Humanities Curriculum

Curriculum Intent – Content and Structure

The intended outcomes of what we teach:

Students to become more intellectually curious and develop as lifelong learners. Develop as Global Citizens with a good understanding of the world around them and make students adept at understanding existing social, political and economic conditions both in the Past and Present. Their Geographical studies aim to help students be global thinkers and local actors. Through the teaching of integrated Humanities at Key Stage 3 (KS3) students develop an understanding of how they both shaped and are impacted by the physical and natural environment allowing them to develop their sense of justice, kindness and humility. Students have a solid academic grounding of History and Geography by developing sophisticated skills of analysis and evaluation, research issues using a range of primary and secondary data, approach life with a sense of rigour and develop intellectual curiosity. Students are motivated by Humanities and take pride in their learning making Geography and History popular subjects at GCSE and A Level.

Curriculum Implementation

Curriculum Content and Sequence

Year 7

Autumn	Spring	Summer
Norman Conquest/Mapping the coast	Medieval Monarchs / Geography of the Middle East	Medieval Society / Geography of the UK (Mini Enquiries: Battle of Barnet / Geographical Exploration)

Year 8

Autumn	Spring	Summer
Natural Resources, Tudors, Superpowers	English and French Revolutions, Economic Activity, Slavery	Volcanoes, Industrial Revolution, Fantastic Places (Mini Enquiry: Migration)

Year

Why we Teach this Content and how the Content and Sequence of Topics Benefits our Students.

Year 7

History is taught chronologically at Year 7-9 because pedagogically it helps students develop their understanding. Learning also starts with British history before developing understanding at a more international level.

We start with the Norman Conquest because it is a key foundation for British History and equips students with the core skill of causation. Then, we move into mapping the coast, which gives students fundamental skills of map reading & interpreting sources. Students use these skills to examine key coastal processes and how human interact with coastal landscapes, including how we manage the coastline to protect the populations who live there.

Medieval Monarchs explores the role of power and agency, exploring what renders a monarch successful. We take an international approach here, considering both British and global monarchs. Geography shapes and constrains human development but at other times, human activity and ingenuity overcomes physical Geography (strong curriculum links to Superpowers in Yr 8 and GCSE/A-level). Geography of the Middle East allows students to develop their understanding of the Middle East looking at conflict over natural resources. Students develop Geographical skills such as drawing and interpreting climate graphs and use GIS maps.

Finally, we consider two seismic events in medieval history: the Peasants’ Revolt and the Black Death, both of which have important contemporary parallels.

We then explore the human and physical characteristic of UK landscapes and settlements with an enquiry into how London has been shaped by a range of economic activities and migration over time. Connecting to this focus on the local area, we conduct a local history enquiry on the Battle of Barnet.

Year 8

Natural Resources has been introduced as a new topic this year fundamentally as the issue of our time, students develop an understanding of sources of energy and the concerns over supply and demand. This equips them with the knowledge to formulate an educated opinion on resource allocation and the impact it has international relations.

The Tudors’ religious rollercoaster is taught as the first history topic in Year 8 because it allows for an exploration of change and continuity over time, a key concept for GCSE. It also explores the creation of the Church of England (wider curriculum links to Year 8 and to GCSE). We have a source-specific focus on Elizabeth I, in order to develop foundational knowledge for GCSE. Arguably, this is the moment in time when Britain first becomes renowned as a global superpower (with problematic consequences). This links well with Geography.

Superpowers are taught as a Geography topic which explores the changing power dynamic of the BRIC countries and allows students to develop an understanding of development and how it is measured.

The French and English revolutions are taught comparatively, exploring the origins of our contemporary democracy and the challenges of power. Economic activity looks at a post-industrial world and explores the impact of a rising world population and globalisation. It explores life of an individual in a LIC compared to TNCs and the wealthy elite in HIC (similarities drawn later between the Industrial Britain period).

Economic activity looks at a post-industrial world exploring impact the local, regional and global impacts of high mass consumption in Western countries We examine the role of globalisation, rise of TNCS and impact of colonialism as well as the outcome of neo-colonialism creating an unequal world.

We then consider the consider the historical implications of one of the most dehumanising elements of economic activity: the operation of the Transatlantic slavery. The trade triangle looks at the geography of slavery, natural resources and exploitation. We aim to consider the origins of the slave trade and explore resistance and rebellion to consider why slavery was eventually abolished.

In geography we take the opportunity to explore the physical environment -with an exploration of volcanoes and how the Earth creates distinct landforms. This topic will help students transition to year 9 geography which mostly focuses on physical geography

Industrial Britain charts the development of Britain as a Victorian Superpower and how its economic dominance links with imperialism and slavery (exploitation of natural and human resources). We pay particular focus to elements of the Industrial Revolution that are often not considered e.g., social history, Chartism and the Peterloo massacre. We use Hailie Rubenhold’s ‘The Five’ to frame a historical enquiry looking at the victims of Jack the Ripper.

Finally for geography we complete a small enquiry into fantastic places. Here students investigate the complex processes and fragility of unique landscapes.

