History
A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots
Marcus Garvey
The study of history reveals our place in the world. It uncovers our roots and foreshadows our future. History helps us to unpick the complexity of the past. It is the study of people. But it is also vast. Our history curriculum is designed to tell the story of our island nation as a connected part of world history; Britain as part of the world; not the centre of it. Therefore, we take a chronological approach to explore the peoples and civilisations that have shaped our modern world. Our curriculum gives context to the essential signposts in British History on our journey to the present.
First Order Concepts. Our foundational concepts are:
- Authority
- Status
- Freedom
- Empire
- Migration
- Revolutions
- Nation
- Identity
- Beliefs
These concepts underpin a vast range of substantive concepts that will be taught through concrete examples and repeated encounters across our curriculum. By being exposed to these concepts through a variety of different examples, students will begin to form a deep understanding of the complexity of the world and it people.
Second Order Concepts:
Our curriculum also offers students the tools to navigate a complex global present. The responsible teaching of history has never been as vital to inoculate young people against the avalanche of alternative facts in the age of mass social media. Students will learn how to diagnose opinion from fact, to assess the validity of evidence against bias and points of view. Our second order concepts are:
- Causation
- Change and Continuity
- Historical Evidence
- Historical Interpretations
- Significance
- Similarity & Difference
This disciplinary knowledge is carefully weaved throughout our curriculum and assessed against a series of enquiry questions. This broad and challenging curriculum requires students to engage with a wide variety of historical experiences and fosters their critical and thinking skills. Having done so, students will be better equipped to understand the global world and succeed in life.
Click to download the History Curriculum Map
Exam Board