Our Ethos

Here at Frederick Gough History Department our aim is to fire pupils' curiosity and imagination, moving and inspiring them with the dilemmas, choices and beliefs of people in the past. Our pupils study a range of people, events and situations from local, national and international history. History helps pupils develop their own identities through an understanding of history at personal, local, national and international levels. It helps them to ask and answer questions of the present by engaging with the past.

Pupils find out about the history of their community, Britain, Europe and the world. They develop a chronological overview that enables them to make connections within and across different periods and societies. They investigate Britain's relationships with the wider world, and relate past events to the present day.

As they develop their understanding of the nature of historical study, pupils ask and answer important questions, evaluate evidence, identify and analyse different interpretations of the past, and learn to substantiate any arguments and judgements they make. They appreciate why they are learning what they are learning and can debate its significance.

History prepares pupils for the future, equipping them with knowledge and skills that are prized in adult life, enhancing employability and developing an ability to take part in a democratic society. It encourages mutual understanding of the historic origins of our ethnic and cultural diversity, and helps pupils become confident and questioning individuals.

KS3 History

We have recently introduced an exciting new curriculum in KS3 History which has changed the way in which History is taught. This new curriculum comprises of several key components which, when tied together, constitute an exciting and innovative programme of study.

History is based around a number of key concepts. These being:-

• Chronological Understanding
• Cultural, Ethnic and Religious Diversity
• Change and Continuity
• Cause and Consequence
• Significance
• Interpretation

Pupils need to understand these concepts in order to deepen and broaden their knowledge, skills and understanding

In addition to these concepts, pupils must acquire key processes and skills which are essential to the study of history and the acquisition of which our curriculum is based upon. These are:-

• Historical Enquiry
• Using Evidence
• Communicating About the Past.

We, as a department, decided that the best way to deliver these concepts and processes was to deliver a curriculum which worked through time chronologically but also adopted a thematic approach which can be seen across KS3. These themes are:-

• Movement and Settlement
• Changing Lives and Attitudes
• Power, conflict and co-operation

We approach these themes with a series of enquiries, encouraging pupils to develop the skills necessary to become able historians.

Programme of Study KS3

Year 7

• How did the Roman Empire Rise and Fall?
• Did people Love or Hate Living in the Roman Empire?
• Did Harold Deserve to Lose the English Throne?
• How did the Black Death and the Peasant's Revolt Change People's Lives?
• Could a Medieval King do Whatever he Liked?
• Pupil Enquiry on Castles

Year 8

• Did England become Protestant in the 16th Century?
• Why were English People Fighting Each Other in the 17th Century?
• Why did England have Enemies Abroad in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries?
• What was the Black Person's Experience of the USA?
• Was 1750 to 1900 an era of progress?
• Ashby Census ICT Investigation

Year 9

• Why do wars happen?
• How and why did 20th century warfare change?
• Has the impact of war on civilians changed during the 20th century?
• How did life change for Jews living in Europe 1919-1945?
• What are the ingredients of British society?
• Historical Heroes – Pupil Enquiry

KS4 History We teach AQA History A SHP. The course is made up of 3 core components:-

• A Study in Development : Medicine Through Time 35%
• An Enquiry in Depth: The American West 40%
• Controlled Assessment: The War Memorials of Ashby 25%

Both Medicine Through Time and The American West are examined externally in the summer of Year 11. The Controlled Assessment is completed internally in the summer of Year 10.

Programme of Study

Medicine Through Time is a study of how medicine has developed from Prehistoric times through to the 21st century. It is divided into three interrelated themes: Disease and Infection, Surgery and Anatomy and Public Health. We look at each of these themes across time though the Ancient World, the Dark Ages, Medieval Times, the Renaissance, the Industrial Age and the 20th/21st Century. Through the study of these themes pupils will acquire both knowledge and understanding of many issues. These are:

• The importance of factors such as war, religion and technology in the development of medicine and in encouraging or inhibiting change
• Understand how factors worked together at particular times to bring particular developments
• Understand how key features of the societies studied were linked to the key developments in medicine
• Understand the varying rates of change, why and when change happened and whether change has always brought progress
• Show an understanding of the importance of continuities of ideas and techniques
• Be able to distinguish between different types of cause and consequence ie long/short term causes and intended/unintended consequences.

The American West concentrates on the way in which the American West was settled and developed by various groups of people between 1840 and 1895. It encourages pupils to appreciate the idea of westward movement of the frontier and the conflicts that resulted from the clash of different cultures lifestyle of Indians and white people, and between the different groups of white settlers. As this is an enquiry based unit, it based, like the KS3 SOW, around a series of key questions. These are:-

• Who were the Plains Indians?
• Why did the early settlers move west?
• How was cattle ranching affected by the railways?
• Why were farmers able to settle on the Great Plains?
• Why was law and order a problem on the Great Plains?
• How successfully was the problem of law and order solved?
• How did the arrival of white people affect the Indians' way of life?
• How was the Indian 'problem' solved?

The Controlled Assessment is based upon 'History Around Us' and we have chosen a study of the War Memorials of Ashby, focusing on 3 key sites. The memorials windows at Ashby Wesley Church, the memorial outside St Paul's Church in Ashby and the memorial inside St Paul's Church itself.

Controlled Assessment is designed to encourage students to undertake historical research and conduct their own enquiry. We offer students an overview of World War One and then they will visit the Ashby War Memorials. The emphasis within Controlled Assessment is on the pupils conducting their own personal research and on being independent enquirers and learners. Many of the marks awarded focus upon using key historical skills such as source analysis and evaluation and as such this forms the focus of the enquiry. The exam board set 3 questions each year and these will be completed within lesson time in a controlled environment according to AQA regulations.

Delivery of History.

All classes are taught by subject specialists and setted according to ability either in English (yr7/8) or Humanities (yr 9). In KS4, pupils are setted where the timetable allows or taught in mixed ability classes.

• Year 7/8 – 4 lessons per fortnight
• Year 9 – 3 lessons per fortnight
• Year 10/11 – 5 lessons per fortnight

Extra-Curricular Activities

Within the department we offer enrichment activities for each year group which are both enjoyable and informative, all of which are regularly oversubscribed!

• Year 7 – Conisborough Castle, Doncaster to supplement the Pupil Led Enquiry on Castles.
• Year 8 – Royal Armouries, Leeds to supplement our study of the English Civil War
• Year 9 – The Battlefields of France and Belgium to supplement our study of the First World War
• Year 10 – Thackray Medical Museum, Leeds to supplement the study of Medicine Through Tie
• Year 11 – The Doctors Show, an opportunity to ask questions of the Chief Examiner and watch a play for revision purposes.