The primary aim of the History Department is to imbue pupils with a life long love of History. The Department makes use of a variety of learning opportunities; visual, oral and kinaesthetic, to enable pupils to access and enjoy the curriculum. Whilst History, be it economic, social or political, is intrinsically interesting to many, our focus is not on pupils gaining copious amounts of knowledge, but on them using knowledge of the past as a platform to develop deep thinking skills. Historical investigations require pupils to ask questions, interpret evidence and assess the validity of a variety of source material. Pupils have to consider the causes and significance of historical events and as such think carefully about the consequences of contemporary decisions and actions. In this way History is closely connected to the teaching of PSHCE. History is also a forum to develop sophisticated communication skills. In essays, discussions and debates students have to organise evidence, form and support judgements and counter alternative points of view.
Junior school and Year 5 pupils are taught History by their class teachers. Pupils in the junior school study a range of topics including famous people, the Ancient Egyptians, and the Romans. The aim of these topics is to introduce pupils to key historical skills and to develop their confidence in using these skills. In Year 5 pupils build upon the work they conducted in the junior school by conducting an in-depth investigation in to the history of Kenya. Pupils study the process of colonialism and its eventual demise. Year 6-8 pupils are taught by the Head of History and are prepared for ISEB Common Entrance examinations which they sit at end of Year 8. The Department follows the Medieval syllabus (1066-1500) and pupils have the opportunity to study events including the Battle of Hastings, the murder of Thomas Becket, the Crusades, the Black Death, the Peasant’s Revolt and the Hundred Years War.
