Learning

History

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The History Department offers a broad and ambitious curriculum, ranging from the foundations of England to the modern world. Drawing on approaches from the humanities and social sciences, students are introduced to how societies change over time — in everyday life, through commerce, in response to crisis and through interaction with other cultures.

History provides students with the opportunity to place the present into context, cultivate intellectual curiosity and raise aspirations. The department takes seriously its responsibility to develop critical thinking and communication skills alongside the secure historical knowledge needed for students’ personal and professional development. History has long been recognised as a valuable foundation for further study and for life beyond compulsory education.

Through the study of history at personal, local, national and international levels, students are encouraged to explore identity, develop empathy and respect differing perspectives. The department aims to make History relevant and engaging, fostering independent learning and confident, thoughtful young people who take an active interest in the world around them.

Aims

The History Department aims to develop:

Successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve

Confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives

Responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society

Learning Intent and Mission

• High standards of conduct and deportment

• Confidence in thinking, writing and discussion

• Happy, enquiring learners

• Independent learning opportunities

• A linear approach to historical understanding

• Mastery of chronology and historical context

Overview of the Curriculum (KS3–KS5)

Key Stages 3 and 4  

The History curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4:

Ensures pupils study and analyse a wide range of historical evidence, including primary sources, archaeological records and historiographical interpretations

Ensures pupils engage with local, national and global history from the medieval period to the modern day

Develops pupils’ ability to communicate complex arguments through essays, source analysis and oral debate

Encourages curiosity, independent enquiry and a love of historical investigation

Equips pupils with critical thinking skills and the ability to challenge misinformation — essential skills for life

Our Pedagogical Approach

The department follows a spiral curriculum in which key historical skills — such as causation, change and continuity, and historical significance — are revisited, developed and refined over time. Increasingly complex global themes and contested interpretations are introduced in a cumulative way.

Substantive knowledge (historical events, people and chronology) and disciplinary knowledge (how historians construct and interpret the past) are revisited throughout the curriculum, allowing pupils to build securely on prior learning and engage deeply with historical complexity.

Course Overview

Key Stage 3

History at Key Stage 3 follows a chronological framework beginning in 1066.

Year 7

• What is History?

• Foundations of England

• Henry II: Church vs State

• Medieval Islamic Civilisation with a focus on Baghdad

• Castles, towns, villages and social change

• The Black Death in England and Europe

• The Medieval Renaissance

• Early Modern China

Year 8

• Tudor and Stuart England

• Empire, enslavement and decolonisation

• Social change by 1900

• Community, culture and society in Late Victorian England, including Black Victorians

• Jack the Ripper

Year 9

• Women and the Suffrage Movement

• 1920s America

• Causes of the Second World War

• Depth Study: London, Dresden and Hiroshima

• The Holocaust

• Twentieth-century change and controversy

Key Stage 4 – GCSE History (Edexcel)

Pupils follow the Edexcel GCSE History programme. Assessment is through three externally assessed examination papers, taken at the end of the two-year course.

Paper 1 (30%)
Crime and Punishment in Britain c1000–present, including Whitechapel c1870–1900

Paper 2 (40%)
British Depth Study: Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–1088

Period Study: Superpower Relations and the Cold War, 1941–1991

Paper 3 (30%)
Modern Depth Study: Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–1939

Key Stage 5 – A Level History (Edexcel)

Students study Edexcel A Level History (9H10), following British and European courses.

Unit 1: Britain, 1625–1701 – Conflict, Revolution and Settlement

Unit 2: Russia in Revolution, 1894–1924

Unit 3: The Changing Nature of Warfare, 1859–1991

Unit 4: Coursework – Example: The Holocaust as an organised plan

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Assessment and Feedback Approach

Assessment combines regular formative feedback with summative assessments in line with the whole-school assessment calendar. Students receive structured feedback on written work, source analysis and extended essays, enabling them to refine historical argument, improve accuracy and develop examination technique.

GCSE and A Level History qualifications are assessed entirely through external examination, with coursework at A Level.

Staff List and Teacher Specialisms

Mr G Leventhall-Airley – Head of History

Mrs K Heaton

Mr J Pitt

Mr L Stott

Examples of Classroom Learning and Student Work

Classroom learning includes source analysis, extended writing, structured debate, independent research and enquiry-based lessons. Students produce essays, interpretations, historical investigations and presentations that demonstrate increasing sophistication and depth of understanding.

Extra-Curricular Clubs and Enrichment Opportunities

KS3 History Ambassador Programme

Raises student aspiration and engagement with History

Builds connections with the local community and history centres

Encourages responsible citizenship and civic pride

Inspires longer-term interest in History

Ambassadors wear a badge of pride and support open evenings, visitors and departmental quality assurance

Students are encouraged to enter the Vellacott Cambridge History Essay Prize, with Year 12 students receiving Highly Commended awards in 2017, 2019 and 2023. An Annual History Prize is also awarded for outstanding achievement.

Year 12 students complete an annual History Research Project, producing high-quality independent work on topics of personal interest, such as the history of chocolate in the 19th century or childhood in the medieval world.

Additional enrichment includes:

• Oxbridge HAT preparation

• Year 9 Remembrance Day visit to the Imperial War Museum

• Year 8 Bisley Hill Industrial Revolution visit

• Year 10 Crime and Punishment enrichment activities

Career Pathways Linked to the Subject

History: Skills for the Future

History develops highly valued skills including evidence-based analysis, structured writing, critical evaluation and independent research. Students learn to synthesise complex information, assess competing interpretations and communicate persuasively — skills essential in a wide range of careers.

Career Pathways Include:

• Law and Politics – solicitor, barrister, policy advisor

• Public Sector – civil servant, diplomat, intelligence analyst

• Media and Journalism – journalist, editor, documentary maker

• Heritage and Culture – museum curator, archivist, archaeologist

• Business and Finance – consultant, market researcher, PR executive

• Education – teacher, lecturer, heritage educator

Specialist historical study can also lead to careers in areas such as forensic research, archival preservation and economic forecasting.

Contact Information

Mr G Leventhall-Airley

g.leventhall@kdhigh.co.uk