History and Politics
What is History?
History is the study of the past and its relevance to the present enables young people to make sense of the world they live in and explore the role they can play in it. Engaging with the histories of diverse people in the UK and their relationship to the rest of the world is of pivotal importance in the growth and development of an inclusive community.
Why do we teach history at HAWI?
Learning the methods of historical enquiry enables students to navigate the offering of information and approach it with the necessary critical thinking. Through this powerful academic knowledge, history at HAWI enables students to locate themselves and their world within a larger and deeper understanding of time. Students will be able to discern the changes, continuities, similarities and differences in a diverse range of histories and interpretations of the past. This curriculum will provide a path for students to develop historical thinking to understand the past, its resonance in the present and its potential significance for the future.
How do we teach history at HAWI?
The KS3 and KS4 curricula aim to:
- To promote historical and critical thinking amongst students and to foster the understanding of the role of historical evidence to support claims.
- To increase students’ knowledge of a range of historical periods, people, trends and events – both to develop and retain a rich knowledge of the past, and to ensure students possess powerful knowledge that makes them ‘culturally literate’.
- To provide opportunities to study both representative, and diverse histories for each student.
- To strengthen students’ ability to communicate orally and in writing through the development of historical accounts and arguments.
All schemes of learning will be delivered through historical enquiries to ensure that the rich curricular knowledge is supported by continuously evolving historical thinking. Enquiries will include thematic and period studies to promote the development of a sense of chronology and the deep understanding of key periods and events. These challenging enquiry questions are underpinned by key second-order concepts, such as similarity and difference, causation, and change and continuity. These concepts are revisited throughout KS3 and become increasingly challenging as the curriculum progresses into Key Stage Four. Each lesson includes learning challenges that students work towards when answering the enquiry question posed in each unit of work.
How do we make history memorable at HAWI?
Alongside history lessons, the curriculum at HAWI is comprised of many memorable moments which bring the history to life for our students. These include visits to historical monuments such as the Tower of London which supports students understanding of Norman Britain, which they will study at the beginning of KS3. Alongside these excursions, there are optional enrichment opportunities in history in which students engage with diverse histories by analysing historical events beyond the classroom curriculum and they apply their powerful historical knowledge to better understand the world we live in today. We also offer History Film Club whereby students critically analyse films based on historical events and make judgements on the validity and accuracy of these interpretations as historical sources. These opportunities enable students to develop their communication and social skills, whilst also inspiring students and instilling a greater interest for the subject.
Please click here for Year 7 curriculum guide
Please click here for Year 8 curriculum guide
Please click here for Year 9 curriculum guide
Please click here for Year 10 curriculum guide
Please click here for Year 11 curriculum guide
