In Key Stage 3 students learn to become historians, by studying events which have shaped their lives and the world they live in. In Year 7 they go on a chronological journey of History with carefully selected events which help them understand why Britain is the way it is today. This is through a lens of “History from above” which has a focus on monarchs, rulers and the challenges they may have faced from below. Year 7 Historians will be able to explain how key rulers governed Britain and how it is different to today. Year 7 historians have access to local History with a focus on Hadrian’s Wall, Harrying of the North and The North East in the English Civil War.
In Year 8 the chronological journey continues but stretches into the wider world. This time with a focus on history from below with a focus on ordinary people and how they have overcome struggles and challenges in the 19th and 20th century. Pupils have an opportunity to study American and German History and compare life to what it was in Britain. Pupils in year 8 study their local area, Boldon in depth and have an opportunity to work with their families to understand the mining community and assess the impact of the Jarrow March on the area.
In the final year of Key Stage 3, pupils will move on to the more challenging elements of History by addressing key themes such as capitalism and communism and complete a breath study of the USA. Our studies follow the National Curriculum and include a meanwhile elsewhere lesson which looks at diversity within that topic area.
Across Key Stage 3 History skills are embedded and mastered throughout the curriculum. Year 7 are taught throughout the year how to analyse what the features of the source are, how to write to explain and how to write essays. In Year 8, pupils are taught the skill of utility and how to question if a source is useful followed by writing to argue and analyse different historical events. In year 9 pupils are taught how to analyse if sources are truthful and how much their author will influence this along with how to write analytically and master writing conclusions. All pupils in each year group will get the opportunity to complete an enquiry-based project similarly to that of an EPQ at A level and present this to their peers.
All Key Stage 3 Pupils are given many extracurricular opportunities as their learning outside the classroom. In Year 7, pupils are given an opportunity to visit a Roman site, in Year 8 all pupils participate in a visit to Beamish and in Year 9 pupils will have the opportunity to engage with a Holocaust survivor. All pupils are invited to our History film club.
| Year 7 | Year 8 | Year 9 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key Concepts | Power and control. “Why is Britain the way it is today?” (History from above) | “How did the world change from 1700 – 1945?” (History from below)
| “Political, social and economic change in the 20th century” (Depth study focusing on key events and themes in History). | |
| Autumn Term (Sep-Oct) |
History from above: How did the Roman conquest change Britain? | History from above and below How did Britain’s empire impact on the rest of the world? | Depth study: How was communism established in Russia? | |
| Quality Mark Assessments | ||||
We will assess why the Romans were successful at invading Britain and why William won at Hastings. | Students will complete an exam looking at slavery, the empire and retrive knowledge from year 7 history. | Students will complete an exam on the Russian Revolution and retrieve knowledge from year 8. | ||
| Autumn Term (Nov-Dec) |
History from above: How did the Norman conquest change Britain? | History from below What was Britain like in the industrial revolution? | Depth Study What threats to capitalism were there in the 20th century? | |
| Quality Mark Assessments | ||||
Students will complete an exam on all topics studied so far. | Students will complete an essay about the impact of the industrial revolution. | |||
| Spring Term (Jan-Feb) |
History from below Why was Medieval England a gruesome time to be alive? | History from below What was life like in the 1900s for ordinary people? Why did women die for the vote? | Depth study USA 1920s: Why did the economy boom in the 1920s? | |
| Quality Mark Assessments | ||||
Students will write an essay about the impact of the Black Death and create a project about Medieval Crime and Punishment. | Students will complete an exam focusing on the 1800s
They will assess why women got the vote in 1918. | Students will sit an exam which focuses on all content covered in year 9. | ||
| Spring Term (Feb-April) |
History from above How did the Henry Tudor’s change English history? | History from below Independent project on WW1 – students choose what they want to focus on. How did WW1 change Jarrow? | Depth study USA 1920s: Why was the USA divided in the 1920s? | |
| Quality Mark Assessments | ||||
Students will sit an exam on all year 7 content so far. | Why did the Jarrow crusade take place? | Enquiry questions about the role of women and why prohibition failed. | ||
| Summer Term (Feb-May) |
History from above How did the female Tudors change English history? | History from below How did WW2 effect the lives of ordinary people in Britain and Germany? | Depth study: USA 1930s impact of the depression on ordinary people (link back to year 8 with depression in Germany and Britain) | |
| Quality Mark Assessments | ||||
Students will write short responses on the perception of Mary I and why the Spanish Armada failed. | “Which was the most significant event of WW2 and why?” | Students will complete a creative task about the depression. | ||
| Summer Term (May-July) |
History from above Why was the 17th century a time of turbulence for England? | History from below How did different minority groups experience life under the Nazis? | Depth study USA 1930S – Roosevelt’s New Deal and WW2. | |
| Quality Mark Assessments | ||||
Students will sit an end of year exam. | Students will sit an end of year exam | End of year exam. | ||
Year 7
Key Concepts
Power and control. “Why is Britain the way it is today?” (History from above)
Quality Mark AssessmentsAutumn Term
(Sep-Oct)
History from above:
How did the Roman conquest change Britain?
