History

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The History department at KRS aims for students to develop curiosity, imagination and love of the ‘otherness’ of the past. We strive to impose order and meaning, make connections and understand how ordinary people’s lives have shaped the world. 

Topics covered in the curriculum include historically important events such as the Norman invasion, The Crusades, The Black Death, Changing role of the Monarchy, the Industrial Revolution and the World Wars. Students will be expected to demonstrate their knowledge of topics through discussions and homework. Year 10 and 11 students will learn about Warfare over Time and the Cold War. Learn about the History curriculum in detail below: 

Year 7

What sort of a King was William I? 

Term 1 – Unit 1
  • What is History? 
  • How fair and equal was Anglo Saxon society? 
  • Who were the Normans? 
  • Why was there a succession crisis in 1066? 
  • How did the Normans gain control of England? 
  • What impact did the Normans have on everyday life in England? 
  • What sort of a King was William I? 
Assessment: Depth: Analysis of the impact of William I on England
Homework: Various homework’s are set to test knowledge and skills.

The Crusades 

Unit 2 
  • Golden Age of Islam 
  • What were the threats to the Byzantine Empire 
  • What were the causes of the First Crusade? 
  • What was the Muslim response to the First Crusade? 
  • How did the Muslims reconquer Jerusalem? 
  • How successful was Richard the Lionheart? 
Assessment: Evaluation of the life of Richard the Lionheart
Homework: Variety of tasks designed to stretch and challenge all students.

Medieval World

Unit 3
  • What were the causes, cures and consequences of the Black Death? 
  • Could you get justice in the Middle Ages? 
  • What was everyday life like in the Medieval period? 
  • How did England compare to other powers in the Middle Ages? (Ming Dynasty) 
  • Why were the Kingdoms of West Africa so great? 
  • What travelled along the Silk Roads? 
Assessment: Thematic: Comparison of Medieval Kingdoms
Homework: Variety of tasks designed to stretch and challenge all students.

Year 8

Why was there so much religious change in the 16th century? 

Unit 1
  • What mattered to Henry VIII?
  • How did the rule of Elizabeth I impact on England and the world?
Assessment: Thematic: Evaluation of the impact of Elizabeth’s reign on England, Europe and the world
Homework: Varity of tasks designed to stretch and challenge all students.

English Civil War 

Unit 2
  • What were the causes of the English Civil War? 
  • Why did Parliament win the English Civil War? 
  • Trial of Charles I 
  • What was the impact of the English Civil War? 
  • Witchcraft 
  • Oliver Cromwell 
  • Great Plague of London 
  • Great Fire of London 
  • Charles II, James II and the Glorious Revolution 
Assessment: Depth: Analysis of the reign of Charles I
Homework: Various homework’s are set to test knowledge and skills.

Caribbean and African History 

Unit 3
  • Europe and the wider world 
  • Africa and the wider world 
  • The encounter of two worlds 
  • Clash of cultures 
  • The challenge to Spain 
  • From tobacco to sugar 
  • How were slaves captured? 
  • What were conditions like on the Middle Passage? 
  • What happened at slave auctions? 
  • Why was slavery abolished? 
Assessment: Thematic: Analysis of the Caribbean, Africa and the Wider World
Homework: Variety of tasks designed to stretch and challenge all students.

British Empire                                                           

Unit 4
  • Should we be proud of the British Empire? 
  • The East India Company 
  • Did the Raj rock? 
  • How far did the lives of Aborigines change? 
  • Zulu Wars 
  • Scramble for Africa 
Assessment: Thematic: Evaluation of the British Empire 
Homework: Variety of tasks designed to stretch and challenge all students.

Industrial Revolution 

Unit 5
  • What caused the industrial revolution? 
  • Crazy inventions 
  • Victorian Dragons Den 
  • How did mass production affect people? 
  • Peterloo massacre 
Assessment:  Depth: Analysis of the Peterloo Massacre 
Homework: Variety of tasks designed to stretch and challenge all students. 

Jack the Ripper source investigation 

Unit 6
  • Who were the victims?
  • Why was Jack the Ripper never caught?
Assessment:  Depth: Jack the Ripper victims project 
Homework: Varity of tasks designed to stretch and challenge all students. 

Year 9

Women’s Rights  

Unit 1
  • What was wrong with women’s rights in 1900? 
  • Suffragettes and Suffragists 
  • Was Emily Davison a martyr? 
  • Women’s role in WW1 
Assessment: Evaluation of the significance of the Suffragettes for women’s rights
Homework: Various homework’s are set to test knowledge and skills.

WW1 

Unit 2
  • Why was Europe ready for war? 
  • What spark ignited WW1? 
  • How did the Germans plan to attack? 
  • How was propaganda used in WW1? 
  • Were Conchies cowards? 
  • Why was WW1 fought in trenches? 
  • What was trench life like? 
  • Censorship 
  • Battle of the Somme 
  • How did the Empire help in WW1? 
  • Was Gallipoli a disaster? 
  • Was the U Boat campaign a disaster? 
  • Medical advances in WW1 
  • Why did the Germans lose the war? 
  • What was the impact of the Treaty of Versailles? 
Assessment: Thematic: Analysis of the Imperial experience in WW1
Homework: Various homework’s are set to test knowledge and skills.

World War 2 and the Post World War 2 World  

Unit 3
  • World War 2 project 
  • Cyprus crisis 1974 
  • Vietnam War 
  • IRA and the Northern Irish Troubles 
Assessment: Depth: Cyprus crisis 1974 analytical project
Homework: Various homework’s are set to test knowledge and skills.

GCSE

Paper 1 Edexcel

Written examination: 1 hour and 15 minutes 

30%* of the qualification 
Students will learn:

  • Warfare and British society 1250- present 
Homework: Independent reading

Paper 2 Edexcel

Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes 

40%* of the qualification 

64 marks (32 for the period study and 32 for the British depth study) 
Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–88

  • Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest, 1060–66
  • William I in power: securing the kingdom, 1066–87
  • Norman England, 1066–88
Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91

  • Key topic 1: The origins of the Cold War, 1941–58
  • Key topic 2: Cold War crises, 1958–70
  • Key topic 3: The end of the Cold War, 1970–91
 Homework: All homework  will consist of past exam questions
 How to help: Discussion of the topics above and sharing of any experiences that relate to this would be hugely beneficial.
Paper 3 Edexcel

Written examination: 1 hour and 20 minutes

30%* of the qualification

52 marks
  • Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39
  • The Weimar Republic 1918–29
  • Hitler’s rise to power, 1919–33
  • Nazi control and dictatorship, 1933–39
  • Life in Nazi Germany, 1933–39

A Level

Paper 1: Breadth study with interpretations   

30% A level  

2 hours and 15 minutes 
Students learn about the following areas

  • Students learn about the following areas  
    • Russia from 1917-1991 Lenin to Yeltsin 
Homework:  Independent reading
Paper 2: Depth study  

20% A Level 

1 hour 30 minutes 
Students learn about the following areas:  

  • Mao’s China 1949-1976 
Homework: Independent reading
Paper 3. Themes in depth with aspects in breadth 

30% of A level 

2 hours and 15 minutes 
Students learn about the following areas:Ireland and the Union 1774-1923 
Homework: Independent reading

Last modified: 2020-10-16