Welcome to History at Key Stage 3

Our Key Stage 3 History curriculum opens students’ eyes to the past across a wide expanse of time and into many different parts of the world. We approach History in a number of ways, balancing the need for detailed knowledge with opportunities for analysis & critical debate along with independent research. Students, whether they continue with History beyond KS3 or not, develop vital skills in interpreting, analysing and critically evaluating evidence & areas of debate; as well as developing their literacy skills. Students have the opportunity to engage with the past and gain a wide knowledge to help them better understand the world today.

The curriculum contains themes which are seen across different periods and places, these include religion, empire, power/politics and gender. 

Year 7

We introduce students to key skills and concepts throughout the year, such as change/continuity, significance, interpretation and the use of source evidence. This is done as we examine the medieval period, both before 1066 in Saxon England and afterwards by looking at the Norman Conquest and the developments of Medieval society. This includes life of ordinary people as well as key political figures both male and female within Britain and the wider world. 

Towards the end of Year 7, we look at Early Modern Britain including the Reformation and finish the year by examining the transatlantic slave trade. Year 7 also offers students the opportunity to write their first History essays at different points during the year.

Year 8

The Year 8 course carries on from Year 7, building upon the skills & disciplinary knowledge already gained, and focuses on Britain & the world in the period c.1800-1945. Building on the skills learnt previously, students investigate questions such as:

• How did lives change due to the Industrial Revolution?
• How did one man's death lead to a world war?
• Was Lenin the key reason for Bolshevik success?
• How should we remember ‘Bomber County’?
• What did Hannah Arendt argue about the Holocaust?

Year 9

Year 9 further builds upon the work done in Years 7 and 8. Pupils begin to work with greater confidence in their evaluations of source material and historical arguments. 

The Year 9 course is divided into two parts. The first looks at the post-WW2 world, including the decolonisation of the British Empire and social change in Britain. The second part is an in-depth study of Weimar Germany. This forms part of the GCSE specification (Option 31), but is taught to all pupils to give them the opportunity to develop their historical skills and also to look at a period of History outside of the UK in-depth. Those that continue with GCSE History will examine Germany in the 1930s at the start of Year 10.