History

Our Curriculum Aims:

‘History is inescapable. It studies the past and the legacies of the past in the present. Far from being 'dead', it connects things through time and encourages its students to take a long view of such connections. All people and peoples are living histories, so understanding the linkages between past and present is fundamental for a good understanding of the condition of being human. That, in a nutshell, is why History matters. It is not just 'useful', it is essential for rooting people in time.

(Penelope Corfield, Historian & Educational Consultant)

If History is fundamental for the condition of being human, as Corfield states, then it is imperative that we at AGSB provide a History curriculum which is inclusive and reflects the diversity of Modern Britain and our school community. At the same time, History is at its most engaging, and students think most critically when there is a sense of story within which they can make complex connections. With that in mind, we aim within our programme of study:

To provide a global curriculum which helps students understand Britain’s changing place in the world
To provide an inclusive curriculum which integrates diverse histories into the story of Britain’s and the world’s past
To provide a coherent overarching narrative across each key stage

We hope that, by achieving these aims, we will enhance students’ cultural capital and, therefore, their ability to make a full contribution to society as active citizens. History is, after all, also ‘useful’, as Corfield acknowledges. Whilst this should not detract from its inherent value, History undoubtedly has a crucial role to play in this respect. We therefore also aim:

To guide students in developing the key transferable skills that enable them to successfully navigate, and thrive in, our complex twenty-first society: Foremost amongst these are:

An ability to critically evaluate the credibility of any source and/or interpretation of the past
An ability to reach clear, supported and coherent independent judgements
An appreciation of the value of cooperation and common endeavor
An ability to communicate clearly and confidently both verbally and in writing
A curiosity to want to learn more, ask questions and challenge existing orthodoxies
An ability to distance themselves from their own prejudices, appreciate different perspectives and see historical controversies in their own context

As Napoleon put it, ‘History is merely the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.’ Orthodoxies are there to be appropriately but critically and creatively questioned and challenged. We promote that mindset through our debating and public speaking competitions, through our domestic and overseas curriculum enrichment visits and most importantly through our core business in the classroom. If our students really appreciate Napoleon’s remark, and its implications, by the time they leave us, we will have gone some way to achieving our aims.

KS3 Course Followed: History
Year 7 – Britain and its place in the Medieval World, c1066-c1450: Migration, War & Identity

	Name of topic	Key Content of the Topic	Assessment points
HT 1	Pre-1066 Study - Impact of Migration to Britain before 1066	Intro to History & Migration topic Celts Romans Anglo-Saxons Vikings	Key Fact Test on Legacy of Migrant Groups
HT 2	Norman Conquest	3 claimants Stamford Bridge Hastings Why William Won Establishment of Control	Battle of Hastings Essay
HT 3	Medieval Castles	Motte & Bailey Watch Hill Castle, Bowdon Development of castles Concentric Castles Attacking & Defending castles Life in a Castle	Medieval Castle Display Board
HT 4	Medieval Religion	Role & Importance of Religion & The Priest Doom paintings Monks & Nuns Henry & Becket	N/A
HT 5	Islamic Golden Age & Crusades	Harun Al-Rashid & Start of Golden Age Contributions & Key aspects The Mongols, Siege of Baghdad & End of Golden Age Intro to Crusades Motivations of Crusaders History of Conflict Impact of Crusades	End of Year Exam
HT 6	Emergence of Early Modern Britain	John & Magna Carta De Montfort & Parliament Altrincham Charter Edward I’s Wars (2) Black Death (2) Peasant’s Revolt Hundred Years’ War	Hundred Years War Movie Trailer

Year 8 - Britain and its place in the world c.1450-c.1850: Renaissance, Reformation & Revolution

	Name of topic	Key Content of the Topic	Assessment points
HT 1	European Renaissance & Voyages of Discovery	Introduction: The World in 1450 & Overview of 1400-1850 Intro to & Causes of Renaissance Impact of Renaissance Da Vinci Voyages: Who & Where Reasons for Voyages Impact of Voyages	Columbus: A Contested Legacy (Interpretation Question)
HT 2	European Reformation & Tudor Britain	Henry VII Henry VIII Continental Reformation: Criticisms of Catholic Church Catholics & Protestants Henry VIII’s Great Matter Break with Rome Dissolution Edward’s Radical Reformation Mary’s Counter-Reformation	Break with Rome (Source Assessment)
HT 3	Elizabeth & The End of the Spanish Golden Age	Spanish Golden Age Elizabeth’s Problems Causes of Armada Why England Won Fall of Spain & the Dutch Golden Age	Armada Essay
HT 4	Enlightenment & Revolution	Witchcraft Enlightenment Scientific Revolution Key Scientists Political Revolution: England Political Revolution: France &/or America	End of Year Exam
HT 5	British Empire & Trade in Enslaved Africans	Britain & its pursuit of Empire Intro to Trade Aspects of Trade in Enslaved Africans Resistance	N/A
HT 6	British Empire & Trade in Enslaved Africans	Abolitionists Legacy of White Supremacy in British imperialism Legacy: Statues of Slave Traders	Key Fact Test on Trade in Enslaved Africans

