History

The study of history allows pupils to engage in a rich dialogue with the past. History allows an understanding of the shifting nature of the past and how it has been shaped by a diverse range of people and groups. Through considering these stories and the ways in which they have been interpreted over time students come to better understand the world around them.  Studying History allows students to consider the situation historians find themselves in; with wide ranges of information and evidence and the need to  work towards developing a narrative to help navigate the past. This requires students to evolve a set of skills including textual analysis, analytical writing and oracy.  

Intent

At Coloma, the schemes of work have been written within the aims and ethos of the national curriculum. This requires students to develop a breadth and depth of knowledge from the Anglo-Saxons to the modern era. In order that the subject resonates and reflects the wide diversity at Coloma, the curriculum has been developed with the emphasis of encouraging students to investigate a broad range of different peoples experiences of the past. This requires a sound chronological understanding, as well as a knowledge rich development of a broad time frame. Within these time frames an ever-wider geographical area is considered from local and English History, to Europe and then the rest of the world.

Moreover, students are also required to develop an understanding of a range of concepts including; change and continuity, significance, cause and consequence which will allow them to consider patterns across time. The focus is on ensuring that pupils engage analytically with the past and consider the differing interpretations of an event. Teachers will ensure that students can express their opinions using knowledge rich vocabulary and high level concepts. Furthermore, teachers will ensure students master each period or phase before moving through to the next, following a curriculum specifically sequenced to draw links between concepts and target misconceptions head on. These skills are ideal for those students considering a career where they need to evaluate evidence, present information in a balanced way and extend this into written communication. History is ideally suited for those considering the: civil service, journalism, charities sector, the heritage industry, architecture, marketing, sales and of course teaching and lecturing.

Design

Each year has an overall concept behind it. Year 7 students consider the Mediaeval and Tudor ideas of Kingship and the role of religion. In Year 8 the focus is on the 17th and 18th century development of Parliamentary Democracy and Britain's place in the wider-world. In year 9 the students consider the period from 800 AD to the 1960's and consider a diverse range of people's experiences of history including those from Africa, India and the British Empire, as well as gender and religious differences. Students should feel confident to speak with fluency about an ever widening time frame and to read beyond the curriculum to develop broader understanding of the past.

Delivery 

A range of teaching strategies are employed to ensure students transfer content from their long term memory. This includes regular low stakes class knowledge and skills tasks and quizzes to help embed key facts and concepts. Key vocabulary, spelling and definition tests are used to increase students' language development and academic expression.

The curriculum is designed to ensure all students are supported to build success by forming links with concepts previously taught and not just within one year but across multiple years. As such, exams can test a wide range of knowledge including materials, concepts and vocabulary from previous years. Students are actively encouraged to share ideas, give speeches and presentations and be able to speak with fluency on a given topic.