Welcome to History

Meet our staff

  • Mrs C Howarth (Head of Department)
  • Miss N Atkinson
  • Miss T Hannah
  • Mr J Duncan

Downloads

KS3 Long Term Plan
KS4 Long Term Plan
Long Term Plan USA History
Long Term Plan British History
Key stage 3 students follow a curriculum designed chronologically and thematically to demonstrate breadth and depth, following identified centres of gravity (England, Mediterranean and the USA)

Our curriculum is organised in such a way that it provides learners with the best opportunities to be successful in their learning. Our principles focus on depth not just breadth by creating a mastery within the curriculum, which stretches learners and accelerates their progress over their 7 year learning journey at our college. In this section of the website you will find the subject intent, implementation and impact.

Alongside this, are our long and medium term plans which enable all stakeholders to have a clear understanding of the content, knowledge and skills taught within this curriculum area. The long term plan also outlines the cultural capital experiences and career opportunities learners have within the subject, as well as our tailored approach to supporting learners’ metacognitive processes. Further to these documents, the discrete sequencing of lessons are in the College’s bespoke schemes of work that can be accessed through departments.

What exactly do they learn?

The concepts of Conflict, Power, Society, powerful female figures, Inequality and Religion are woven throughout the Ks3 curriculum and constantly revisited.

The History mapping documents show the connections between the topics studied and the disciplinary and substantive concepts. We can also show how these then bridge key stage 3 to key stage 4

Long term plans show a balance of overview and in depth studies and are taught in a chronological order.

Opportunities for challenge and additional reading is identified in plans.

At key stage 4 students follow the GCSE Edexcel course and at Key stage 5 AQA A level.

How do you measure attainment and progress?

Learners in KS3 and KS4 are formally assessed during two points throughout the academic year with KS5 learners assessed formally over three occasions per year. Learners are required to demonstrate autonomy from Year 7 by undertaking private study at home in preparation for assessments. After each formal assessment, learners are encouraged to respond and feedback by making improvements in green. This ensures learners reflect and recall on their knowledge, allowing them to make further progress. KS4 and KS5 assessments are exam-based questions, using materials from the awarding body AQA. All learners will receive further classroom intervention if assessments identify gaps in their knowledge, skills and understanding. Teachers will frequently recall prior learning in lessons and this is further supported in consolidations at the beginning of every lesson.

What’s the purpose of teaching your subject?

Our curriculum is essentially a triumvirate of local, national and world History. It is our intention for the curriculum to be cohesive and representative in scope and breadth. The topics are sequenced in a chronological framework and it acts as a progression model becoming more ambitious and rigorous as the learning journey progresses. The content is structured as a narrative that ensures our students harness the conceptual knowledge of how and what people in the past lived, believed and were ruled. Key knowledge will built upon at each stage to bring it all together. With a strong literacy focus and by acquiring a fundamental substantive and disciplinary knowledge we aim to produce “word rich pupils who talk, write and think confidently about the past.

What did they learn at primary?

The History Department have liaised with feeder primaries initially and looked at their curriculum plans to identify popular topics and what content and skills are taught. Teachers have an adequate knowledge and understanding of the History Primary Curriculum.

The starting topic in year 7 of “Worlds of 1000” enables students have a starting point and to build on prior knowledge. Year 7 students complete a baseline skills assessment in their first lessons to identify common gaps in skills or ideas. Students have a reasonable knowledge of basic chronology, however knowledge of identifying years into centuries and BC/AD dates were more basic. Students were also aware of types of evidence however in identifying primary and secondary sources they were less confident.

The department use this information to inform further planning.

What order do you teach things in and why?

We have developed a chronological curriculum centered on knowledge of Britain and the wider world. Key ideas/trends are interwoven into Key stage 3, revisited and built upon during the student’s learning journey. In having a secure knowledge base, historical skills can then be woven into the learning journey.

How do you know that you have a ‘good’ curriculum?

Students enjoy history at Archbishop Beck and this can be seen in positive numbers at both KS4 and 5.

An inspiring learning environment is created to allow all students to participate and make progress.

How do you enrich your subject outside the classroom?

The History department offer an array of enrichment opportunities. Students can participate in a number of trips abroad e.g. Berlin, The Battlefields of WW1. Visits to the local museums are encouraged and links have been forged with local universities. All students are encouraged to read around the subject, from the History library. Assembly ideas and resources are available for key historical events.