History Department

History is taught within the Social Sciences Department suite of classrooms, which are all equipped with a data projector that is linked to a computer and a visualiser. History teaching at Yavneh College aims to provide opportunities to:

  • Stimulate every child’s curiosity and imagination about the choices, beliefs and choices people had in the past
  • Encourage every child to develop a chronological overview of the history of their community, Britain, Europe and the world.
  • Develop every child’s ability to become a critical thinker by providing opportunities for pupils to ask questions about history, evaluating historical evidence, identifying and analysing different interpretations of the past and learning to substantiate arguments and judgements they make about events from the past. 

A variety of teaching methods are used by members of staff within the department to help encourage our pupils to achieve these aims, including whole class discussion, group work and the use of ICT.

Curriculum

Key Stage Three (KS3) Curriculum

Pupils have two History lessons and one homework every two week cycle. The textbook series used at KS3 is Think History, published by Heinemann.

Autumn Term
1066 and the English Throne
Relgiion in Medieval England

Spring Term
Medieval Medicine and Islamic Empires 

Summer Term
The Romans
  • The Bayeux Tapestry
  • Edward the Confessor
  • The Battle of Hastings
  • Medieval villages
  • Expansion of towns
  • Role of religion
  • The Black Death
  • King John
  • The Magna Carta
  • The Peasants’ Revolt
  • Crusades or Invasions
  • Dawn of Islam
  • Empire Unfurls
  • Holy Wars
  • New Empires for old
  • Introduction to Roman Empire
  • Assessment Introduction
  • Assessment Preparation
  • Assessment Preparation
  • Presentation of Assessment

Topics studied in History in Year 8 include:

Autumn Term
The Tudors and England abroad

Spring Term
The Stuarts and Pro

Summer Term
The Big History of Fun and The History of Japan    
  • Britain in 1485
  • Young Henry VIII
  • Henry’s Problems
  • Reformation
  • The slave trade
  •  Samurai Bill
  •  Blackbeard
  •  The Spanish Armada
  • Gunpowder plot
  • The Civil War
  • The Plague
  • Great Fire of London
  • Japanese religion
  • Japanese history
  • Samurai
  • Japanese Culture
  • Pearl Harbour
  • The Atomic Bomb
  • Presentation of Japan Magazine. 

 
  • Introduction to Industrial Revolution
  • Assessment Introduction
  • Assessment Preparation
  • Assessment Preparation
  • Presentation of Assessment

Topics studied in History in Year 9 include:

Autumn Term
World War One and
Europe in the 1930’s

Spring Term
The Holocaust and
and History of Protest

Summer Term
Britain in the 1960’s 
  • Europe in 1900
  • Causes of World War One
  • Life in the trenches
  • Weapons of War
  • Treaty of Versailles
  • The Wall Street Crash
  • The Great Depression
  • Germany 1933
  • The Spanish Civil War
  • Mussolini and Italy
  • History of Anti Semitism
  • Anti Semitism in Nazi Germany
  • Nazi Schools
  • Propaganda
  •  Methods of Protest
  • Communism
  • China
  • Northern Ireland
  • The Civil Rights Movement
  • The Empire Wind rush
  • Britain in 1960
  • Pop Music
  • World Cup Final
  • The Space Race

 

Assessment

AFL (assessment for learning) is used throughout the school and is an integrated part of the learning experience for all pupils studying geography. Assessment of pupil progress is made through:

  • Oral and written starter activities
  • Directed and undirected questions and answers throughout lessons
  • A range of visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning activities in lessons
  • Plenaries which enable pupils to self-assess their achievement of learning objectives
  • Homework activities which test understanding of material covered in lessons
  • Regular level marked assessments which link to National Curriculum Criteria
  • Self assessments which enable pupils to monitor their own progress and achievement
  • Peer assessments which allow pupils to evaluate the strengths and improvements other pupils can make to their work.

National Curriculum levelled assessments are completed by pupils every term - the assessments for each term are as follows:

Year 7

Autumn Term:

Level marked assessment: paired presentation and individual report on ‘Life in Medieval England’

Spring Term

Level marked assessment: magazine article on the role of the gladiator

Summer Term

Written examination on the topics studied in The Norman Conquest, Medieval England, Roman Britain and the Islamic Empires

Year 8

Autumn Term:

Level marked assessment: presentation and written report on ‘Life in 17th Century Britain’     

Spring Term

Level marked assessment: Fact-file on one key individual from the Industrial Revolution

Summer Term

Written examination on the topics studied in Henry VIII, 17th and 18th Century Britain, the Slave Trade and the History of Japan

Year 9

Autumn Term:

Level marked assessment: Independent research and written report on the Impact of World War One

Spring Term

Level marked assessment: Paired presentation and written report on the significance of the Holocaust  

Summer Term

Written examination on the topics studied in World War One, Europe in the 1930’s, The Holocaust, Britain in the 60’s and The History of Protest

GCSE History

GCSE History: Edexcel specification (2HB01)

Course Outline

Pupils have three History lessons and one hour of homework every week. The textbooks used at GCSE are the Crime and Protest Student Book & Germany Student Book published by Pearson. Pupils who wish to study History at A level must have studied History at GCSE.

GCSE History is likely to appeal to pupils who are interested in finding out about the events that happened in the past as well as the causes, consequences and different interpretations of these events. GSCE History is also suited to pupils who enjoy looking at different points of view and enjoy learning about topics which don’t always have a ‘right’ answer. It is useful that pupils who study History at GCSE demonstrate an ability to communicate their ideas in writing as a large component of the course is assessed through essay style response questions.  

