The History department at CFGS follows the purpose of study set out in the National Curriculum for History 2014.

A high-quality history education will help pupils gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. It should inspire pupils’ curiosity to know more about the past. Teaching should equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, and develop perspective and judgement. History helps pupils 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 identity and the challenges of their time.

The skills that students learn at KS2 such as chronology, change, continuity, cause and consequences as well as using historical evidence are developed at KS3. The key proscribed areas under the National Curriculum are as follows:

* The development of Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509

*The development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745

*Ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901

*Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day

*The Holocaust

 *A local history study

At CFGS we cover aspects of all of these areas using a mixture of depth and overview study though interesting and original enquiry questions. We ensure that each historical skill is taught and tested in each year thus providing progression for students as they work though the KS3 curriculum. We have linked our assessment objectives and marking schemes to the GCSE EDEXCEL course that we teach at KS4 to help provide students with a smooth transition into KS4.

The skills that we assess are;

AO1: Historical Knowledge

AO2: Second Order Concepts (change, continuity, cause, consequence)

AO3: Using evidence

AO4: Assessing historical interpretations

ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT KEYSTAGE 3

The department organises events in school. For example visits from Holocaust survivors and a Black History Month performance. The department has run trips to the Wallace collection and local museums in London. The department also provides special extracurricular sessions throughout the year for special events such as Black History Month, Armistice Day, Holocaust memorial day and International Women’s Day.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zk26n39

The History Department at CFGS follows the EDEXCEL 1-9 GCSE history specification. Its aims and objectives are as follows;

● 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

● 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, to investigate issues critically and to make valid historical claims by using a range of sources in their historical context

● develop an awareness of why people, events and developments have been accorded historical significance and how and why different interpretations have been constructed about them

● organise and communicate their historical knowledge and understanding in different ways and reach substantiated conclusions. Summary of Department for Education content requirements

This GCSE complies with the requirements specified by the Department for Education (DfE) in its document History GCSE subject content (published April 2014). This requires students to study, as a minimum:

● Two depth studies, each covering a substantial and short time span:  At CFGS student’s study Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918 – 1939 and Early Elizabethan England 1558 - 1588

● a period study of at least 50 years: At CFGS student’s study the Superpower Relations 1943 - 1991

● the historic environment through the study of a particular site in its historical context: At CFGS student’s study Whitechapel, crime, policing and the inner city. 1870 - 1900

● a thematic study involving the study of people, events and developments over time. At CFGS student’s study Crime and Punishment 1000 – present

The DfE also requires that British history must form at least 40% of the assessed content.

The department follows the AQA A-Level specification: The course is made up to two components and one NEA unit.

Component 1: Breadth study

Each Breadth study requires the study of an extended period and enables students to develop secure understanding of the process of change over time.

Each Breadth study is introduced by six key questions which identify issues and perspectives which are central to the period of study. They emphasise that the study of breadth requires students to develop an understanding of:

•• the nature of causes and consequences, of change and continuity and of similarity and differences over a long period of time

•• the links between perspectives, such as political, economic, social or religious as well as appreciating developments relating to the perspectives separately over time

•• the role played by individuals, groups, ideas or ideology.

The content for each period of study is set out in chronological sections. An examination question may arise from one or more of these sections of specified content. There is an important interrelationship between the six key questions and the specified content. Study of the content enables students to develop a secure understanding and knowledge of the period. The key questions inform and guide how the content should be studied. This combination of historical content, informed by key questions, seeks to combine ‘periods or themes’ in a manner which is manageable and historically valid. Thus,

‘Understanding of the process of change over time’ stems from secure knowledge of shorter periods which enable the development of a broader understanding as the study progresses.

Component 2: Depth study

Each Depth study is focused on a significant period of historical change or development. Students will gain deep understanding of change and continuity through the study of the interrelationships of a variety of perspectives as indicated in the content. They will develop detailed knowledge and understanding of developments and the roles of individuals, groups, ideas and ideology. Depth studies also promote an understanding of the complexity of the historical process through a detailed focus on a specific period of change.

Content is presented chronologically in sections as is most appropriate to the period of study. An examination question may arise from one, or more than one, section of specified content. To demonstrate depth of historical knowledge and understanding, students should be able to make links and comparisons between the aspects of the period studied. Therefore it is important that specified content should be studied both in its own right and holistically. In this way links and contrasts will be rooted in secure knowledge and understanding. Each of the Depth studies has an introductory commentary, setting out the focus of the study and the key concepts that apply to it. There is a close interrelationship between the commentary and the content that follows which enables students to appreciate the focus of the depth study.

Component 3: Historical investigation NEA

Students may study a specific issue or development in depth, but this must be placed in the context of approximately 100 years, or a broader theme and/or development. Issues which relate to international, national or local developments are appropriate, as are investigations which adopt specific historical perspectives such as cultural, social or technological. Through undertaking the Historical investigation, students will develop an enhanced understanding of the nature and purpose of history as a discipline and how historians work. They will broaden their study of the past whilst having the opportunity to study a specific issue in great depth.

EXAM BOARD AND WEIGHTINGS (include NEA details if applicable)

ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT KEYSTAGE 5

• Lessons from Auschwitz project
• Visit to the imperial war museum
• Visit to the museum in the Docklands
• Master class sessions at SOAS
• Guest speakers