Key Stage 3

Key Stage 3 History prepares students for the demands of the UL end of year tests and for the rigours of GCSE study. Students will learn a wide range of knowledge and develop their historical skills such as the analysis of sources and interpretations and making substantiated judgements.

Course information:

Year 7:

Students will begin their study of the medieval world by finding out what Medieval Baghdad and Constantinople reveals about the Muslim and Christian world around the year 1000. They will consider how religion and technology played a significant role in developing these capitals. Pupils will also look at medieval Mali and the role of Mansa Musa to develop their understanding of the wider medieval world. They will then explore the events of the Norman Conquest of 1066 and the reasons for William’s victory at the Battle of Hastings. A topic on Norman control will show how William the Conqueror was able to effectively keep control of England and its people and how England changed under the Normans. This will then lead onto the study of religion in England during the Middle Ages and how much control the Church had in all aspects of life. Pupils will consider the role of the Church and how this changed over time. The final topic in year 7 looks at the European Renaissance. This unit will consider ideological changes which leads onto their year 8 studies.

Year 8:

Students will begin by exploring the Reformation across Europe and the reasons why Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church. Students will then analyse how and why Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I changed the course of religion in England. They will then study key aspects of the reign of Elizabeth I including her Religious Settlement and conflict with Spain. Students will then move on to understand the political, economic and religious causes of the English Civil war of 1642. We will look at how the Civil War ended. Students will also study the changes made under Oliver Cromwell and then the Restoration period up to 1688. Students will then learn about the Slave Trade and the impacts of colonisation. This will look at the impact of the Slave Trade and how this led to abolition. Students will also ook at the rise of the British Empire and why this played a significant role in colonisation across the world. This will tie into the next topic of the Industrial Revolution which will consider what life was like for people living in Britain between 1700-1900. The module will focus on economic and social change by considering crime in Whitechapel and British medicine.

Year 9:

Students will begin by discovering the complex causes of World War One, including imperialism, the alliance system and militarism and other short-term causes. Students will then look at life in the trenches including key events such as the Battle of the Somme. Students will go on to study the end of World War One and the consequences such as the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and the lasting significance this had on 20th century history. Pupils will also learn about the inter-war period specifically focussing on how and why women gained the right to vote in 1918 by considering the actions of the Suffrage movements and the impact of World War One. The study of the inter-war period will also ask pupils to understand why there was a change in political ideologies resulting in the rise of European dictators. Students will also study the causes and key events of World War Two before focussing on how the persecution of Jews intensified in Nazi Germany and who was responsible for the Final Solution. In the summer term, pupils will begin to look at the Civil Rights Movements in the UK and USA. This will consider the roles of Black individuals and also the Windrush Generation.

Homework:

Homework will be set weekly. Pupils will be set a series of 10 questions weekly on Weduc. These questions will be completed and returned to their class teacher.

Assessment:

Lessons include knowledge retrieval questions to assess prior learning. Lessons involve the active use of mini whiteboards to check for understanding and to provide real time feedback and to deal with misconceptions quickly. Students will complete written assessments during the academic year where they will be given teacher feedback on how to improve. Students will sit a mid-year test in January and an end-of-year test in the summer term.

Contact:

For further information/clarification about KS3 History please contact Carla West – Carla.west@Nuneatonacademy.org.uk