History

Choose a Subject:

What is the Intent of the History Curriculum?

We want History to ignite our students’ curiosity to ask questions about the development of the world, everyday life situations and to provide an understanding of the past, cultures, and the identity of people through time as well as the wider world. The curriculum at the Marsh Academy invites students to understand and question ideas and problems by examining how the past has shaped (and continues to shape) global, national and local relationships between society, cultures, and people. We want our curriculum to enable students to focus on the what, how and why of events; to build informed opinions and understand that the past is constructed in different ways and that this creates different versions of events. Our curriculum will allow students to develop an understanding of key social and cultural issues of the past and how these shape the future and the fight to create a more equal and cohesive society. Ultimately, we want history to provide students with a passion for the past and the acquisition of knowledge that creates the modern-day citizen who can further develop our future.

Rationale:

Through studying history in a chronological manner, students will gain a clear understanding of how different events feed into each other and learn how causes and consequences link together to shape the modern world we live in. This also helps them learn how and why things may stay the same, or change.
Thematic units allow students to develop an understanding of significance and patterns across both time and place. The thematic study of history equips students to recognise similarities and differences which underpin the way in which individuals and societies operate.
Through studying interpretations, students will understand that history is essentially a constructed concept, that is contested by historians and there are different versions of the past. This allows students to analyse contrasting views, thus, enabling them to apply their knowledge and conclude which interpretations of history they think are the most convincing and how useful sources of information are for learning about the past.
By studying the different forms of evidence in history, students can examine the accuracy and reliability of information they are analysing, which equips them to navigate the wealth of information they will come across in life.
A way in which we approach controversial events and themes, such as slavery and the Holocaust, is through examining personal stories, which helps develop empathy and an understanding of these difficult issues in context.
Our focus on literacy and extended writing equips students with the fundamental skills required to articulate a response to a question or argument they are presented with.
We encourage the study of history through a modern lens, to understand the impact historical events have had on people from all communities, including those from minority groups. We champion the contributions of those from minority communities to help students to understand how our contemporary experience has been shaped by people from all backgrounds. This will allow students to understand key social and cultural issues of the past and how this shapes the future and the fight to create a more equal and cohesive society. It builds into embedding fundamental British values, such as tolerance and the rule of law.

‘Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it.’ Edmund Burke

Overviews