History
Intent
We endeavour to create an enthusiastic learning environment at all levels where students are encouraged to reach their own conclusions through discussion and debate. We support students in understanding the world around them at a national and global level by helping them to start to understand the past, consider how decisions were made, and what the causes and consequences of those decisions were.
Introduction
We aim to help students understand the world in which we live today through studying events in the past. We use a variety of learning techniques to help students develop communication and written skills. They will find out about the causes and consequences of events locally, nationally and internationally. We aim to develop important historical skills through the use of sources and to comprehend and apply essential concepts such as utility, provenance and significance. The factors of power and economics are at the core of many lessons, as well as human behaviour where delicate issues such as racism, religious intolerance and gender inequality are confronted.
Although History is a very important subject to support citizenship and to build a life-long interest, it is also very skills-based. It requires and promotes important life skills that are essential in the world of work and an understanding of life today. Students learn to process information and quantify its utility, as well as develop frameworks to communicate ideas and to demonstrate debate and argument. These skills are essential for businesses and careers in media, public service and human resources. At university level it is a ‘facilitating’ subject which means it is required more than others for courses such as journalism, business, the civil service, the police, the law and teaching where an analytical mind is needed to debate and problem solve challenging projects.
History is a route to many careers and helps the development of students’ skill sets through the use of historical sources and emphasis upon questioning their significance and utility. Students will produce both oral and written answers that demand evidence and explanation. They will come to understand such key concepts as propaganda, bias and opinion.
Examples of cross-curricular links
English: |
Non-fiction reading - source materials Vocabulary strategy - subject-specific vocabulary is taught explicitly Purpose and audience writing - debate, argue, and justify. |
Science: | Medicine through time |
Humanities: | Prejudice and discrimination, social issues |
Arts: | Historical impact on development of art, music, architecture, literature. |
Examples of Cultural Capital entitlement from NC
- Knowledge and understanding of key historical events in the history of the UK
- Understanding of political influences on decisions and development
- Knowledge and appreciation of cultural differences world-wide
- Appreciation of the impact of historical events on the development of society