History is about people and their experiences in the past. By studying the lives of our ancestors we come to a deeper understanding of the world around us today.
At UCC we cover a range of different time periods and themes in order to give students a varied and exciting experience. Lessons are designed so that all can achieve their potential while enjoying a range of activities.
Key Stage 3
In year 7 students complete a course on Medieval Britain and the Norman Conquest. In Year 8 they follow a course on 19th Century Britain as society changed during the Industrial Revolution and the impact on the wider world of the slave trade and the British Empire. In Year 9 students look at conflict in the 20th Century World.
Key Stage 4
We follow the Edexcel History GCSE which has four units. Students study Weimar and Nazi Germany, early Elizabethan England, Medicine in Britain, c1250–present, and the British sector of the Western Front, 1914–18: injuries, treatment and the trenches, and, finally, the American West 1835-95.
Key Stage 5
We follow the Edexcel A Level ‘Route C’ revolutions in early modern and modern Europe. Students focus on Stuart England, 19th and 20th century Russia and, the British Experience of Warfare 1790-1918. They also complete a coursework essay on a topic of their choice.
Staff
- Mrs J Greenhalgh (Head of Department)
- Mrs F Shaw
- Miss A Rodney
- Miss S Allan
- Miss J Tingle
Intent & implementation
History is about people. The History department at UCC aims to make the subject come to life through engaging, varied and challenging lessons which furnish students with the skills and knowledge to become confident and questioning individuals. We aim to deliver studies of the past on an international, national and local scale and to cover both depth and development studies of the past. Students will thus be able to develop their skills in communicating concepts such as continuity, change, causation, significance and interpretation. We believe that the most important part of our work is to equip all of our young people with the ability to live a full life where they can become resilient individuals who are prepared and equipped for an ever-changing world, a world which they feel certain they can contribute to in a meaningful way.
The History Department organises the content of the subject in chronological order. In Year 7, we begin with the Medieval period and progress through to the 20th century in Year 9. This is intended to allow students to build up their chronological awareness as they proceed through Key Stage 3. The idea of overview and depth is something that is embedded into our curriculum so that students are able to appreciate the concept of development over time and the specific details of particular events, individuals and ideas. There is also a development study in year 8 which prepares students for the synoptic elements of assessment at Key Stages 4 and 5. At Key Stage 4, we deliver a range of units with engaging topics. One of the Paper Two topics is Medicine through Time, c1250-present which is a chronological thematic with re-visits the framework upon which our students can ‘hook’ the other units on to. We have a range of students of varying abilities and they are taught by subject specialists who are skilled in scaffolding the learning of students, using prior data, so that students are enabled to make progress.
Developing Cultural Capital
Students use the past as the lens through which they understand progress, diversity, racism, class, culture and religion and the processes which shape them. They do so on a national and international level and have an understanding that the past is about people and their experience of the world.
Extracurricular opportunities
The history department runs regular revision and intervention sessions throughout the year for exam classes.
Careers Education
Students look at the different ways in which work and labour conditions have shaped social development and the human experience. This ranges from the jobs in a Medieval village, through industrialisation to labour reform and the impact on politics and society. They also see this on the global stage in terms of slavery, forced labour and the impact of suffrage on the ability to change conditions.
