
  12. Analyst

How will I be assessed?

Each enquiry will be assessed by an extended writing question which will require at least 1 paragraph to answer the question. This is coupled with several shorter questions which just assess knowledge from previous topics. We do this so knowledge can be retrieved at regular intervals and topics are not simply forgotten once complete. Feedback is given in the form of teacher marking, verbal feedback, peer assessment, and self-assessment.

 

Which websites should I use to support my learning?

  1. Seneca
  2. BBC Bitesize
  3. Youtube

Year 8

What will I be studying?

For year 8 our curriculum is centred on the enquiry of political power, ideas, and industry in Britain and the USA. During this year the students explore the key themes of rights, equality, empire, and discrimination to help deepen their understanding of the present day and the periods studied. We begin our studies by analysing the experiences of slaves before we look at our local study of the Industrial Revolution in Leeds and Wakefield and how lower-class people would be treated and exploited at this time. This is also mirrored by the study of policing in the 1800s which is revealing about attitudes towards women. We then move to the USA to look at the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and whether that was a time of more equality and freedom for the people of the USA. We then begin our study of US Black Civil Rights before looking at rights for minorities within Britain.

 

 

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HT6

Year 8 

 

How have ideas, industry, political power developed in Britain and the USA? 

What was the shared experience of the Atlantic Slave Trade?

 

Why was slavery abolished?

 

What can our local environment tell us about the Industrial Revolution?

 

How effective were the police in the 1800s?

 Was it the ‘Roaring Twenties’ for everyone in the USA?

To what extent have black people achieved civil rights in the USA?

 

1 – To what extent were the police a hindrance to British Civil Rights? (10)  

 

Have women achieved equality?

 

How far have the LGBTQ+ community come in the fight for equality?

 

Has equality been achieved by the disabled community?

 

Concepts and themes 

Interpretations, causation, consequence, change 

 

 

Empire, slavery, hierarchy, race, discrimination, freedom, economy 

Significance, change/continuity, interpretations

  

Industry, economy, institutions, crime and punishment, society, law, urbanisation 

Change/continuity, significance, similarity/difference.  

 

 

Economy, rights, globalisation, trade, industry, art, media, law, government  

Change/continuity, significance, similarity/difference 

 

Equality, discrimination, law, institutions, judiciary, protest  

Change/continuity, significance, similarity/difference 

 

Equality, discrimination, law, institutions, judiciary, protest 

 

Change/continuity, significance, similarity/difference 

 

Equality, discrimination, law, institutions, judiciary, protest 

 

 

Enrichment 

Slavery Museum 

 

National coal mining museum.  

 

 

 

 

Career Links

  1. Journalist
  2. Policitican
  3. Historian
  4. Museum curator
  5. Administration
  6. Solicitor
  7. Teacher
  8. Barristar
  9. Information officer
  10. Human resources
  11. Author
  12. Analyst

How will I be assessed?

Each enquiry will be assessed by an extended writing question which will require at least 1 paragraph to answer the question. This is coupled with several shorter questions which just assess knowledge from previous topics. We do this so knowledge can be retrieved at regular intervals and topics are not simply forgotten once complete. Feedback is given in the form of teacher marking, verbal feedback, peer assessment, and self-assessment.

Which websites should I use to support my learning?

  1. Seneca
  2. BBC Bitesize
  3. Youtube

Year 9

What will I be studying?

Year 9 aims to provide students with a more focused understanding of modern history. Eric Hobsbawm’s seminal series of books ended with his account of the twentieth century – A Century of Extremes. Inspired by this, the department have prepared a curriculum which enables students to develop a firm grasp of the history of ‘yesterday’. By the end of the year they will have a deeper understanding of the modern world and how the past can link to today’s political climate. The themes for year 9 are war, power, government and dictatorship. This enquiry follows WW1 as it leads into the Russian Revolution and eventually WW2. We then study the Holocaust and examine how it should be remembered. Following this the students study the Vietnam War and it’s place in the Cold War, which is then followed by a study of ‘days that shook the world’ and the modern climate crisis.

 

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HT2

HT3

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HT6

Year 9 

Why was the 20th century one of extremes? 

Why did WW1 start?  

 

 

 

What was the experience of British soldiers during WW1 on the Western Front?  

Why did the Russians remove their Tsar?  

 

 

How did Stalin use terror to achieve his aims?

What was the most significant turning point in WW2?

 

How did WW2 affect Yorkshire?

How should the Holocaust be remembered?

To what extent did the Vietnam War end due to the media? 

Days that shook the world – Why were they so resonant?

 

How has the climate crisis developed?

Concepts and themes 

Causation/consequence, significance, interpretations 

 

Technology, war, power, empire, militarism, nationalism, alliance  

Change/continuity, significance, Causation/consequence 

 

Power, government, dictatorship, terror, revolution, communism 

Causation/consequence, significance, interpretations 

 

 

Technology, war, power, dictatorship 

Causation/consequence, significance, interpretations, change 

 

Genocide, persecution, terror, empathy, apathy,  

Causation/consequence, significance, change/continuity 

 

War, media, technology, communism, capitalism 

Significance, change/continuity.  

 

 

Climate, resonance 

Enrichment 

 

 

 

War/Holocaust museum 

 

  

 

Career Links

  1. Journalist
  2. Policitican
  3. Historian
  4. Museum curator
  5. Administration
  6. Solicitor
  7. Teacher
  8. Barristar
  9. Information officer
  10. Human resources
  11. Author
  12. Analyst

 

How will I be assessed?

Each enquiry will be assessed by an extended writing question which will require at least 1 paragraph to answer the question. This is coupled with several shorter questions which just assess knowledge from previous topics. We do this so knowledge can be retrieved at regular intervals and topics are not simply forgotten once complete. Feedback is given in the form of teacher marking, verbal feedback, peer assessment, and self-assessment.

Which websites should I use to support my learning?

  1. Seneca
  2. BBC Bitesize
  3. Youtube

KS4 - GCSE History

GCSE History- Edexcel

 

What will I be studying?

Paper 1- Medicine in Britain, c1250–present and The British sector of the Western Front, 1914–18: injuries, treatment and the trenches. This is a 1hr 15min paper and is 30% of the course.

Paper 2- Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–88 and Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91. This is a 1hr 45min paper and is 40% of the course.

Paper 3- Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39. This is a 1hr 20min paper and is 30% of the course.

We begin our studies with paper 1 as this gives a great overview of each time period to be studied, before we do the Anglo-Saxon and Norman England section of paper 2. We then go onto Paper 3 before returning to the Superpower relations and the Cold War section of Paper 2. We sequenced it this way, so it follows a chronological order.

Career Links

  1. Journalist
  2. Policitican
  3. Historian
  4. Museum curator
  5. Administration
  6. Solicitor
  7. Teacher
  8. Barristar
  9. Information officer
  10. Human resources
  11. Author
  12. Analyst

How will I be assessed?

Each enquiry will be assessed by an extended writing question which will require at least 1 paragraph to answer the question. This is coupled with several shorter questions which just assess knowledge from previous topics. We do this so knowledge can be retrieved at regular intervals and topics are not simply forgotten once complete. Feedback is given in the form of teacher marking, verbal feedback, peer assessment, and self assessment.

There will also be several mock exam opportunities throughout year 10 and 11 so we can get a greater understand of how students are progressing.

 

Which examination board am I following?

Edexcel

 

Which websites should I use to support my learning?

  1. Seneca
  2. BBC Bitesize
  3. Youtube
  4. We also provide revision guides for all year 11 students