History

KEY STAGE 3

The study of history at Saint Pius X aims to develop learners who actively engage in and enjoy the process of historical enquiry. Throughout Key Stage 3 they will acquire the necessary skills to become independent learners, reflective thinkers, confident individuals and responsible citizens.
The knowledge they gain of key local, national and international events will develop an awareness of how the past has been represented, interpreted and accorded significance for different reasons and purposes. It will allow them to develop the ability to ask relevant questions about the past and to investigate them critically using a range of sources in their historical context.
Students will also gain other transferable skills including the ability to recognise how their historical knowledge helps them to understand the present and provide them with a basis for their role as responsible citizens, as well as motivating them to the possibility of further study.
Y7
Students undertake two key areas of study: ‘Historical key skills’ (including aspects of life before 1066) and ‘Britain 1066 to 1500’ (including the Norman Conquest, Medieval Religion and Challenging Feudalism).
Y8
Students undertake two key areas of study: ‘Britain 1500 to 1750’ (including the Tudors, Stuarts, Plague and Fire) and ‘Aspects of life in Britain and the wider world 1750 to 1900’ (including the Slave Trade, Industrial Revolution and Nineteenth century voting reforms).
Y9
At first, students focus on twentieth century history. They will carry out in depth studies of the following topics: Titanic; the Great War 1914 to 1918; Votes for women, World War Two and the Holocaust. They will then progress to study thematic topics that seek to reflect on all the time periods covered during Key Stage 3, for example the impact of medicine and technology through time.

KEY STAGE 4
Students study AQA GCSE History. The study of history at GCSE encourages students to actively engage in the process of historical enquiry in order to develop as effective and independent learners and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds. Through their learning, students develop an awareness of how the past has been represented, interpreted and accorded significance for different reasons and purposes. It will allow them to develop the ability to ask relevant questions about the past and to investigate them critically using a range of sources.
By the end of their GCSE course, students are able to organise and communicate their historical knowledge and understanding in creative and different ways and reach substantiated judgements. Students also gain other transferable skills including the ability to recognise how their historical knowledge, understanding and skills will help them to understand the present and also provide them with a basis for their role as responsible citizens, as well as motivating them towards the possibility of further study.

CURRICULUM TIME

KS3: 2 hours (Y7 and Y8), 1 hour (Y9),

KS4: 4 hours (Y9 Early Entry GCSE), 2 hours (Y10), 3 hours (Y11)

ASSESSMENT

Paper 1: (50%) Written exam – 2 hours (Understanding the Modern World – America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and inequality. A wider world depth study – Conflict and tension, 1918–1939).

Paper 2 (50%) Written exam – 2 hours (Shaping the Nation – A thematic study – Britain: Power and the people, c1170 to the present day. A British depth study including an historic environment – Norman England, c1066–c1100).

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: Mr. N. Boardman