The History curriculum at KEVI HWGA seeks to build upon, but does not rely upon, any previous study of History at KS1 and 2, whilst serving as a foundation for any future study of History at KS4. The curriculum is designed to enable students to build a coherent knowledge base and understanding of some of the key developments, changes, and turning points in both the history of Britain, and selected examples from the wider world. The curriculum combines both overview and depth studies to help students understand both the long arc of development and the complexity of specific aspects of the content. Students are equipped to take an inquisitive approach to their History studies and are able to expand their knowledge and understanding as they progress through each year of study.
The core purpose of our study of History at KEVI HWGA:
Students in Year 7 are introduced to the essential Historical skills and features at the beginning of their studies before going onto explore these concepts in greater depth through thematic studies of particular periods of British History across Year’s 7 to 9. They will become confident in recognising and discussing the characteristics of different historical periods, analysing historical interpretations and working with sources of historical information to make well-reasoned judgements. Areas of study are set out below:
At GCSE students build upon and reinforce the sequence of learning from their Key Stage 3 studies. Our curriculum follows the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History qualification.
The curriculum has been constructed so that students can understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence (sources and interpretations) can be used to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed. They should also gain an increasing historical perspective by being able to place their growing knowledge into different contexts understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history, and between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history, and between long and short term timescales, with a consideration of change and continuity over the last 1000 years.
Students sit three papers at GCSE:
Students who go on to study History at A-Level at KEVI HWGA will deepen their knowledge of historical themes in British and World History and the debates within the discipline. Students are given the tools and guidance to become independent learners and prepare them for future study and work-based settings. We follow the OCR A Level History A course. Topics for each paper are as follows: