Subject Overview

The National Curriculum requires high quality education to allow students to gain coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. Our task as teachers of History is to inspire students’ curiosity to know more about the past. Our teaching aims to equip students to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments and develop perspective and judgement.

The study of History helps students to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identify and challenges at their time.

The wide-ranging topic areas covered throughout Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, allow our students to develop their interests and experiences, whilst also enhancing their skills in areas such as source work and interpretation analysis. It is our genuine passion and love of history that motivates us in our drive for progress and the desire for each individual to reach the highest level of attainment, commensurate with his or her ability.

History Staff

Miss Clare Subject Leader of History
Miss Pennington Teacher of History

Key Stage 3 History

At Key Stage 3 we teach five/six topic areas within each year group, all of which cover vital subject content as well as key historical skills. Each topic includes a mid and end of unit assessment, which reflects GCSE style requirements therefore allowing the students to be fully prepared for the GCSE course (supporting students’ understanding of structure and preparation for written assessments). Throughout the year, students will have 3/4 lessons over two weeks.

Key Stage 4 History

In History at Key Stage Four we follow the Edexcel GCSE History course which covers the units of Medicine in Britain c.1250-present which includes a detailed study of the British Sector of the Western Front, 1914-18; Early Elizabethan England 1558-1588; and Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-1939; The American West 1835-1895. There are three exam papers and there is no coursework or controlled assessment in History.


“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever”.
Mahatma Ghandi