At Key Stage Two, we develop all of our core concepts by studying a range of topics, covering the National Curriculum, and going beyond it. We begin with a development study, focusing on invention over time, before completing two of our ancient civilisation studies, Ancient Egyptians and The Maya. In Year 6, we begin with our local History unit, moving on to study Ancient Greece* and then finishing with Our Migration Story, which will help pupils understanding of the people and events that have shaped Britain’s past and created the multi-cultural and diverse society we have today.
We refer back to Year 6 learning as we start off Year 7 with our study of the Normans, and continue through the challenging events of Plantagenet, Tudor, and Stuart England, before moving onto global history through our study of the Silk Roads. Topics have overarching enquiry questions, so we ask pupils: Did the Normans (and their descendants) bring “a truckload of trouble? Was the World Turned Upside Down? What was the significance of the Silk Roads?
As pupils move into Year 8, we study the concept of revolution, by focusing on the American, French and Industrial Revolutions. Then we move onto a study of Empire, with a specific focus on West Africa. Finally, we focus on key turning points of the Twentieth Century, which prepares our students for the move to high school. Our enquiry questions here are: Did Revolutions cause chaos or calm? How did Empire affect West Africa? And ‘Was the 20th century the ‘century of change?’
As well as developing substantive and disciplinary knowledge, we develop cross-curricular links and skills, linking our learning to key reads at KS2 and developing skills of critical thinking, evaluating evidence, understanding perspective, and reaching conclusions across key stages. Literacy plays a crucial role in our learning, with reading and scholarship being embedded into lessons. Extra-curricular and hands-on learning support our curriculum, from whole school competitions and assemblies to educational visits. Most importantly, History will add to student’s cultural capital, helping them understand how the world they live in came to be.
Please click here to view the History Handbook.
To view our History Learning Journey please click here.