Year 9 - Britain and its place in the Modern World, c.1850-c.2000: Fall of Empires & A New World Order

	Name of topic	Key Content of the Topic	Assessment points
HT 1	Local History: Industrial Manchester	What was Industrial Revolution? Why Britain first? Canal Mania: Bridgewater Canal LMR Cottonopolis Peterloo Massacre Cholera epidemic	Industrial Manchester Source Analysis
HT 2	Early Twentieth Century	Intro: The World in 1900; Overview of C20: Democracy, Fascism & Communism CHINA 1: Boxer Rebellion: Link to Opium Wars CHINA 2: 1911 Xinhai Revolution Women’s Suffrage Long-Term Causes of WW1 Franz Ferdinand Schlieffen Plan Recruitment Propaganda Trench Warfare Haig & the Somme Chapel Street: The Bravest Street in England Empire Troops & the Black ‘Forgotten Regiment’	Haig Interpretation Question
HT 3	Rise of the Dictators & Outbreak of WW2	Impact of WW1: Versailles, Fall of Empires, Rise of Democracy, Spanish Flu & Race Riots in Liverpool Rise of Mussolini, Stalin & Hitler (also mention Mosley/BUF in Britain) Causes of WW2 (2) CHINA 3: Long March	Causes of WW2 Mini-Essay
HT 4	WW2 & New World Order	Why did Allies Win WW2 overview? (2) Holocaust (2) Atomic Bombs Impact of WW2: Decline of Empires New World Order: Cold War: Capitalism & Communism	Churchill: A Contested Legacy (Interpretation Question)
HT 5	A Divided World	Truman, Containment & Marshall Plan Berlin: Epicentre of a divided Europe Nuclear Arms Race CHINA 4: 1949 Cuban Missile Crisis CHINA 5: Great Leap Forward 1958-62 CHINA 6: Cultural Revolution 1966-76	End of Year Exam
HT 6	The Late Twentieth Century	Britain: Sick Man of Europe? (loss of empire; economic decline, EEC, racial tensions Reagan & Thatcher’s ‘Second Cold War’ CHINA 7: Den Xiaoping & Economic Reform Fall of Berlin Wall CHINA 8: Tiananmen 1989 Collapse of USSR & ‘End of History’? Britain at the end of the C20	N/A

What can parents do to support their sons?

Please encourage your son to read around the subject as much as possible. We have an excellent Key Stage Three History library in C5 (usually Ms Cathcart’s room) which all students in Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9 are welcome to use. Please see Ms Cathcart for further details. Beyond that, useful historical websites include:

https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/subjects/zk26n39 (History section of the BBC Bitesize website)
https://spartacus-educational.com/industry.html (British History section of the Spartacus website)
https://meanwhileelsewhereinhistory.wordpress.com/ (A site which helps expand students’ horizons beyond the taught curriculum)
https://www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk/ (A site run by the Runnymede Trust which provides resources on migration to Britain and its impact since the Roman Period)
https://www.educationquizzes.com/ks3/history/ (Online quizzes on a variety of Key Stage Three History topics)

Specialist websites can also be useful for more detailed research, for example:

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/1066-and-the-norman-conquest/what-happened-battle-hastings/ (Information on the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest on English Heritage’s website for Year 7)
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism/slavery/ (History of the Trade in Enslaved Africans on the International Slavery Museum’s (Liverpool) website for Year 8)
https://www.iwm.org.uk/learning/resources/first-world-war-recruitment-posters (WW1 recruitment posters on the Imperial War Museum’s website for Year 9)

You can also encourage your son to read historical fiction and non-fiction. He could try to keep an eye on current affairs which often have historical links. There are many well-produced and engaging historical television programmes, from entertaining ‘Horrible Histories’ to informative documentaries. If possible visit local historical sites like the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, The Imperial War Museum and Dunham Massey. When you go further afield, Hadrian’s Wall, Edward I’s Welsh castles and the Houses of Parliament are popular attractions. In Europe there are the First and Second World War battlefield sites. The most important contribution parents can make to support their son’s history studies education is to assist them in developing an active interest in the world around them.

GCSE Course Followed: History
Specification: AQA (Syllabus code – 8145)
Why Choose GCSE History?

Why should you study History?

History is an opportunity to explore the complex motivations of people throughout the ages. The continuing popularity of the subject can be seen in the fact that History departments at universities are some of the most popular and produce some of the most successful graduates. This is because the transferable skills developed through the study of History in research, analytical thinking and verbal and written communication are so highly valued. History graduates can be found in a wide variety of professions including accountancy, management, education, journalism, the civil service, the business world and the law. History also helps students to develop a sense of identity. It teaches them essential life skills, such as the importance of adopting a questioning attitude towards sources, actively engaging with different perspectives and providing evidence to justify conclusions. It also helps them to understand more fully the complex and rapidly changing world in which they live.