Course Content and Assessment

The GCSE History course studied at Yavneh College is the Edexcel GCSE in History B (Schools History Project). This course consists of 4 units which each contribute 25% to the final GCSE grade.

Unit 1: Project Development Study - Crime and Punishment from c1450 to the Present Day

  • This unit is assessed through a 1 hour and 15 minute examination taken at the end of Year 11 and consists of 5 questions worth a total of 50 marks.
  • In this unit pupils will explore changes in criminal activity from c1450 onwards, the changing nature of punishment and law enforcement, the development of the prison system and the police force and the factors which have influenced changing social attitudes to criminal activity and punishment

Unit 2: Project Depth Study - Life in Germany from c1919 to c1945

  • This unit is assessed through a 1 hour and 15 minute examination taken at the end of Year 11 and consists of 5 questions worth a total of 50 marks.
  • In this unit pupils will explore the reasons for the rise of the Nazi party in Germany during the 1920’s,  the reasons why Hitler was able to gain total power in Germany, local and national methods of control used by the Nazi’s, Nazi policies towards women and minorities and the discrimination which occurred leading up and including the ‘final solution’

Unit 3: Project Source Enquiry - Protest, Law and Order in the Twentieth Century

  • This unit is assessed through a 1 hour and 15 minute examination taken at the end of Year 11 which consists of 5 questions on six to eight sources worth a total of 50 marks.
  • In this unit pupils will explore the cause and tactics of economic protests such as The Miners Strike in 1984, political protests such as the Suffragettes and the factors that influenced these protests such as leadership and the role of the media and government.

Unit 4: Representations of History –Government & Protest in the USA between c1945-c1970

  • This unit is assessed through a single internally assessed, externally moderated assessment consisting of one task completed under controlled conditions.
  • In this unit pupils will be have a choice of four topics to base their enquiry on and will be required to conduct their own research into this area and then compare the events from their research with similar events that happened in a later time period. Pupils will also be required to analyse and evaluate the sources that they used for their research.

Sixth Form

AS and A2 History: (specification Edexcel 8H101/9H101)

Students wishing to study A level History must have achieved at least Grade B in GCSE English Language and History. History A Level will appeal to students who have an interest in the world around them, the society in which they live and how it has developed; like learning about people, how they interact and what motivates them; like learning about different countries, societies and cultures; enjoy discussion, debate and argument; like to think for themselves and develop their own views; enjoy research and analysing material to check for bias and propaganda.

AS History

The AS course consists of two units which are both examined through a  1 hour 20 minute written examination taken at the end of Year 12.

Unit 1: Historical Themes in Breadth

  • The examination paper for this unit consists of two essay questions (one on each topic studied) which are worth 30 marks each.
  • Option E: The Challenge and Expansion of Nationalism is studied for this unit which concentrates on the themes of nationalism and conflict in Europe from the 1900’s. With this option, students will study ‘The Road to Unification: Italy, c1815-1870’ and The Middle East, 1945-2001: The State of Israel and Arab Nationalism

Unit 2: British History Depth Studies

  • The examination paper for this unit consists of two source based questions. The first question (a) is worth 20 marks and requires students to focus on reaching a judgement by analysing, cross-referencing and evaluating source material. The second question (b) is worth 40 marks and requires students to address an historical view or claim using two sources in conjunction with their own knowledge.
  • Option E1: British Political History, 1945-90: Consensus and Conflict is studied for this unit and explores the Labour election victory of 1945, The Conservative governments of 1951-64, Labour and Conservative governments, 1964-79 and the Conservative election victory of 1979

A2 History

A2 History also consists of 2 units. Unit 3 contributes 60% to the final A2 grade (30% to the full A level grade) and is examined by a 2 hour written examination. Unit 4 contributes 40% to the final A2 grade (20% to the full A level grade) and is examined by an internally assessed, externally moderated 4000-word essay.

Unit 3: Depth Studies and Associated Historical Controversies

  • The examination paper for this unit consists of two essay questions – the first essay question is worth 30 marks and the second essay question is worth 40 marks.
  • Option D1: From Kaiser to Fuhrer: Germany is studied for this unit and explores The Second Reich — society and government in Germany c1900-19, The democratic experiment, 1919-29, The rise of the Nazis: origins to 1928 and Life in wartime Germany, 1939-45.

Unit 4: Historical Enquiry

    Develops students’ understanding of the process of change over a long period. Students complete a two-part assignment on a topic area of their personal choice drawn from the option ‘The Making of Modern Russia, 1856 – 1994’

Enrichment

Enrichment opportunities in the History department.

The History of Borehamwood Enrichment

This enrichment is open to all, but pupils identified as being gifted in History are encouraged to participate to develop their understanding of the history of Borehamwood. Pupils research the different aspects of the town’s history and then present their ideas to the rest of the group.  Participation in this enrichment will also help to develop pupil’s ability to debate and analyse bias in historical evidence   

History Magazine Enrichment

The History department will be running an enrichment club for pupils. The enrichment will put together a magazine by the end of the academic year which features articles and games related to History.

The Armenian Genocide competition

This is a competition to create a fact file on the Armenian genocide. Pupils will attempt to research and raise awareness of the genocide and submit an A3 fact file to the Social Sciences department who will judge the winning entry.