Overview of Department 

Key Stage 3 History at Rye College 

We recognise that knowing our past helps us to understand the world, its cultures and the people around us, and how they have influenced the modern world, is an important contributor to creating brighter futures for all. Through the study of significant people and events incorporated in our history curriculum, our students are provided with rich knowledge needed to understand the vast and varied world around them in the present day. The curriculum is exciting, broad and balanced and follows a chronological study of both British and wider world events.  


Curriculum Statement: Values and Aims 

At Key Stage Three pupils develop important interpretative and investigative skills apply these to a range of historical contexts, starting with the Medieval period before progressing on to the Tudors, through to the early modern period, including the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the study of the British Empire and its legacy. Similarly, students study the Victorian period and the monumental events of the 20th century including WWI, WWII, a study of America and the Civil Rights movement.  

Our curriculum at Key Stage Three provides our students with a firm knowledge and skillset that they will further develop and refine at GCSE. Opportunities to develop debating skills, argumentative writing skills and presentation skills are embedded into the curriculum, which are skills that will be of great benefit to students through their entire life. 


GCSE History  

During this course, students will expand their knowledge considerably of the wider world and of Britain. Students will develop the skills of explanation and interpretation and will develop how to make judgments that are rooted in evidence. Students will look at a range of key historical themes, contexts, focusing on different views of history and different representations of the past. 

GCSE History is made up of four topics. There are two exams with two topics in each exam. The topics are equally weighted: meaning they are all worth 25% of the course. 

Paper 1 – Understanding the Modern World 

  1. Germany – Democracy to Dictatorship 1890 – 1945: This will cover what Germany was like before WWI, through to the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party. 

  1. Conflict and Tension – The First World War: The First World War was seen as the "War to End All Wars". This course focuses on the causes of this international conflict in detail, as well as the events that happened on land and sea, across multiple fronts; before studying how the ending to the war directly contributed to the rise of Nazism in Germany. 

Paper 2 – Shaping the Nation 

  1. Britain – Health and the People: this takes students from Medieval Britain through to present day thus giving students an insight into life in Britain during The Medieval Period, The Renaissance, Early Modern Times, The Industrial Revolution and into the 20th and 21st centuries. 

  1. Norman England: this topic looks at the significant events of 1066 and the extent of the changes that the Norman Conquest had on Anglo-Saxon England. A deep insight into medieval life will be gained through this unit. 


Our History Learning Journey


Knowledge Summaries - History


Progression routes

History as a subject is valued in many careers. It allows students to demonstrate research and report writing skills as well as examination of evidence, and the weighing up of choices and opinions.  As such, it is valued in careers from forensic investigation through to librarian work, from journalism to building surveillance.  It is a versatile subject that attracts people from all skill sets. 

 

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