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History

Overarching Curriculum Intent

 

The diverse nature of our student body at Preston Manor is reflected within our History Curriculum. It is important that our students have an understanding of different cultures.

 

History at Preston Manor allows our students to develop a love of learning and allow curiosity to grow through the various challenging historical enquiries that are taught from KS3 up to KS5. The curriculum allows students to explore interesting, relevant, sensitive and thought provoking topics. This enables students to study the past from a variety of standpoints and to make connections and comparisons over time.  We teach our curriculum in a chronological time frame to allow our students to make connections between events and further develop their knowledge and understanding of History. We have selected a curriculum that covers various periods of History to ensure that it provides relevance to our cohort of students as they learn about British history and that of other cultures. 

 

Throughout the History curriculum students develop their understanding and application of key concepts using evidence, interpretations, significance, change and continuity and cause and consequence. These concepts are used as tools for students to make sense of, and understand the content that is delivered, thus preparing them for further study. 

 

KS3 History

Our curriculum at KS3 embraces and celebrates the diverse History of our student body. We want our students to embrace and develop a love of learning about History. This is at the core of our KS3 as we have selected topics that aim to develop curiosity and inquisition. Teaching through historical enquiries is at the heart of our curriculum as it builds knowledge and skills simultaneously, along with building in challenge and intrigue. Much of our curriculum follows the National Curriculum as we want our students to have a broad understanding and awareness of where they live and what has helped to shape Britain, but we have also built in enquiries that teach the History of different cultures. Students are taught skills that help them challenge their views and misconceptions on Historical events, for example through analysing Historical sources and interpretations. Written and oral literacy is developed throughout the curriculum which provides them the stepping stones needed for GCSE. Students are encouraged to research topics independently and given wider readings that provide them with skills necessary for further learning.

 

KS4 History

History at GCSE aims to enable students to develop and extend their knowledge and understanding of specified key events, periods and societies in local, British, and wider world history; and of the wide diversity of human experience. It challenges them to engage in historical enquiry to develop as independent learners and as critical and reflective thinkers, develop the ability to ask relevant questions about the past, and to investigate issues critically and to make valid historical claims by using a range of sources in their historical context.  We have selected our specification to develop our students’ intrigue and love of History. The topics covered allow students to continue to investigate the History of Britain through the breadth study, as well as learning about modern history which helps students understand current day international relations. Our curriculum combines academic rigour and challenge with enjoyment and interest. Students are able to develop autonomy and independence as the curriculum promotes wider reading to enhance understanding and literacy skills.

 

KS5 History

The History key stage 5 curriculum  at Preston Manor seeks to help students understand the present day through a curriculum that incorporates some of the most important and fascinating events from British and world history.  The programme of study has been carefully designed to develop student understanding of the early modern and modern periods and thus ensure that students are equipped with a broad chronological sweep as well as familiarising them with the key concepts associated with each period.

At the same time, the department systematically develops the transferable skills that earn History its reputation as an academic and rigorous subject highly esteemed by employers and universities alike.  For example, students develop their ability to write analytically in extended pieces, handle evidence critically, research and present material about the past, articulate substantiated judgements about historical characters and events and assess the relative merits of different interpretations.