{SECTION_MENU}Subject

History

Intent

Here in the History department of Cornelius Vermuyden School, we aim to develop students into critical thinkers and learners while fostering a deep cultural understanding of our nation's history, as well as the world around us and how it has evolved.

Knowledge and Skills

History is uniquely positioned to provide knowledge and skills that can be applied to the wider world and linked to almost all areas of study and personal development. We are proud to offer our students the opportunity to grow and thrive in ways that will benefit them throughout their lives. History allows us to:

Develop and deepen our knowledge and understanding of key events, individuals, and ideas from the past, evaluating and connecting them to present-day movements.
Explore, investigate, and interpret historical evidence, learning how to critically evaluate and analyze both primary and secondary sources.
Respond to the strategic, evaluative, and ethical questions posed by key historical events.
Develop the ability to comprehend the world around us, honing interdisciplinary skills that benefit study across the entire curriculum.
Enhance interpersonal skills such as self-reflection, teamwork, and organization, particularly when structuring constructive and informed debates.
Understand what motivates people and gain insight into how they think and feel.
Foster independent learning through historical research projects and presentations.
Enable students to critique and analyze information, such as propaganda, to determine whether the information being presented is trustworthy.
Communicate effectively, using Standard English, both verbally and in writing.

Curriculum Overview

Key Stage 3

Students have the opportunity to explore a wide range of historical eras and issues in an engaging and thought-provoking way. Their studies span from Anglo-Saxon England through to the modern world, covering areas such as Medieval Europe, the Tudors and Stuarts, the development of the British Empire, and the First and Second World Wars. Additionally, students undertake a thematic study on warfare through time, tracing its evolution from the 1200s to the present day.

Key Stage 4

In GCSE History, students follow an approved GCSE examination syllabus, leading to a full GCSE qualification at the end of Year 11. Students are assessed entirely through written examinations, consisting of three papers:

Paper 1: Thematic Study and Historic Environment
Paper 2: Period Study and British Depth Study
Paper 3: Modern Depth Study

As part of their course, students will complete:

A thematic study on the development of warfare (1250-present)
A study of the Blitz
A wider world depth study on Superpower relations (1945-1991)
A modern depth study of the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War
A British depth study on Anglo-Saxon and Norman England (c.1060-1088)

Career Opportunities in History

The study of History enables students to develop skills that are relevant to a wide range of educational and career paths. History is widely regarded as a rigorous and challenging qualification by both employers and education providers. This excellent academic reputation ensures that students are well equipped for entry into whichever profession they aspire to. In addition to developing a broad range of historical and contemporary contextual knowledge, history fosters skills of interpretation and analysis that are valuable in all professions, including high-profile careers such as politics, law, and the media.

History complements many subjects, particularly other Humanities like English, Religious Education, Law, Philosophy, and Geography. Some examples of careers that the study of history can lead to include accountancy, archaeology, architecture, broadcasting, civil service, diplomatic service, drama, theatre and the performing arts, media, teaching, public relations, journalism, law, police, politics, publishing, sales and marketing, tourism, town planning, and many more.

Year 7 Curriculum Overview

What are we learning?	What knowledge, understanding and skills will we gain?	What will excellence look like?	How will this be assessed?
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Year 8 Curriculum Overview

What are we learning?	What knowledge, understanding and skills will we gain?	What will excellence look like?	How will this be assessed?
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Year 9 Curriculum Overview

What are we learning?

What knowledge, understanding and skills will we gain?

What will excellence look like?

How will this be assessed?

Early Elizabethan England

Students will gain knowledge of the Elizabethan Era. They will evaluate the challenges faced by Elizabeth I.

Students will explore the background and character of Elizabeth I and what challenges she had to face both from abroad and at home. Students will gain detailed knowledge of the different plots and revolts against Elizabeth.

Students will consider the difficulties of being a female ruler and evaluate by using sources what life was like for people living in Elizabethan England. Students will further develop their historical skills such as causation, change and continuity, consequence, similarity and difference.

Students can explain the challenges Elizabeth faced from abroad and home. Students can explain what problems the different religious groups caused to Elizabeth.

Students can explain the impact of the religious settlement and how difficult the settlement was to enforce. Students can explain why Mary, Queen of Scots was a problem and how threatening the Catholic plots were against Elizabeth.

Students can form a developed judgement of the factors influencing key events and turning points.

Students will be assessed through exam style questions and also they will be assessed through an end of unit assessment. Students will be assessed on their knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of the period. They will need to describe features of the period, explain reasons why particular events happened and also need to make a judgement on how far they agree and think about both sides of an argument.

Year 10 Curriculum Overview

What are we learning?

What knowledge, understanding and skills will we gain?

What will excellence look like?

How will this be assessed?

Crime and Punishment through time.

Students will be able to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the history of crime and punishment, including the major changes in law enforcement and punishment over time. Students will have a clear understanding of how key features in the development of crime and punishment were linked with the key features of society in Britain in the periods studied. This will involve understanding patterns of change, trends and turning points, and the influence of attitudes in society, individuals, institutions, science, technology and how they worked together to bring about change. They will demonstrate a detailed knowledge of case studies covered in this unit.

Teachers will be using formative assessment in lessons to assess students’ knowledge and understanding.

Students will be assessed on their knowledge and understanding of the studied period. Students will be assessed on historical skills such as analysing the usefulness of sources, causation and forming a judgement through exam-style questions.

Crime and Punishment through time including the Historic Environment study: Whitechapel

Students will investigate crime and punishment from the years 1000 to modern days. Students will gain knowledge of how crime/punishment and law enforcement changed or continued from one time period to another. Students will explore the role of authorities/church/science and technology as reasons for change. Students will gain knowledge of a historic environment in one of the most deprived areas of London. Students will explore the difficulties of the area and the problems the authorities faced. Students will further develop their knowledge and understanding, with questions focusing on historical skills such as similarity/difference, change and continuity, significance and causes/consequences of change. skills around concepts of causation and significance.

Students have a clear understanding of how key features in the development of crime and punishment were linked with the key features of society in Britain in the periods studied. This will involve a clear understanding of patterns of change, trends and turning points, and the influence of attitudes in society, individuals, institutions, science, technology and how they worked together to bring about change. They will demonstrate a detailed knowledge of case studies covered in this unit. Students recognise the causes of crime in Whitechapel and the difficulties in policing the area. They can explain the problems the authorities faced in trying to apprehend ‘Jack the Ripper’.

Formative assessment: Teacher uses different strategies during discussion and tasks to assess students' understanding of the subject. Students will be assessed through exam style questions.

Year 11 Curriculum Overview

What are we learning?	What knowledge, understanding and skills will we gain?	What will excellence look like?	How will this be assessed?
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