At Lightcliffe Academy, our History students engage in an ambitious, diverse and knowledge rich curriculum through which they develop a genuine curiosity for understanding the past. Students encounter contemporary historical scholarship and personal narratives to develop an empathetical appreciation of the struggle and achievement of past peoples, societies and civilizations. Students will become critical thinkers weighing evidence and shaping informed judgements. They will speak confidently about how the decisions and actions of the past have impacted upon their lives, British Values and the wider social and political relationships of the world they live in.
Key Stage 3 Historians at Lightcliffe Academy will find themselves travelling through time, from the year 1000 to the present day, exploring past civilisations and societies and meeting a diverse group of people who have all played a part in shaping the attitudes and values of the world that we live in today. Through these largely chronological encounters, students will build a deep appreciation and understanding of the past, exploring how peoples and civilisations interacted and what was important to them at any given time.
While developing historical skills, students will work like a historian, questioning the validity of source material based on their historical knowledge, and using this to form their own interpretation of historical significance and change. Lessons will develop both their reading and oracy skills and students encounter contemporary historical research and debate past and present historical interpretation with their peers.
In year 7, students will begin their journey in Constantinople in the Year 1000 and this will form the springboard from which our substantive concepts of Power, Migration, and Agency, along with Empire, Gender, Trade and Religion, will unfold. Students will investigate key events of the Middle Ages, the importance of the silk roads, meet Mansa Musa in Africa and investigate the impact of the Reformation before visiting the Aztecs in South America. Along the way, they will encounter many interesting people, some in positions of power and some who are not, but all of whom have fascinating stories that will ensure students develop a deep understanding of the challenges and struggles facing these worlds as they encounter one another.
In Year 8, students ill continue to develop the concepts of Power, Migration and Agency through British and international enquiries that lead them to consider Protest and Revolution as well, seeing these played out in the abolition of the slave trade, the changing power of the Monarchy in Britain and in France, and the Industrial Revolution.
Year 9 will focus on the 20th century, exploring progress and change brought about by technology, war and changing political ideologies in Germany, Russia and China. The concept of Power will emerge again here, and through War, where students will look at changing relationships leading to, and the aftermath of, WWI and WWII. Students will also be reminded of the power of protest and of groups of people as they continue to explore the road to Democracy in Britain, the inter war years, the emergence of social welfare and the impact of the British Civil Rights movement.
Lightcliffe Academy’s shared characteristics will be developed through the History curriculum as students explore how societies and people’s perspectives have changed over time. Students will investigate the importance that specific individuals had for developing society as well as the impact of exploiting some groups. They will consider the importance of characteristic and link it to the actions of those holding power. Students will explore motives and ambition and how these caused change.
They will explore this characteristic as they examine the struggles of diverse groups of peoples to be heard and recognised in History.
Students will be able to explain the journey of groups of people in achieving equality, understanding that society has not always been as diverse or as tolerant as it is today.
Students knowledge of struggle and hardship will empower them to understand how and why change has unfolded at different points in History.
Students will be assessed formatively through regular A zones which will prepare them for a summative assessment at the end of each topic. There will also be iterative assessments mid-way, and at the end of the year. After each assessment point, they will be given feedback to ensure they make progress.
Studying History is a fantastic and exciting way to prepare for their future! Not only do they get the opportunity to explore interesting topics from national and international history so that they can talk knowledgeably about the past, but they will develop a wide range of transferable skills, all highly valued by employers, while they learn! Communicating, researching, problem solving, analysing, evaluating, and forming valid and knowledgeable judgements are all skills that students will develop in History lessons.
Studying History at GCSE, you will find yourself emersed in a broad and diverse study of the history of Britain and the wider world. You will continue to develop your historical understanding and substantive skills that will support your progression to A level and beyond.
This 2-year course will comprise of a Thematic study (Medicine through time) including a Historic environment (the battle fields of WW1), a British depth study (Elizabethan England), a period study (International Relations and the Cold War), and a modern non-British depth study (Weimar and Nazi Germany). Alongside this, students will develop and embed skills in analysing sources for their historical worth and usefulness, evaluating historical interpretations, forming substantive arguments and using historical knowledge to show similarity and difference as well as change through time.
Lightcliffe Academy’s shared characteristics will be developed through the History curriculum as you explore how and why societies and people’s perspectives have changed over time.
Service – you will evaluate the contribution that specific individuals made to initiate change over time
Health and happiness – the importance of this characteristic will be developed as we look at the emergence and support for different political ideologies
Ambition – this characteristic will feature across KS4, being especially prominent when we investigate Elizabeth’s struggle to establish herself as a powerful Queen
Resilience – you will develop this characteristic as you explore how different groups of people faced persecution for their religious and/or political beliefs
Equity – you will investigate how and why inequality can exist and the challenges that have faced people in their struggle to achieve political, economic, racial and religious equity
Dignity – this characteristic will be explored throughout KS4 as you evaluate change based on the dignity of the motives of those initiating it
You will be assessed regularly throughout the course to ensure that you are making progress. There will be regular A zones which will prepare you for the expectations of the GCSE examination. There will be 3 rounds of mock exams, at the end of Y10 and then in December and February of Y11 which will be based on past examinations and test your understanding of historical concepts, skill and knowledge. The final examinations will take place in May and June where you will be required to sit 3 separate examinations as set by Pearson Edexcel:
Paper 1 – Medicine through time and the battlefields of WW1
Paper 2 – Elizabethan England and International Relations and the Cold War
Paper 3 – Weimar and Nazi Germany
Achieving a GCSE in History will prepare you for further study at A level, whether it be in History or other subjects such as law, politics, economics, English or Psychology. You will be able to show you have great analytical and communication skills, and that you are able to think critically about the evidence before reaching a conclusion. These are all skills that will help prepare you in a career in Law, Economics, Business, Teaching or Medicine, just to name a few!
