History

Welcome

The History Department at Edgbarrow wants all students:

  • To enjoy and become fascinated by the wonder of history
  • To develop as independent thinkers
  • To explore and experience the history of the world around them
  • To achieve the highest standards of academic excellence

We passionately believe it is vital for young people to investigate people and events throughout History as they seek to develop an understanding of how they fit into the history of the world.

Our philosophy is founded on the belief that History should be taught in an exciting and yet academically rigorous way that uses all forms of media that are available. We are looking to develop young people who know and understand the causes and consequences of key events and yet, more importantly, can critically analyse a wide range of sources and interpretations to reach their own conclusions.

We deliver highly engaging lessons and use a range of strategies to help students retain required information to ensure that “Deep Learning” is taking place at every opportunity. In our lessons, students are regularly tested in line with exam board requirements to support the learning and retention of necessary skills. We also aim to build on their prior learning through effective sequencing of the curriculum.

The History Department is academically successful and has a full-time dedicated team of historians who are committed to sharing our passion for all things historical. This fascination with our subject rubs off on our students and significant numbers choose History at both GCSE and A-Level, with some going on to read History at some of the country’s top universities.

Key Staff

Mr May - Head of Department
Mrs Hutchinson
Miss Mackenzie
Miss Myatt
Mrs Rea-Palmer
Miss Shaw (maternity leave)

Key Stage 3

Curriculum Intent

To create a passion to understand days, people and events that have shaken the world.

  • Year 7 - through an overview of the Medieval period.
  • Year 8 - through a study of the development of Tudor and Industrial Britain.
  • Year 9 - through a study of the development of 20th World History.

Key Stage 3 Curriculum Map
Homework Intent

To reinforce learning within the classroom and to provide students with the opportunity for independent learning through research-based tasks on history in the wider world.
Assessment Bands

Students will follow national guidelines throughout Key Stage 3 to support and prepare them for their Key Stage 4 courses. The school operates a banding system of 1-9 (9 being the highest band). Students will be given a target based on their Key Stage 2 scores and baseline assessments on arrival at Edgbarrow. The band they are awarded at the end of the Key Stage is intended to be indicative of the grade they may achieve at GCSE.

FOR YEAR 7 ONLY: We have recently changed the way in which we track progress in Key Stage 3. The new format is currently in operation with Year 7 only. In each individual subject, students are given one of three progress bands: foundation, intermediate and higher. These bands are based on Key Stage 2 scores, as well as evidence gathered by class teachers. Throughout Key Stage 3, students will be judged to be meeting, exceeding or below expectations for their given band. The headline criteria for each of these bands can be found below. More information about the new banding format will be given to Year 7 parents well in advance of the first Student Progress Report, which is sent to parents/carers at the beginning of February.

Year 7 Assessment Bands

Years 8 & 9 Assessments Bands

Summary Curriculum Plan

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9
Please visit our Galleries Page to view recent project work from our Key Stage 3 students.

Key Stage 4

Curriculum Intent

Year 10 & 11 - To create a passion to understand days, people and events that have shaken the world through a study of key topics that focus on Britain and the World.

  • The American West, 1840 - 1895
  • Medicine and Public Health Through Time
  • Elizabethan England, 1568 - 1603
  • Conflict in Asia, 1950 -1975 (Korean and Vietnam Wars)

Homework Intent

To reinforce learning within the classroom and to provide students with the opportunity to develop exam skills that will be necessary to achieve well at GCSE.

Summary Curriculum Plan

Year 10 & 11

Key Stage 5

Curriculum Intent

To create a passion to understand days, people and events that have shaken the world.

  • Year 12 – with a focus on the Tudors (1485-1547) & Weimar Germany
  • Year 13 - with a focus on Tudor England 1547-1603 & Nazi Germany

Homework Intent

To reinforce learning within the classroom and to provide students with the opportunity to develop knowledge and exam skills that will be necessary to achieve well at A-Level.

Summary Curriculum Plan

Year 12

Year 13

Inclusion

Intent

It is our intent that pupils with special educational needs/disabilities (SEND) follow the same curriculum, learn alongside their peers and achieve similar outcomes.

In addition, they may benefit from additional opportunities in the lessons and in the co-curricular activities that are arranged especially for them.

SEND Implementation and Impact

Pupil Premium Intent

Literacy

Reading Aims:
  • To ensure students are equipped to understand command words in questions.
  • To ensure students are equipped with a range of independent reading strategies to aid comprehension when reading and answering exam questions.
  • To ensure students are equipped with a range of independent reading strategies when interpreting source material.
  • To support students in understanding complex vocabulary that they encounter in their reading.
  • To encourage students to read for pleasure outside of the lessons.
  • To encourage students to engage with current political news.
Writing Aims:
  • To ensure students are equipped with strategies to construct their answers.
  • To ensure students are equipped with a range of independent strategies to enable them to plan their answers carefully.
  • To equip students with strategies to reflect on and redraft their writing.
  • To explicitly teach spelling to enable students to write fluently.
  • To support students in writing creatively, through teaching them to use ambitious vocabulary, language devices and structural techniques.
Spoken Language Aims:
  • To ensure students are equipped to use a range of vocabulary as well as subject specific vocabulary in their spoken language.
  • To support students to use spoken Standard English.
  • To teach students how to listen and respond formally.
  • To provide students with opportunities for structured talk.

Select for Literacy Strategies

Co-Curricular

The History Department believes in bringing history alive. All year groups will again begin to have the opportunity of going on a history visit, as we look to re-start our selection of trips following Covid.
In Key Stage 3 we aim to visit The Victory and Old Portsmouth, go to Hampton Court and attend a play on the Battle of the Somme. In Key Stage 4, you will have the opportunity to go on a 2-day visit to World War 1 and 2 battlefields. You will also have the opportunity of going on a theatrical revision lecture. Year 11, 12 and 13 students go on trips further afield to destinations such as Germany, Poland and the USA, which you will have the opportunity to participate in if you take GCSE History.

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Trenches Trip

 
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Berlin
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New York/Boston
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The Victory - Portsmouth

Independent Study

Select to view current reading lists

 

 


For further information regarding our History Curriculum please contact:
Mr May (Head of Department) giles.may@edgbarrowschool.co.uk