Department Vision Statement

KS3

It is our intention to create a spiral curriculum which allows students to make thematic and chronological connections across KS3 and into KS4. Assessment will build upon knowledge and skills as students move through   the Key Stage. It will develop across 3 key strands; knowledge, source analysis and extended writing. Assessments have been carefully designed to encourage students to link prior learning with new knowledge in order to improve retention of information. Our assessments are also designed to build confidence with smaller multiple-choice questions building up to lengthier essay questions in order to allow all students to access our subject and go   on to achieve. It will create a solid foundation of knowledge and skills for students to build upon as they enter KS4 but, through careful selection of key content, it will also prepare all students for life in Modern Britain.

It is our intention that students will enjoy our subject and we have integrated opportunities within  our curriculum for independent study, debate and for them to share with us  their own histories. As a department we have a great love for our subject,  and we hope that students will end Year 9 with a shared enthusiasm but also a greater understanding of current affairs and be able to make informed  opinions of the events that are occurring around them.

Exam Groups

For students to achieve in our subject and have the choice to continue at higher levels, it is our intent to focus on developing the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in the exams that they must sit. Our intent it that the curriculum will be planned in such a way that all students have the time they need to accrue new knowledge, understand how to apply this to the question stems they will be presented with and develop the confidence to review and retrieve this in the future. They will be supported regardless of their starting point from key stage 2 and our schemes for learning will include opportunities for students to understand how to improve and reflect on not only their historical knowledge, but also their wider literacy and written communication skills. Following on from our key stage 3 vision we have selected topics which build on previous knowledge and will help them to better understand world politics and alternative cultural beliefs.