Key Stage 3: History

Curriculum Intent

The aim of History at Murray Park School is to grow a generation of young people who are passionate, curious and active citizens in Derby and beyond. Our curriculum will help students to make sense of the world they live in and will help them to cement their experiences by understanding how the past is constructed. We aim to equip students by developing their knowledge and understanding of the past and helping them understand how and why things have changed.

The national curriculum for history aims to ensure that all students:

  • Know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world
  • Know and understand significant aspects of the history of the wider world: the nature of ancient civilisations; the expansion and dissolution of empires; characteristic features of past non-European societies; achievements and follies of mankind
  • Gain and deploy a historically grounded understanding of abstract terms such as ‘empire’, ‘civilisation’, ‘parliament’ and ‘peasantry’
  • Understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance, and use them to make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses
  • Understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed
  • Gain historical perspective by placing their growing knowledge into different contexts, understanding the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history; and between short- and long-term timescales

 

K33 Course outline and structure:

Year 7 Theme: Power, Religion and Society c1000-1600.
Topic 1:
Why have people moved to Britain over 1000 years? – This thematic study covering migration ensures that students explore the various causes of migration and the complex experiences these groups faced.
Topic 2:
Who held power in Medieval England? – Students study this comparative topic exploring the power struggle across the Medieval period. The topic includes a focus on challenges to medieval power and authority from above and below.
Topic 3:
Did everyone experience the same Medieval era? – This comparative topic explores Medieval society and challenges the misconception over poverty, experiences and religion.
Topic 4:
Beyond Europe: What can artefacts and sources reveal about the Medieval world? – Students step beyond Europe and explore various medieval empires and kingdoms beyond the continent. This topic is a presentation project with students presenting on a specific empire/kingdom and analysing the use of sources and artefacts.
Topic 5:
What caused the rise and fall of the 300-year Plantagenet dynasty? – This topic explores the later Medieval era and the Civil Wars between the two royal households. Students study the changes to kingship and the role played by historical interpretations.

 

Year 8 Theme: Revolution, empire, slavery and industry c1600-1900.

Topic 1:
Just how chaotic was the “century of chaos”? – This topic explores the events of the 17th century, their impact and how these events contributed to the modern interpretation of “chaos”.
Topic 2:
What can Barbados reveal about the development and legacy of the slave trade? – Through a case study exploration of Barbados and following the events of our chosen scholarship, Sugar in the Blood, students follow the story of one family’s experiences and legacy of the slave trade.
Topic 3:
What did the ‘age of revolution’ mean to the people in America, Haiti and France? – Students explore the causes and consequences of three international revolutions during the 18th century. Students examine the similarities between the three revolutions and begin to understand the complexities of empire and freedom.
Topic 4:
How did British colonisation change India? – Students examine the creation, experiences and legacy of the British Empire through a case study of the Indian sub-continent.
Topic 5:
Was the 19th century really the “dawn of liberty”? – Students look to challenge and support the interpretation from our chosen scholarship, Liberty’s Dawn, regarding the experiences of the 19th century. This topic considers social consequences, political consequences and economic consequences.
Topic 6:
Why was the Industrial Revolution significant to Derby? – Students examine a local history case study of how the Industrial Revolution impacted their local city. Students complete a project presentation for this topic and must present on one area of significance for Derbyshire and the Industrial Revolution.

Year 9 Theme: Ideology, conflict, protest and society c1900-present
Topic 1:
How did different groups experience the Great War? – Students explore the causes and impact of World War One for various groups, beyond the soldiers fighting on the front-line. Students are also invited to design and create a pop-up trench model.
Topic 2:
Did the Nazis secure their own defeat in WW2? – This topic covers the causes of World War Two, including the rise of the Nazis in Germany, and explores events of the war and whether Nazi mistakes can be blamed for their eventual defeat.
Topic 3:
What can sources reveal about the lived experiences of the Holocaust? – This topic explores a compulsory element of the National Curriculum and ensures students understand the historic nature of antisemitism, the changes within Germany during the 1930s, the escalation and legacy of the Holocaust after the war.
Topic 4:
Did society become more equal over the 20th century?  – Through this thematic study of the 20th century, students explore the changing nature of equality for various groups, including women, LGBTQ+, disabled, British Black communities and migrants. Students work to complete a project presentation on one group and their experience of equality across the century.
Topic 5:
What can the story of Berlin tell us about the Cold War? – Students explore the narrative of the Cold War period through a study of locations within Berlin. Students use these location summaries and events to understand the wider Cold War era and developments.
Topic 6:
How has warfare changed between 1900-2000? – Through this thematic study, students conclude their KS3 studies by examining how the nature of warfare changes throughout the 20th century – from hand-to-hand combat, trench warfare, aerial bombings, nuclear weapons and then modern-day terrorist warfare.

 

Extra-curricular activities

The department plans to offer a number of curriculum-related trips. In the past students have had the opportunity to visit Warwick Castle and the Black Country museum. We are also hoping to organise a trip to the First World War battlefields of Belgium and Northern France. We are planning to organise a visit to support and enhance learning for each year group at KS3.

Students get the chance to attend the trip to Berlin or the trip to Krakow that run on alternate years. This year we are taking pupils to Berlin. We also have a Holocaust survivor visiting our school to meet with students in year 9. This ensures our students not only learn about history in the classroom but are able to experience real history.

There is also a KS3 History Club who meet one lunchtime a week. Here students have the opportunity to explore additional topics from outside of our curriculum, and to enrich their understanding of those they have studied. We have helped organise the remembrance week in school and are working towards making a remembrance memorial for the new garden.

 

Useful websites

https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zk26n39

https://classroom.thenational.academy/subjects-by-key-stage/key-stage-3/subjects/history