Key Stage 3 Three Ages of History

In Key Stage 3 History, we have adopted an approach which helps students to understand key ideas that affect their lives today, moving from 1066. The course is designed to challenge the opinions and views students hold and inform their views moving forward, whilst still developing the key historical skills of analysing evidence and coming to informed conclusions. The syllabus combines classical historical enquiries with contemporary insights into issues of diversity.

The themes and content we study include:

Year 7 – From 1066: The Age of Power

Focus: Conflict through the Mediaeval and Early Modern World

Content: The Vikings and Britain before 1066, The Norman Conquest, The Middle Ages, Renaissance & Reformation, The Wars of the Roses, The Tudors and The English Civil War.

Themes: Beliefs – Church, The State and Society, King/Queen and Parliament, Local History studies in Market Harborough

Year 8 – From 1588: The Age of Exploration

Focus: Revolutions in the Modern World

Content: Elizabethan and Victorian colonialism – the reasons for and impact of the Empire, The Industrial Revolution and Victorian life, The Rise of democracy and abolition of slavery, Women’s experience including suffrage.

Themes: Beliefs, Church, State and Society, Industry and Empire, diversity, Local History studies in Market Harborough

Year 9 – From 1900: The Age of Conflict

Focus: Violent change in the Modern World

Content: The Great War, The Rise of the Dictator, The Second War, The Holocaust and anti-Semitism, The Revolution in Civil Rights in USA and Britain, The Cold War (Capitalism v Communism)

Themes: Beliefs, Role of Government, individuals and technology, Ideological conflict, Local History studies in Market Harborough.

Year 10 GCSE Expertise

Students will study National and International History from 1250 until today, understanding the narrative of events and analysing them, focusing on five great schools of History: Political, Socio-Economic, Ideological and Personalities (‘The Great Man of History’ school).

Students will study:

Half term 1: Mediaeval and Renaissance Medicine (causes, preventions, treatments)

Half term 2: Industrial Medicine in the Victorian Age

Half term 3: Modern Medicine (including case studies and review of the Unit)

Half term 4: Medicine in one specific Environment (Medicine on the Western Front in World War 1)

Half Term 5: Elizabethan England, government, Religion and challenges at home and abroad

Half Term 6: Elizabethan Society in the Golden Age of Exploration

Year 11 GCSE Expertise

Students will then study Germany 1918-1939 in the following two half terms:

Half Term 1: Weimar Germany, the growth of democracy and the Rise of Hitler

Half Term 2: Nazi consolidation of power and Life in Nazi Germany

Students then complete their studies with an examination of the Cold war from 1941-91 (though with an obvious relevance to contemporary events)

Half Term 3: The Origins of the Cold War

Half Term 4: The Development of the Cold War – Escalation of tensions, leading to Détente and collapse of the then Soviet Union.

Student will finish their studies by Easter with an Overview of the Cold War.

This allows the final half term of year 11 to be dedicated to in depth revision of the above topics.

Edexcel GCSE Course

The GCSE history course aims to provide students with a broad knowledge of history. Students will cover Medieval to Modern History, and consider countries such as Britain, America, the USSR, and Germany.

It is important to remember that History is not just about facts and dates. It is about understanding why humans behaved the way they did in the past. Studying History will develop your ability to think clearly and logically, research, analyse, hypothesis, argue and criticise. There is also a focus on developing writing skills, which complements many other subjects in the curriculum.

Assessment: The GCSE is assessed by three exam papers, sat at the end of Year 11. All students sit the same exam papers: Paper 1 (Medicine), Paper 2 (Elizabeth and Cold war), paper 3 (Weimar and Nazi Germany).