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Intent (Aims & Purpose)

The main aim for History at Haute Vallée is to enable students to become capable, committed and respectful citizens through an understanding and critical interpretation of past events using a wide range of evidence sources.   The program is designed to develop students’ critical thinking skills through historical analysis as this is fundamental to understanding the present world that is rapidly changing and volatile. Learning from the past is essential for creating better futures. History shapes the customs, traditions and beliefs that make up our local community and our world, and students need to understand why people act in the way they do. The Assembly of the Council of Europe fully capture this significant role of history: ‘Historical awareness should be an essential part of the education of all young people.’ We also aim to build students identify, and self-esteem-through empowering them to take increasing responsibility for their own progress and become self-directed learners. The curriculum also supports the wider HV attributes and seeks to maximize students’ learning potential in these areas.

Implementation

In history, we implement our curriculum through a range of teaching approaches including role play, games and creative tasks, as well as more traditional source-based questions and essay writing. Discussion and debate are a regular feature of lessons, as well as regular spiralling back to ensure key content is secure, especially at GCSE.   At Key Stage 3 (Year 7-8), we have developed a chronological curriculum designed to enable students to improve their historical skills. Year 7 are taught within ‘Horizon’ and follow cross-curricular schemes in Topic (based around English, History, RE and Geography). In Year 8, the students study these subjects separately with the focus being in history on ‘Crisis Points in British History (1500-1945)’.  
  • Year 7 Topics: The Neolithic Period, Ancient Rome and Medieval Times.
  • Year 8 Topics: The Tudors, the Stuarts, the Industrial Revolution, World Wars One and Two.
At Key Stage 4 (Years 9-11), we use the EDEXCEL GCSE (9-1) History Specification. We have chosen this specification because we feel that it is best suited to fulfilling our aims at GCSE level. For example, the course develops and extends students’ knowledge and understanding of specified key events, periods and societies in local, British and wider world history, and of the wide diversity of human experience. It also enables students to ask relevant questions about the past, to investigate issues critically and to make valid historical claims by using a range of sources and interpretations in historical context. The curriculum in this GCSE specification includes:
  • Paper 1: Thematic study / historic environment: Medicine in Britain and Western Front.
The Medicine unit requires students to understand change and continuity across a long sweep of history, including the most significant characteristics of four different ages from the Medieval to Modern Periods. The historic environment study on the Western Front is linked to this Medicine unit and focuses on the site in its historical context.
  • Paper 2: Period study / British depth study: American West / Early Elizabethan England.
The American West unit focuses on a substantial and coherent medium time span of at least 50 years and requires students to understand the unfolding narrative of substantial developments and issues associated with the period. The Elizabethan unit focuses on a substantial and coherent brief time span and requires students to understand the complexity of a society or historical situation and interplay of various aspects within it.
  • Paper 3: Modern depth study: Weimar and Nazi Germany.
The Germany unit has a similar remit to the Elizabethan unit but must be from an era different to the latter one.

Impact

The impact of the curriculum is ascertained through a range of quantitative and qualitative data. These include: Regular assessment tasks therefore take place during both Key Stages based on the Assessment Objectives used by the EDEXCEL GCSE Specification. These include:
  • Factual knowledge Tests / MCQs
  • Open book assessments / exam Qs.
  • End of unit closed book exam Qs.
Student feedback and engagement is ascertained through questionnaires focussing on the topics/activities they have enjoyed the most and ideas for future development. Also, the impact of the curriculum is monitored and reviewed through:
  • Work scrutiny of each year group
  • Lesson observations / learning walks
  • Feedback from staff during Dept. meetings
  • Uptake of the subject at GCSE level

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