The Key Stage 3 curriculum is taught as a series of exciting, engaging and challenging enquiries questions based on topics that cover both British and international history. In Year 7 we teach the Vikings, Norman Conquest, the Hundred Years’ War, Black Death, Peasants’ revolt, religious beliefs in the Medieval period, Henry VIII, the Stuarts, how far ordinary life got better by 1500 and how did England create a ‘United’ Kingdom by 1745. In Year 8 we teach the causes of the French Revolution, interpretations of Napoleon, why the Atlantic Slave Trade ended, the British Empire, the consequences of the industrial revolution, the Suffragette movement, WW1, WW2, the Holocaust and US Civil Rights. In terms of assessment, the students are supported in writing an evaluative essay in response to each enquiry question, thereby building their skills for further study. They are also given factual tests to ensure that they have gained the key substantive knowledge.

We teach the following Edexcel GCSE History topics: Crime and Punishment (c.1000 to present day), Elizabeth I, Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918-39 before finishing with the superpowers of the Cold War. The students therefore gain a clear understanding of British and European history, which helps them to understand the world around them. Their analytical writing skills in response to sources are also improved within these topics.

We teach the following OCR A-Level History topics: the American Revolution, Britain 1930-1997, Russia 1855-1964 and a coursework title of their choice from a range of topics. Students gain an understanding of political theory and will be fascinated by the contrasting personalities of Washington, Churchill and Lenin!