History & Politics
FACULTY LEADER: Mrs R Woollard
The History team at Prince Henry’s is proud to work here, and tries hard to make students’ experience of History a fascinating one. Our courses are very popular, with large numbers of students choosing to continue with their studies of History at GCSE and A level. We are proud of what students in History achieve, and have a strong record in terms of results achieved at both GCSE and A Level. Our team of six specialist teachers has a range of different interests in History, ranging from medieval Britain to the Russian Revolution.
KS3 Curriculum
Please see an overview of the KS3 curriculum below. Each half term, students are set a mini assessment as a home learning task, as well as two or more creative home learning tasks.
The mini assessments have been proven to help students to improve their success in each bigger end of term assessment.
Lessons are planned to develop three core skills which students need for GCSE History: concepts, interpretations and sources. An overview of how students can achieve these skills can be found in the inside front cover of their exercise books.
| Half Term | Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chronology/Romans | Tudors | WW1 - Conflict |
| 2 | Dark Ages |
Everyday life/Stuarts and Civil War |
WW1 - Life during |
| 3 | Norman Conquest | Slavery | WW2 & The Holocaust |
| 4 | Consolidation of Power | Industrialisation | WW2 & The Holocaust |
| 5 | Medieval Realms - Kings | Jack the Ripper | JFK/Vietnam |
| 6 | Medieval Realms - Peasants | Turn of the 20th Century | Independent learning project |
In each year of Key Stage 3, students are assessed with a key focus on three specific areas: extended writing, historical enquiry and use of sources. These skills are developed throughout the Key Stage and are excellent preparation for students moving onto the study of History at GCSE.
KS4 Curriculum
At Key Stage 4, students may opt to study GCSE History (Edexcel).
In Year 10 we study: Medicine through time; The British Sector of the Western Front; Early Elizabethan England 1558-88.
In Year 11 we study: Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918-1939; Superpower relations and the Cold War.
Support materials and revision guidance can be found by students on Firefly.
KS5 Curriculum
At Key Stage 5, students may opt to study A Level History (OCR). An overview of topics can be seen below:
|
Unit |
Exam Information |
|---|---|
|
1 - Britain 1930-1997 and Enquiry Topic: Churchill 1930-1951 |
1 hour 30 minute exam |
|
2 - France in Revolution 1774-1815 |
1 hour exam |
|
3 – Russia and its Rulers 1855-1964 |
2 hour 30 minute exam |
|
4 – Non-exam assessment |
200 year study |
Enrichment
The History team organises a wide range of enrichment activities to give students opportunities to experience history in both a local and a global context. Regular activities include an annual Year 9 trip to the First World War Battlefields of Belgium and France, and a Year 12/13 History and Politics trip to London and Paris.