Key Stage 3 History

Everybody enjoys History. At the cinema, blockbuster films are set in History. Millions tune in to historical TV dramas. There are hundreds of popular authors who write historical novels. Even on holiday, we abandon sea and shopping to see Castles and Cathedrals.

History is vital because we can only understand who we are – as individuals or as a nation – if we understand where we have come from. We live as finite specks in an infinite universe; we fill in our futures with hopes and the past with our study of History. A life that knows only the ‘here and now’ is mundane and trivial.

History is the difference between a trained hand and an educated mind. It deals with those matters that turn us from people who watch events, into people who understand and can influence events. Most of what we term ‘culture’ is either from the past (e.g. Shakespeare) or a development of it (e.g. Rock and Roll). History contains examples of almost everything that is interesting or important to us – Science, Engineering, Medicine, Economics, Art – and if you would understand them, you must understand History.

All those issues that define our role as citizens – politics, religion, morality, philanthropy, the environment, even the education system – can only be properly understood in their historical context.

At its basest, History also contains every scandal, crime and gruesome act of horror and violence imaginable, and is fascinating on that account alone.

Key Stage 3 pupils at St Sampson’s, marvel at the Romans and the Middle Ages (Year 7), thrill at the Tudors and Stuarts and Native People of North America (Year 8), then romp through the Industrial Revolution and finally address the key events of the 20th Century (in Year 9).

Did you know? Famous history graduates include: HRH Prince Charles Gordon Brown, Prime Minister Chris Martin, of the band Coldplay Ed Norton, actor (Fight Club) Martin Tyler, Sky Sports football commentator Lord Sainsbury, of the supermarket chain Michael Palin The Chemical Brothers Baron Sacha Cohen, better known as Ali G & Borat Tony Blair, the former Prime Minister, is on record as saying: ‘I wish I had studied History at University.’ 34% of History Graduates went into: Administration, Management, Marketing or Finance (finance was the most popular)

HISTORY AND A CAREER

The study of people is at the heart of History – their feelings, attitudes and motivation. This understanding is very useful in the ‘people professions’, from receptionists and beauticians, to teachers, the Health Service or Social Work

History teaches interviewing and enquiry skills, which fit an historian for jobs which find out information – TV researcher, investigative reporter, market research, police etc.

Historians know how to read documents, ignore irrelevancies, separate propaganda from the truth, and circumstantial from hard evidence. This is essential for people such as lawyers, or politicians.

History requires extended, logical, reasoned debate in writing. It is essential for any job that requires writing reports, the Civil Service, Law, Journalism etc.

Historical knowledge is essential for certain jobs, such as Artist, Architect, Designer, Librarian, Archaeologist, Archivist, Tour Guide etc.

Historical skills such as cause and consequence, change and continuity etc., are essential in any job which requires analysis and strategy – which includes jobs such as the Army, Teaching, Advertising, Medicine, Banking and Accountancy.

A pupil who has studied the Industrial Revolution will go into Industry aware of its structures and parameters – for instance, accounts, markets, wages and working conditions, health, safety and trade unions.

The study of History teaches information handling, communicating ideas, flexibility and tolerance – skills now regarded as essential in Industry. Historians solve problems and evaluate solutions,.often by doing problem-solving group-work; skills essential in management in Industry and the Public Services, and in research and development teams in Science and Engineering.

St Sampson’s Humanities Faculty
History Department:
Programme of Study

KS3
Year 7
What is History?:

• Chronology
• Evidence type
• Using Evidence
• Bias
• Baseline Assessment

The Romans:

• Creation of Rome
• The Roman Army
• Trade in the Empire
• Collapse of Rome
• The Roman Legacy

Britain 1066-1500:

• Norman Conquest
• Life in the Middle Ages
• The King and his people
• The role of the Church
• Castles

Year 8
Britain 1500-1750:

• Tudors and Religion
• How successfully did Elizabeth I deal with her problems?
• The English Civil War
• Did the Civil War turn England upside down?
• The Glorious Revolution

The Native North Americans:

• Human arrival in America
• Life on the Plains
• Impact of USA on Plains Natives
• Roanoke (optional)

Year 9
Britain 1750-1900:

• The Agricultural Revolution
• The Industrial Revolution
• Life for the Workers
• Empire and Slavery

The World After 1900:

• Causes of The Great War
• Experience of WWI
• Legacy of WWI
• Democracies and Dictatorships
• Life in Nazi Germany
• The Era of WWII
• Legacy of WWII

KS4 – AQA SHP GCSE 3041
Year 10
The American West 1840-1895:

• The Great Plains and Plains Natives
• Early Settlers
• Cattlemen and Cowboys
• Farming on the Plains
• Law and Order
• Struggle for the Plains

Coursework – ‘History Around Us’:
How typical is Castle Cornet as a medieval castle?

Coursework – ‘Modern World Study’:
The Arab Israeli Conflict

Year 11
Medicine and Public Health Through Time:

• Medicine in the Ancient World
• Medieval and Renaissance medicine
• Medicine in the Industrial World – Disease and Surgery
• Public Health in pre-Industrial Britain
• Public Health in Industrial Britain
• Public Health since 1900

History Websites
www.schoolhistory.co.uk
www.schoolshistory.org.uk
www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk
www.wikipedia.com
www.historylearningsite.co.uk/
www.bbc.co.uk/history

Key Dates
GCSE coursework must be submitted by end of Year 10

St Sampson's Parents Guide to GCSE History:
AQA Schools History Project (3041)

Download or view the Parents Guide here

Homework
All pupils will be given regular homework, though sometimes this will relate to work started in class.
To help your son or daughter , you could insist that they do some reading every day.

Exercise Books
At Key Stage 3, exercise books are marked regularly for accuracy, understanding, neatness, grammar and spelling. The pupils will also be measured by means of regular Assessments in line with the National Curriculum.
Please check your son or daughter's exercise book regularly.

Attendance
All in all, your child will have only about 20 hours of History in each school term. If pupils lose further lessons through absence, it becomes difficult to make real progress. We encourage an attitude of determination to attend and achieve potential here at St Sampson’s.