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GCSE History is a writing based subject, requiring skills of analysis, evaluation, and interpretation.

Students will learn through rigorous practising of essay and source analysis skills.

Course information:

Exam board: Edexcel

Paper 1 – Written examination: 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Paper 2 – Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Paper 3 – Written examination: 1 hours and 20 minutes.

GCSE History is assessed through four assessment objectives:

• AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the key features and characteristics of the periods studied (35%).
• AO2: Explain and analyse historical events and periods studied using secondorder1 historical concepts (35%).
• AO3: Analyse, evaluate and use sources (contemporary to the period) to make substantiated judgements, in the context of historical events studied (15%).
• AO4: Analyse, evaluate and make substantiated judgements about interpretations (including how and why interpretations may differ) in the context of historical events studied (15%).

Homework:
Homework will be set weekly. Homework is in the form of pre-learning and revising key content using the platforms Satchel One and Seneca.
 
Assessment:
Lessons include knowledge retrieval questions to assess prior learning. Lessons involve the active use of mini whiteboards to check for understanding and to provide real time feedback and to deal with misconceptions quickly. Students will complete regular written exam-style questions during the academic year where they will be given teacher feedback on how to improve. Year 10 students will sit a mid-year mock in January and end of year mock exams in the summer term.  Year 11 students will sit mock exams in November and in March.

Contacts:
For further information/clarification about this course please contact Mr D Prudden

Revision websites

OAK Academy lessons
GCSE Bitesize

Recommended Revision Guides

Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History Weimar and Nazi Germany Revision Guide and Workbook ISBN-13: 978-1292169736
Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History Medicine in Britain Revision Guide and Workbook ISBN-13: 978-1292169729
Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History Early Elizabethan England Revision Guide and Workbook ISBN-13: 978-1292169712
Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History Superpower relations and the Cold War Revision Guide and Workbook ISBN-13: 978-1292169750

Key Stage 3 History prepares students for the demands of the UL end of year tests and for the rigours of GCSE study. Students will learn a wide range of knowledge and build and develop their historical skills such as the analysis of sources and interpretations and making substantiated judgements.

Course information:

Year 7:
Students will begin their study of the medieval world by finding out what Medieval Baghdad and Constantinople reveals about the Muslim and Christian world around the year 1000. Students will then find out what Mansa Musa’s life reveals about the Mali Empire in the 16th century. They will then explore the events of the Norman Conquest of 1066 and the reasons for William’s victory at the Battle of Hastings. A topic on Norman control will show how William the Conqueror was able to effectively keep control of England and its people and how England changed under the Normans. They will then study the importance of religion in England during the Middle Ages and how much control the Church had in all aspects of life. A study of medieval medicine will focus primarily on the Black Death and its consequences in England. Following on from the Black Death, students will look at three case studies of medieval kings and the challenges they faced in maintaining their power. Finally, students will find out how life changed during the Renaissance by considering how ideas, inventions and events led to change.
 
Year 8:
Students will begin by exploring the Reformation across Europe and the reasons why Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church. Students will then analyse how and why Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I changed the course of religion in England. They will then study key aspects of the reign of Elizabeth I including her Religious Settlement and conflict with Spain. Students will then move on to understand the political, economic and religious causes of the English Civil war of 1642. We will look at how the Civil War ended, including a local study of the Battle of Naseby. Students will also study the changes made under Oliver Cromwell and then the Restoration period up to 1688. Students will then study the British Empire and its impact on the world. This will lead onto a study of the transatlantic slave trade and the abolition of slavery. Students will explore local links with the Kettering abolitionist William Knibb.
 
Year 9:
Students will begin by find out how and why women gained the right to vote in 1918 by considering the actions of the Suffrage movements and the impact of World War One. Then students will discover the complex causes of World War One, including imperialism, the alliance system and militarism and other short-term causes. Students will then look at life in the trenches including key events such as the Battle of the Somme. Students will go on to study the end of World War One and the consequences such as the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and the lasting significance this had on 20th century history. Having studied the causes of World War One, students will also study the causes and key events of World War Two before focussing on how the persecution of Jews intensified in Nazi Germany and who was responsible for the Final Solution. After Easter students start their GCSE studies. Students who choose not to study History will follow the same programme of learning.

Homework:
Homework will be set weekly. Homework is in the form of pre-learning and revising key content using the platforms Satchel One and Seneca.
 
Assessment:
Lessons include knowledge retrieval questions to assess prior learning. Lessons involve the active use of mini whiteboards to check for understanding and to provide real time feedback and to deal with misconceptions quickly. Students will complete written assessments during the academic year where they will be given teacher feedback on how to improve. Students will sit a mid-year test in January and an end-of-year test in the summer term.

Contact:
For further information/clarification about KS3 History please contact Miss A Holland.