History
Why is the subject important?
History tells us the stories of today! Throughout time and space, groups of people have experienced the world in different ways, and history tells us about those experiences from a range of different perspectives. Beyond the classroom it involves great opportunities to learn; whether that be visiting World War cemeteries or trenches, history is still very much present all around us. It provides students with the knowledge required to succeed in a range of careers including education, law, and journalism.
“If you don’t know history, you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree.” Michael Crichton
Year 7
What will I be studying?
In Year 7 you will study British history from the fall of the Roman Empire to the establishment of Britain’s first Republic, following the English Civil War.
Career Links
- Education
- British Army
- Politician
- Civil Servant
How will I be assessed?
All students will complete the below in Year 7:
- Weekly Quizzes – in lesson your teacher will tell you which box to revise for the following week. This includes 10 questions with 3 multiple-choice answers. Make sure you revise from your Knowledge Organiser for these quizzes.
- Big Test – this will include 10 questions with 4 multiple-choice answers. These could be from any part of that term’s Knowledge Organiser and will always include 3 re-test questions from previous terms/years.
- Formal assessment – you will receive two of these a year, both worth 40 marks, including 4 marks for SPaG. They will include multiple-choice questions, source-based questions, and essay questions reliant on the knowledge you have learnt in your history lessons until that point.
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
BBC Bitesize (just type the period of history you are interested in, followed by the words BBC Bitesize and this will bring you a number of options).
Year 8
What will I be studying?
In Year 8 your studies will extend from British history to international history, studying chronologically from Industrial England to the birth of democracy in Germany within the Weimar Republic topic, culminating in the establishment of the infamous Nazi regime.
Career Links
- Education
- British Army
- Diplomatic Relations
How will I be assessed?
All students will complete the below in Year 8:
- Weekly Quizzes – in lesson your teacher will tell you which box to revise for the following week. This includes 10 questions with 3 multiple-choice answers. Make sure you revise from your Knowledge Organiser for these quizzes.
- Big Test – this will include 15 questions with 4 multiple-choice answers. These could be from any part of that term’s Knowledge Organiser and will always include 3 re-test questions from previous terms/years.
- Formal assessment – you will receive two of these a year, both worth 40 marks, including 4 marks for SPaG. They will include multiple-choice questions, source-based questions, and essay questions reliant on the knowledge you have learnt in your history lessons until that point.
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
BBC Bitesize (just type the period of history you are interested in, followed by the words BBC Bitesize and this will bring you a number of options).
Year 9
What will I be studying?
In Year 9 you will study modern world history, exploring the impact of the Second World War on a global scale, including social, economic and political consequences. This extends to a Cold War between the world’s two remaining superpowers and the experience of minority groups in Twentieth Century America.
Career Links
- Education
- British Army
- Charitable Work
- International Relations
- Law
- Journalism
How will I be assessed?
All students will complete the below in Year 9:
- Weekly Quizzes – in lesson your teacher will tell you which box to revise for the following week. This includes 10 questions with 3 multiple-choice answers. Make sure you revise from your Knowledge Organiser for these quizzes.
- Big Test – this will include 20 questions with 4 multiple-choice answers. These could be from any part of that term’s Knowledge Organiser and will always include 3 re-test questions from previous terms/years.
- Formal assessment – you will receive two of these a year, both worth 40 marks, including 4 marks for SPaG. They will include multiple-choice questions, source-based questions, interpretation-based questions, and essay questions reliant on the knowledge you have learnt in your history lessons until that point.
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
BBC Bitesize (just type the period of history you are interested in, followed by the words BBC Bitesize and this will bring you a number of options).
Years 10 and 11
What will I be studying?
Students at GCSE follow the AQA History 8145 Specification. This includes the units below:
| Understanding the Modern World | Wider World Depth Studies | Thematic Studies | British Depth Study including a Historic Environment |
| America: Opportunity and Inequality | Conflict and Tension in Asia | Health and the People | Elizabethan England |
Career Links
- Education
- British Army
- Charitable Work
- International Relations
- Diplomatic Relations
- Law
- Journalism
How will I be assessed?
- Students are assessed within the mock series twice per year.
- This assessment will always be a past paper, approved by AQA and the corresponding mark schemes used to feed back to students.
- These assessments will inform students’ current and predicted grades, which are updated every other term.
- Students may also be assessed within the classroom, using shorter papers or specific exam-style questions. These can also be used to inform students’ current and predicted grades.
- Independent practice of exam-style questions is commonplace within GCSE classrooms, to build students’ resilience and independence ready for public examinations.
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
Where possible, students should purchase the following revision guide from amazon.co.uk AQA GCSE (9-1) History Second Edition
If this cannot be purchased for financial reasons, please discuss this with your Year Leader – we may be in a position to fund this for you.