Historical Skills Set

Successful GCSE students need to demonstrate a range of skills:

They should be able to handle historical sources; understand and extract information from them; compare them; analyse and evaluate them.
They should have good factual recall and be able to deploy specific knowledge to write and argue clearly.
They should be able to distinguish between the causes and consequences of historical events, to understand change and continuity over time and to recognise similarities and differences between historical events, movements and characters.
They should build their confidence to discuss and debate ideas verbally through active participation in lessons.
They should increasingly seek to take responsibility for their own learning and be willing to research independently beyond what is covered in lessons.

Students in Year 9 have already begun to study the first GCSE History topic on ‘Germany, 1890-1945’ and should therefore, be developing a good understanding of what is involved and a reasonable sense of their own abilities. If they wish to continue with the subject at GCSE level, they should be interested and committed to it. The course as a whole is highly varied, including an engaging combination of British and International History, as well as Medieval, Early Modern and Modern History. It is both challenging and rewarding, whilst also providing an excellent foundation for those students who wish to study History at A Level and beyond.

Course Content
Unit 1: Section A
Germany, 1890 – 1945: Democracy and Dictatorship

Germany and the growth of democracy
Germany and the Depression
The experiences of Germans under the Nazis

Unit 1: Section B
Conflict and tension in Asia, 1950 - 1975

Conflict in Korea
Escalation of conflict in Vietnam
The ending of conflict in Vietnam

Unit 2: Section A
Migration, empires and the people: c790 to the present day

Conquered and conquerors
Looking west
Expansion and empire
Britain in the 20th century

Unit 2: Section B
Medieval England – the reign of Edward I, 1272 - 1307

Government, the rights of King and people
Life in Medieval England
Edward I’s military campaigns in Wales and Scotland
The historic environment of Medieval England

Assessment
All units are assessed by examination at the end of Year 11. There are two examinations of 120 minutes which are each worth 50%. There is no coursework or controlled assessment.

We provide a wide range of information, advice and guidance to students online via the school website. Please go to the AGSB Homepage, then select ‘Students’, ‘GCSE Study Skills Pack’ and then ‘GCSE History’ to find out more. The same resources are also available via the STU HISTORY GCSE Group on 365.

Alternatively, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Croxton, Head of History and Politics, at ncroxton@agsb.co.uk if you have any further questions.

Key Stage Four Curriculum Overview
Year 10

	Name of topic	Key Content of the Topic	Assessment points
HT 1	Asia: Korean War	Causes of the Korean War Development of the Korean War End of the Korean War
HT 2	Asia: Escalation of the Vietnam War	End of French colonial rule US involvement Johnson’s War
HT 3	Asia: The End of the Vietnam War	Nixon’s War Opposition to war End of the war
HT 4	Edward I: Government, the rights of king & people	Henry III’s legacy Development of government, rights and justice
HT 5	Edward I: Life in Medieval England	Trade, towns and villages Education and Learning The Development of the Legal System	Trial Exam
HT 6	Edward I: Military Campaigns	Medieval warfare, tactics and technology Invasion and colonisation of Wales Relations with Scotland

Assessment Points are at the teacher’s discretion at GCSE level. Assessments take the form of GCSE-style questions or key-fact knowledge tests.

	Name of topic	Key Content of the Topic	Assessment points
HT 1	Migration: Conquered and Conquerors	Invasion A Norman Kingdom and ‘Angevin’ Empire Birth of an English Identity
HT 2	Migration: Looking West	Sugar and the Caribbean Colonisation in North America Migrants to and from Britain
HT 3	Migration: Expansion & Empire and Britain in the 20th century	Expansion in India Expansion in Africa Migrants to, from and within Britain End of Empire Legacy of Empire Britain’s relationship with Europe and its impact
HT 4	Revision: Germany 1890-1945	Review of Germany content covered in Year 9 History
HT 5	Revision: Germany 1890-1945	Review of exam technique for questions on Germany
HT 6	N/A	N/A	GCSE Exams

Assessment Points are at the teacher’s discretion at GCSE level. Assessments take the form of GCSE-style questions or key-fact knowledge tests.

Recommended Revision Guides for GCSE
Students are issued with excellent resources for each of the four GSCE History topics. These take the form of textbooks for ‘Conflict and Tension in Asia’, ‘The Reign of Edward I’ and ‘Migration, Empire and the People’ and a revision guide for ‘Germany: 1890-1945’. The Asia textbook is swapped for a Revision Guide in Y11.
We make a wide range of bespoke revision materials for all four topics available to students within ‘GCSE History’ in the ‘GCSE Study Skills’ folder, accessible via the STU History GCSE Group and the ‘Students’ section of the AGSB website.

Support available for GCSE Students
Students should always feel able to approach their class teacher in the first instance if they need further support.