Our History curriculum is designed to inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and a deep understanding of the past. We aim to develop students who can engage thoughtfully with historical evidence, understand the complexity of human experience, and make connections between past and present.

We offer an inclusive and ambitious curriculum that reflects diverse voices and global perspectives. Through the study of local, national, and international history, students learn to question interpretations, evaluate sources, and construct well-reasoned arguments.

By the end of Key Stage 4, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate secure knowledge of key events, individuals, and developments across different periods
• Analyse and evaluate historical sources and interpretations
• Communicate ideas clearly using appropriate historical terminology
• Understand cause and consequence, change and continuity, and significance
• Reflect on how history shapes identity, society, and the modern world

Our intent is to empower students with the knowledge and skills to become informed, reflective, and active citizens.

Curriculum overview

Key Stage 3

Students explore a broad and balanced curriculum that builds chronological understanding and historical thinking.

Year 7 topics:

• Invasion, migration, and settlement (400AD–1066)
• Medieval life (1066–1707)
• Tudors
• Stuarts
• Slavery
• British Empire

Year 8 topics:

• Industrial Revolution
• Crime and punishment through time
• World War I – the Home Front
• World War II
• Minority groups persecuted by the Nazis
• Civil rights across the world

Key Stage 4

Students follow the AQA GCSE History specification, studying a combination of thematic, depth, and period studies.

Topics may include:

• Understanding the modern world
• Conflict and tension, 1894–1918
• Shaping the nation
• Historic environment

Assessment is through written exams that test knowledge, source analysis, and extended writing.

Courses offered

• GCSE History
• Foundation for A level History, Politics, Sociology, and related subjects
• Emphasis on transferable skills such as analysis, argument, and communication

Enrichment opportunities

We offer a range of enrichment activities to bring history to life and deepen students’ engagement with the subject. These include:

• History Club: Debates, documentaries, and historical investigations
• Educational visits: Trips to museums, castles, and historical sites such as the Imperial War Museum or local heritage centres
• Workshops and guest speakers: Sessions with historians, authors, and university lecturers
• Commemorative projects: Involvement in remembrance events and local history initiatives
• Historical fiction and film: Exploring how history is represented in literature and media

These opportunities help students connect with the past in meaningful ways and develop a lifelong interest in history.