Quality Mark AssessmentsWe will assess why the Romans were successful at invading Britain and why William won at Hastings.
Autumn Term
(Nov-Dec)
History from above:
How did the Norman conquest change Britain?
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will complete an exam on all topics studied so far.
Spring Term
(Jan-Feb)
History from below
Why was Medieval England a gruesome time to be alive?
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will write an essay about the impact of the Black Death and create a project about Medieval Crime and Punishment.
Spring Term
(Feb-April)
History from above
How did the Henry Tudor’s change English history?
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will sit an exam on all year 7 content so far.
Summer Term
(Feb-May)
History from above
How did the female Tudors change English history?
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will write short responses on the perception of Mary I and why the Spanish Armada failed.
Summer Term
(May-July)
History from above
Why was the 17th century a time of turbulence for England?
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will sit an end of year exam.
Year 8
Key Concepts
“How did the world change from 1700 – 1945?” (History from below)
Quality Mark Assessments
Autumn Term
(Sep-Oct)
History from above and below
How did Britain’s empire impact on the rest of the world?
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will complete an exam looking at slavery, the empire and retrive knowledge from year 7 history.
Autumn Term
(Nov-Dec)
History from below
What was Britain like in the industrial revolution?
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will complete an essay about the impact of the industrial revolution.
Spring Term
(Jan-Feb)
History from below
What was life like in the 1900s for ordinary people?
Why did women die for the vote?
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will complete an exam focusing on the 1800s
They will assess why women got the vote in 1918.
Spring Term
(Feb-April)
History from below
Independent project on WW1 – students choose what they want to focus on.
How did WW1 change Jarrow?
Quality Mark AssessmentsWhy did the Jarrow crusade take place?
Summer Term
(Feb-May)
History from below
How did WW2 effect the lives of ordinary people in Britain and Germany?
Quality Mark Assessments“Which was the most significant event of WW2 and why?”
Summer Term
(May-July)
History from below
How did different minority groups experience life under the Nazis?
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will sit an end of year exam
Year 9
Key Concepts
“Political, social and economic change in the 20th century” (Depth study focusing on key events and themes in History).
Quality Mark AssessmentsAutumn Term
(Sep-Oct)
Depth study:
How was communism established in Russia?
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will complete an exam on the Russian Revolution and retrieve knowledge from year 8.
Autumn Term
(Nov-Dec)
Depth Study
What threats to capitalism were there in the 20th century?
Quality Mark AssessmentsSpring Term
(Jan-Feb)
Depth study
USA 1920s: Why did the economy boom in the 1920s?
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will sit an exam which focuses on all content covered in year 9.
Spring Term
(Feb-April)
Depth study
USA 1920s: Why was the USA divided in the 1920s?
Quality Mark AssessmentsEnquiry questions about the role of women and why prohibition failed.
Summer Term
(Feb-May)
Depth study:
USA 1930s impact of the depression on ordinary people (link back to year 8 with depression in Germany and Britain)
Quality Mark AssessmentsStudents will complete a creative task about the depression.
Summer Term
(May-July)
Depth study
USA 1930S – Roosevelt’s New Deal and WW2.
Quality Mark AssessmentsEnd of year exam.