Why do we learn history?
The Ark Putney History Curriculum intent is to ensure students have broad and strong substantive knowledge of the past, as well as an understanding of the disciplinary skills required of history. The study of History allows students to build a useable picture of the past, understanding both British, European and world events from which they can gain a greater understanding of the present. History students will learn how historical knowledge is attained, its relationship to evidence and the way historians reach and present a judgment.
Head of Department
Ms E Roome
Key Stage 3
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The purpose of our Key Stage 3 curriculum is to ensure students have broad and strong substantive knowledge of the past, as well as an understanding of the disciplinary skills required of history. Students will learn about the past chronologically, starting with the first civilisations of Mesopotamia, travelling through the rise of empires from the Islamic to the Roman and British, the evolving role of religion and government and studying the changes in warfare over time from the Battle of Hastings to the Cold Wars. At the end of Key Stage 3 students will have a bigger chronological picture of the past, and will be able to think, write and talk like an accomplished Historian. |
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Students complete end of topic assessments in class to assess substantive knowledge and disciplinary skills. These provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate both their subject knowledge and their historical skills. Students will also sit termly examinations which assess all content covered that year, culminating in end of year assessments for students to show off everything they have learned. |
Key Stage 4
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| The purpose of our Key Stage 4 curriculum is to give students a taste of the scope and diversity offered by studying History. Our offer ensures students study social, political, national and international history, all whilst building upon their chronological picture of the past from Key Stage 3. Students will explore how medicine and treatment has changed over time, how Germany fell into the hands of the Nazis, the impressive reign of Elizabeth I and the origins and impact of the Cold War. This broad offer aims to spike interest in our students and draw them in to studying History beyond GCSE. |
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Students will regularly complete exam style questions in class, through which they will receive peer or teacher feedback, with an opportunity to improve their answers. Students are assessed termly using past paper exam questions from Edexcel and sit full mock exams at the end of each full unit. This ensures students are well equipped for their GCSE exams and have had lots of opportunities to practise and master the skills needed to be a successful GCSE Historian. |
Key Stage 5
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Our Key Stage 5 curriculum aims to give students yet further exposure to the scope that History can offer, and prepares them for university study. Students will study 4 separate units, although as they learn they will be able to identify the overlaps between the units: Russia, 1917-1991: Lenin to Yeltsin, Mao’s China, 1949-76, Rebellion and disorder under the Tudors, 1485-1603 and coursework on Conflict in the Middle East from 1948. Students will study the role of politics and power, analyse economic systems and understand the historical context to global conflict. They will be able to link these units to their previous KS3 and KS4 study, as well as to the world in which they currently live. In doing so they will get to think like great historians. |
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Students are assessed using past paper exam questions from Edexcel. They will regularly complete essays in class and at home to provide them with opportunities to develop their historical writing further. Students will sit full past papers for their units at the end of Year 12 and again in Year 13 to ensure they have mastered the historical writing required of an A-Level historian. |