HISTORY - KS3

 

History Learning Journey

 

WHO’S WHO?

Progress Leader: Mr S Watkiss
Teaching Staff: Mr P McNicol, Mr J Messham
Link Governor: Mrs G Sinnott

OUR AIMS

History helps students to understand the world they live in and their place within it. At Up Holland, we provide an ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum that enables all learners to build secure knowledge of the past and to think critically about how it continues to shape the present.

Through high-quality, adaptive teaching, we ensure that every student—regardless of starting point—can access challenging historical content, develop confidence and experience success. Students are supported to acquire both substantive knowledge of key events and periods, and the disciplinary knowledge that underpins the work of historians, including cause and consequence, change and continuity, significance, interpretations and the evaluation of sources.

Studying History develops essential transferable skills such as analysis, evidence-based reasoning, research and independent learning. We also constantly emphasise the importance of reading, writing and speaking like an historian. These equip students not only for further study and future careers, but also to become informed and thoughtful citizens.

Through topics such as the British Empire, the Struggle for Equality, the Industrial Revolution and the Holocaust, students are encouraged to draw meaningful connections between past and present. The curriculum actively promotes Up Holland’s LORIC values and British Values, nurturing respect, tolerance, empathy and a commitment to democratic principles.

Students will develop the ability to organise and communicate their ideas with clarity and confidence, engaging thoughtfully with different viewpoints and interpretations. They will build the knowledge, skills and curiosity needed to question the world around them, recognising the relevance of the past to their own lives and futures. Our aim is for every young person to become a respectful, informed and independent learner, equipped to contribute positively to their community and to a diverse, modern society.

HOME LEARNING

Home Learning will focus on supporting their understanding of historical language and researching people/events around the world at the same time of the unit being studied to give them a broader understanding of history. Their final task will be to complete a revision clock/postcard to help support their preparation for assessments. At Up Holland we also understand the importance of building cultural capital for all our students and how this can further help them grow a wider understanding of the world through their study of history.

YEAR 7
TERM	UNIT OF STUDY	KEY SKILLS / LEARNING
Autumn	The Norman Conquest	Chronology Interpretation Analysis of evidence Making judgements
Spring	What was life like in Medieval England? How should we remember King John’s reign?	Describing/explaining evaluating Narrative Source analysis Change and Continuity Interpretations over time
Summer	Chaos and Conflict in the Medieval Period Women that Shaped the World	Describing/explaining Outline narrative Change and continuity Relative significance Oracy
YEAR 8
Autumn	How did political and economic power change in Britain by 1900? How and why was religion a challenge for Tudor Monarchs? The English Civil War: How was the monarchy challenged in the early modern period? Local History - The trial of the Pendle Witches	Describing/explaining Interpretations over time Change and continuity Significance Source analysis
Spring	How did political and economic power change in Britain by 1900? The International Slave Trade How did the Industrial Revolution change Britain? Local History – How did Wigan change during the Industrial Revolution?	Interpretation Source Analysis/Utility Research – local history Judgements
Summer	The Rise and Fall of the British Empire Crime & Punishment A Thematic Study	Change and continuity Outline narrative Source analysis Evaluating change over time Oracy
YEAR 9
Autumn	How has democracy overcome challenges in the 20th century? World War I World War II Local History – Liverpool and the Blitz	Interpretation Source analysis Research Significance
Spring	The Holocaust How far did British society change after World War II?	Source analysis & evaluation - accuracy and utility of evidence Research Oracy
Summer	The Fight for Equality Around the World	Evaluating key changes Significance Source analysis

ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Year 8 trip to the International Slave Trade Museum Liverpool.

HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILD'S LEARNING

• Ask them what they think about specific events in history? Why was it important?
• Encourage them to watch documentaries and read books on historical people or events that capture their interest and imagination.

WHERE TO GO:

• Year 7 – Chester to explore Roman History, Castles in the North West such as Lancaster Castle and Clitheroe Castle. Conwy Castle is also a great example showing the power of the Norman and Plantagenet kings.
• Year 8 – International Slave Trade Museum, Liverpool.  Speke Hall, Liverpool designed in the Tudor style and Rufford Old Hall where a young William Shakespeare was rumoured to have performed. Quarry Bank Mill would be worth visiting to coincide with when we study the Industrial Revolution.
• Year 9 – Imperial War Museum Manchester.  The National Holocaust Centre and Museum, Nottingham.

WHAT TO WATCH:

• Key Stage 3 - Horrible Histories the Movie
• Cromwell
• Gunpowder
• Roots
• 12 Years a Slave
• Armistad
• Blackadder goes forth
• The Trench
• Passchendaele
• 1917
• Testament of Youth
• Saving Private Ryan
• Pearl Harbour
• Battle of Britain
• Dunkirk
• The Pianist
• Conspiracy
• Schindler’s list.

WHAT TO READ:

• Biographies about William the Conqueror, King John, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Cromwell, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X
• Dan Jones: Crusaders
• Ian Mortimer: The Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England/Elizabethan England
• Slavery: 12 years a slave by Solomon Northup
• WW1: They called it Passchendaele, War Horse, All quiet on the Western Front
• Andrew Crozier: The Causes of the Second World War
• USA in the 1930/40/50/60’s and Civil Rights: Of Mice and Men, Catcher in the Rye, The Feminine Mystique, To Kill a Mocking Bird, The Help, Malcolm X autobiography
• The Holocaust: The diary of a Young Girl Anne Frank, The Book Thief, Hitler’s Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen.

ONLINE:

 

English Heritage

 

History Learning Site

 

ClassZone

 

The Story of Mankind

 

BBC Bitesize History

 

FUTURE CAREERS:

GCSE History is a highly regarded as a strong academic qualification by employers and in further education. It gives students a wide range of transferable skills such as logical argument, research skills, analysis of data, problem solving, creative thinking and empathy. Some professions where these skills may apply include: Academic researcher/ Archaeologist/ Archivist/ Heritage manager/ Historic buildings inspector/conservation officer/ Museum education officer/ Museum or gallery curator/ Museum or gallery exhibitions officer/ Secondary school teacher/lecturer/ Police Officer/ Lawyer/ Writer/ Journalist/ Politician/ Historical advisor TV/Film/ Social Worker.