Curriculum Implementation

The subject specific habits and behaviours we develop (or intend to develop) in our students

Subject Specific Habits and Behaviours

How we embed these in our students

Empathetic learners

Collaborative learners- fieldwork at GCSE

Independency skills-fieldwork write up and NEA at A level

Reflective

Sense of Justice

Globally aware of current issues both human and physical

From KS3-5, students learn about real life issues and the development gap between HIC and LICs. Students look at cause and effect and put themselves in the shoes of others.

Students work in small groups to collect their data for the fieldwork and work together

Student critically engage with data and key terms used in topic such as development and what bias exists within geography.

This allows students to be reflective of the what is taught academically come from some specific narrative.

Whilst giving students the opportunity to explore geography from different points of view. In doing this students have strong understanding and awareness of key global issues such as climate injustice and social inequality

An enquiry based curriculum designed to address these core concepts. Assessment questions specifically addressed at each of these skills.

Ensuring that a plethora of sources are provided to students in lessons, so that students build upon their skills of critical analysis and awareness.

Exposure to historical academic work throughout the curriculum, underpinning our content delivery.

Academy Ethos

Academy Curriculum Intent

How our department’s curriculum content and teaching approaches reflect the whole Academy ethos

A Curricular and Pastoral commitment to Micah 6v8: Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God

High Expectations of students’ behaviour for learning, learning progress, and respect for our community.

A commitment to make learning enjoyable, engaging, relevant and challenging.

A commitment to develop knowledge, skills and character.

Consistency and fairness in approach and routines.

Excellent and developing subject knowledge which inspires confidence in students.

Effective collaboration across all parts of the academy.

Highly skilled teaching which deepens understanding and stimulates curiosity.

A willingness to embrace research and innovation in order to enhance the learning potential of our students.

Recognising and rewarding effective use of learning habits as well as academic achievement.

Use of behaviour watch and behaviour policy to ensure classroom environment is peaceful and purposeful. So pupils feel valued in the contribution and are supported and included.

Use of a varied programme of learning activities which involve working independently but also in groups with support for all to contribute and some to lead.

SOW are carefully selected to cover a range of topical and challenging issues to encourage global citizenship.

SOW offer a range of learning strategies to develop intrinsic and extrinsic skills.

All teachers follow behaviour protocol to embed effective behaviour for learning.

Students carry out independent research projects to further develop their understanding.

Use of CPD hours to develop new understandings of different pedagogy and learning styles.

Effective use of learning habits - 9s and postcards home after assessments and essays.

Implementation

Academy Ethos

Micah 6v8: Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God
			Curriculum Content Opportunities
Justice			Year 7 Engaging with notions of a more just and inclusive curriculum, through for example a commitment to studying medieval monarchs from across the globe. Medieval society – Black Death and Peasants Revolt; Feudal system – diversity of experience Conflict over water sources and Israeli-Palestine Coastal defences – Happisburgh Norman Conquest – Harrying of the North – was William right to punish the North so severely? British Values – Geography of the UK Sequential teaching of History is inclusive – broader access to justice Year 8 Steps have been taken to ensure a more just and inclusive curriculum at Year 8 e.g. studying of Black Tudors, closer focus on social injustice in exploration of Industrial Revolution, a new unit on Britain’s migration story to be introduced. Mary I – individual justice – does she deserve her nickname? (Why do female monarchs get remembered differently to male monarchs/ held to different standards?) Tudors – individual liberty and right to practice religion Civil War – trial of Charles I – accountability; French Revolution – broader ideas of justice, freedom, liberation etc. Superpowers – conflict between Ukraine and Russia; soft power vs hard power Natural resources – global inequality and impact of global warming and water-security Slavery – why it was abolished – modern day values not imposed on the past. Utilising resources from ‘Justice to History’ Jack the Ripper – Addressing the historical imbalance in the presentation of Jack the Ripper’s victims by focusing our enquiry on the victims, using Hailie Rubenhold’s seminal revisionist work ‘The Five’.
Kindness			Year 7 Lack of kindness – challenges faced by monarchs when unpopular decisions are made e.g. Harrying of the North. Can there be kinder approaches to monarchy e.g. Magna Carta? Year 8 Lack of kindness – challenges faced by monarchs when unpopular decisions are made e.g. Marian burnings Natural resources – kindness to our planet vs Industrial Britain Superpowers – cooperation between powers Elizabeth’s Religious Settlement – was this a kind solution? Economic Activity and Slavery – exploitation (sweatshops and the Middle Passage) Abolition of slavery.
Humility			Year 7 Consideration of nature of life as a peasant in medieval England – lack of material possessions The power of medieval monarchs an underlying theme e.g. did Richard II show humility during the Peasants Revolt? Be thankful for what is often taken for granted in terms of quality of life and standard of living Year 8 Actions of monarchs – Elizabeth learning from past Tudors’ mistakes; Charles I’s lack of humility Superpowers – lack of humility leading to tension; increasing use of soft power and cultural (positive?) attributes

Please click here to access the full Humanities curriculum document.

Humanities Curriculum