CurriculumKS4 History

The History Department works hard to create interactive, dynamic and thought provoking lessons. The department aims that:

  • All students should develop their idea of identity based upon their understanding of local, national and international history.
  • All students should have their curiosity and imagination fired through studying the dilemmas, choices and beliefs of people in the past.
  • All students should develop their historical skills in order to investigate the past collaboratively and independently and use these to participate in society today as confident, questioning and employable individuals.

Year 9 GCSE History – Modern World

Content

In Year 9 students will begin the formal GCSE course. They will study the following topics: 

  • The Peace settlement 1918-1928.
  • The lead up to the outbreak of war in 1939.
  • The development of the Cold War.

Learning Landmarks

Class work and homework are marked regularly and comments and targets are written to help pupils focus on how to progress further. GCSE mark schemes and grades will be applied where appropriate.
Autumn Term
Cartoon Analysis: What is the message of the cartoon?
Spring Term
Exam style questions on the Treaty of Versailles.
Explain why the Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin in 1948.
Summer Term
Exam style questions on Cuban Missile Crisis.

Year 10 History GCSE History – Modern World

Content

In Year 10 students will cover the following topics:

Depth Study: Germany, 1918–1945

  • Was the Weimar Republic doomed from the start?
  • Why was Hitler able to dominate Germany by 1933?
  • The Nazi regime: how effectively did the Nazis control Germany, 1933–1945?
  • The Nazi regime: what was it like to live in Nazi Germany?

Learning Landmarks

  • Autumn Term: Exam questions on the Weimar Government.
  • Spring Term: Opposition to Nazi rule exam questions
  • Summer Term: Exam paper – Paper One practice

Year 11 History GCSE History – Modern World

Content

In Year 11 students will cover the following topics:

Depth Study: Britain 1890-1918

  • The Liberal Reforms
  • The Changing Role of Women
  • The Home Front

Learning Landmarks

  • Autumn Term: Controlled assessment and Mock exam
  • Spring Term: Paper 2 mock exam
  • Summer Term: Exam paper – Paper One and Two practice

How many pieces of controlled assessment are there?

There is one controlled assessment assignment, based on Russia 1905-1941.
NB for the current Year 9 and subsequent year groups, controlled assessment will be on Vietnam.

When is the controlled assessment done?

It is done during the first term of Year 11.  All the lessons and homework during this time are used for it. The final task is completed during 8 hours of supervised lesson time.

What is the nature of the coursework?

It is a written assignment, based a modern world study with one question set by the board, which is changed every year.  Students answer the question, supervised in class, under the new controlled assessment conditions.

What % of the final grade is it?

It is worth 25% of the final grade.

When is the deadline to hand it in?

The deadline is December 2012.

What help can students be given?

Staff help students by teaching the core content and sources during lesson time. Staff are able to read students’ answers and give general advice, such as if an answer is too general or irrelevant. Under new controlled assessment conditions, all final work will be completed under strict time controlled conditions and during selected lesson times. The board will set the final task which will be written up under controlled conditions.

Are there any special requirements?

None.

Overall GCSE skills and assessment:

Skills

In History, students are taught the knowledge, skills and understanding through a study of the modern world. Pupils are given the opportunity to reach their own conclusions about the past and are able to explain the reasons for, and results of historical events. Pupils are taught to evaluate interpretation, to select a range of appropriate evidence and to be able to apply the information relevant to the enquiry and period studied.

Assessment

Class work and homework are marked regularly and comments and targets are written to help pupils focus on how to progress further. GCSE mark schemes will be used to track pupil’s performance and provide regular indicators of progress. GCSE coursework will be marked and pupils will have an opportunity to improve their work.

How to do Paper 2

How to do Paper 1

Key Content Cold War Revision

Key Content Germany Revision Guidance

 Key Content International Relations