In History students study the individuals and events that have shaped our world. Students learn to be analytical, inquisitive and articulate; these are skills that will help them to succeed in the wider world.
Our Lower School curriculum covers a range of topics over the last thousand years, from the Black Death to the History of Women’s Rights. We aim to inspire and engage our students, instilling them with an understanding of the world around them and a love of learning.
KS3 History is taught over 3 lessons a fortnight.
Curriculum Overview
Year 7
In their first year at Hayesfield, students will investigate their own family history as part of the Year 7 ‘Who Am I?’ induction project. This is followed by an exploration of the medieval and early modern world. Students are asked to explain why William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings, analyse a medieval source about the Black Death and evaluate the major turning points in the history of Native Americans. The year culminates with a look at the significance of religious change under the Tudors and how propaganda was used to sustain the dynasty.
Year 8
Students study the history of the Witch Craze of the 17th century; put themselves in the shoes of a West African, sold into slavery during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, consider Bristol’s links to the slave trade; and investigate the reasons for the development of the city of Bath in the Georgian Age. Students are asked to assess interpretations of life during the industrial revolution and teach a lesson covering a major factor in the History of Women.
History Resources
AQA Exam Board
GCSE Bitesize History
History Personal Learning Checklists (PLCs)
Lower School History – PLC – Year 7
Lower School History – PLC – Year 8
Assessment in Lower School History
In History we assess a range of important and transferrable skills: historical knowledge and understanding; analysis of historical sources; and analysis of historical interpretations. We aim to achieve this through a range of depth and breadth study topics.
We assess students six times per school year. Teachers will give feedback on one assessment per term and one piece of extended book work or homework, in accordance with the school Teaching and Learning Policy, explaining What Went Well (WWW) and Even Better If (EBI).
Term | Topic | Assessments |
---|---|---|
Year 7 Term 1 | Who am I? | Chronology and historical skills assessment |
Year 7 Term 3 | Black Death | Black death source analysis |
Year 7 Term 4 | Native Americans | Concept graph on turning points |
Year 7 Term 5 | Tudors | Religious rollercoaster |
Year 8 Term 1 | Witch Craze | Account on the importance of the witch craze |
Year 8 Term 2 | Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade | Slave trade source analysis |
Year 8 Term 3 | Georgian Bath | Factors based essay |
Year 8 Term 5 | History of women | Interpretation source question |
Setting in Lower School History
Students are set according to ability for History lessons.
Homework
History homework is set on a weekly basis in the Lower School. Students record homework in their planners and teachers share the work via SIMS Learning Gateway.
Once per term, students are given a piece of ‘flipped-learning’ homework, which requires them to read an extended piece of text about the past and make notes on what they have learned, including adding any key words to their glossary. Students are tested on what they have learned in class through a knowledge quiz. We may ask students to re-take the quiz at home, if they underperform. These are available on the History Department ‘Quizlet’ page here.
Supporting Your Daughter in Lower School History
There are many ways in which you can support your daughter in the study of History.
Horrible Histories is an excellent gateway into more serious topics. There are numerous historical series and films to support our curriculum. In Year 8, for example, our study of the History of Women would be supported by watching the 2016 film Suffragette.
We are incredibly lucky to live in a city steeped in History. Bath is fabulously resourced with museums, the History Department recommend these, amongst others, to support our course:
- The Fashion Museum
- The Roman Baths
- The Holbourne Museum
- The American Museum
- No.1 Royal Crescent
- The Museum of Bath at Work
Further afield, M-Shed Museum and the SS Great Britain in Bristol are excellent examples of the impact of the Industrial Revolution in the age of the Empire. Chepstow is our closest Norman castle and Montacute House is an excellent example of a Tudor manor house.
The topics we cover are intended to stimulate discussion and debate. Ask your daughter what topics she has been studying and what they have taught her.
Revision and Support Materials
BBC KS3 Bitesize – History
Spartacus-Educational
School History
Year 7 Quizlet – Revision Page
Y7: Battle of Hastings – youtube playlist
Y7: Black Death – youtube playlist
Y7: Native Americans – youtube playlist
Y7: Tudors – youtube playlist
Year 8 Quizlet – Revision Page
Y8: Witch Craze – youtube playlist
Y8: Slave Trade – youtube playlist
Y8: Georgian Bath – youtube playlist
Y8: History of Women – youtube playlist