History plays a vital role in the curriculum, helping pupils to understand their place in the world both locally, nationally and globally. Through a rich and coherent study of the past, pupils gain the knowledge and cultural capital needed to succeed in life and to make informed, safe and ethical choices in an ever‑changing world.
Our curriculum is shaped around four core historical narratives that provide coherence and meaning across time and place:
- Power & People – exploring how societies are governed, who holds power and how power is challenged.
- Migration & Cultural Exchange – examining the movement of people, ideas, beliefs and technologies, and how cultures interact and blend over time.
- War & Peace – understanding why conflicts begin, how wars are fought and how peace is made or destroyed.
- Revolution & Protest – investigating how individuals and groups challenge authority, demand change and reshape societies.
Through these narratives, pupils encounter significant events and influential individuals who have shaped the world we live in today. History sparks curiosity and enables pupils to engage with contemporary issues in an informed and thoughtful way, fostering tolerance, ambition and an appreciation of Britain’s and the wider world’s diverse heritage.
At Key Stage 3, pupils follow a chronological journey through history, allowing them to build secure knowledge over time and make meaningful connections to prior learning. Topics include events such as the Norman Conquest, the Industrial Revolution, the growth of the British Empire, and the Cold War all studied through the lens of our core narratives. This ensures pupils understand both the complexity of the past and its relevance to the present.
The academic study of history equips pupils with essential historical skills, including analysing and evaluating sources, using evidence to support interpretations, and understanding second‑order concepts such as causation, significance, change and continuity. Pupils learn to construct coherent arguments by considering different perspectives and interpretations of the past.
Through engaging teaching and rigorous assessment, pupils develop confidence in communicating their knowledge and understanding. For those who continue with history beyond Key Stage 3, the subject provides a strong academic foundation while also developing transferable skills such as critical thinking, evaluation and communication. These skills prepare all pupils to become confident, articulate and informed citizens, ready for future education, employment and participation in modern society.
Year 7
Term 1 – Romans, Saxons and Golden Age Baghdad
Term 2 – Norman Conquest and Medieval Kings
Term 3 – Black Death and Tudors
Year 8
Term 1 – Stuarts and slavery
Term 2 – British Empire and Revolutions
Term 3 – Industry, reform and First World War
Year 9
Term 1 – Interwar years and Second World War
Term 2 – The Holocaust and Cold War
Term 3 – The Civil Rights Movement and Post War Britain
Key Stage 4
Germany 1890-1945: Democracy and Dictatorship
Conflict and Tension, 1918-1939
Power and the people: c1170 to the present day
Norman England, C1066-1100
Exam board
AQA GCSE History
GCSE History 8145 | Specification | AQA