History
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Year 7
During Year 7 students will be studying the Medieval Period in History. This begins with the invasion of the Normans in 1066 and ends with the start of the Tudor dynasty in 1485. Students will be given the opportunity to explore: the Battle of Hastings of 1066, the development of castles, an understanding of the importance of religion, with a focus on crusades and monasteries and a study of the Black Death. Students will also look at some aspects of Welsh History, including interpretations of Owain Glyndwr, the History of Llywelyn the Great, and how Aberystwyth has changed over time.
Period Covered |
Module |
Key Task / Tests |
Autumn Term |
Why did William win the Battle of Hastings in 1066?
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Key Task 1: Who should be King? Key Task 2: How did Harold die? |
How did the Normans control Wales and England? |
Key Task 3: What was the importance of William the Conqueror? Key Task 4: The Norman Conquest (test)
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How was Wales governed by the Welsh Princes? |
Key Task 5: Was Owain Glyndwr a terrorist or freedom fighter?
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Spring Term |
What was it like to live and work in the Middle Ages?
|
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How religious were people at the time of Gerald of Wales? |
Key Task 6: Life of a Monk Key Task 7: Monks and Crusades (test) |
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Was King John really a bad king?
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Key Task 8: Was King John really a bad King?
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Summer Term |
How dramatic was the impact of the Black Death? |
Key Task 9: How dramatic was the impact of the Black Death?
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What changes took place between 1066 and 1485?
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Key Task 10: What changes took place between 1066 and 1485? Key Task 11: End of Year 7 test
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Year 8
During Year 8 you will be studying Tudor times, the Stuarts and the Civil War and the Industrial Revolution. This time in History begins with Henry VIII and ends with Queen Victoria. You will be given the opportunity to explore: the reign of Henry VIII, how ordinary people lived during Tudor times, the Spanish Armada, the Civil War, the causes and the impact of the Industrial Revolution.
Period Covered |
Module |
Key Task / Tests |
Autumn Term – Tudors |
Who were the Tudors?
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Key Task1: Why did the Mary Rose sink? Key Task 2: The Great Tudor Challenge |
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Why was religion important in Tudor times? |
Key Task 3: Did Mary deserve her nickname ‘Bloody Mary’?
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Was the late 16th Century a ‘Golden Age’ for all Elizabethans? |
Key Task 4: The Tudors (test)
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Spring Term – Stuarts |
Why was the Civil War so important? |
Key Task 5: Civil War Battlefield guide
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Oliver Cromwell: hero or villain? |
Key Task 6: Oliver Cromwell: hero or villain?
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Summer Term – The Industrial Revolution |
What was the Industrial Revolution?
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Key Task 7: Who was the greatest inventor? |
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Did the Industrial Revolution change Britain for the better? |
Key Task 8: The Times 1901 (Did the lives of people improve during the 19th century?)
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How did Britain win the Napoleonic Wars?
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Key Task 9: End of Year 8 test
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Year 9
During Year 9 you will be studying some of the key events in Twentieth Century World History. This time in History we start with the causes of the First World War and end with the story of Martin Luther King and the American Civil Rights movement. You will explore: the First World War, life in Hitler’s Germany, the impact of the Second World War and the importance of Civil Rights. Your final project will be to pick a theme from history and to explore its development over the past 1000 years.
Period Covered |
Module |
Key Task / Tests |
Autumn term |
Why did the Great War begin in 1914? |
Key Task 1: Why did the Great War begin Key Task 2: Causes of the First World War (test)
|
Create your own Great War diary |
Key Task 3: Great War diary (independent enquiry task) |
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Spring Term |
Was the Treaty of Versailles fair? |
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How different was life in a dictatorship? |
Key Task 4: Life in Nazi Germany newspaper
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What was the Impact of the Second World War? |
Key Task 5: Dunkirk: triumph or defeat? Key Task 6: End of KS3 Assessment
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Summer Term |
What has been the impact of Civil Rights in the 20th Century?
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Key Task 7: Emily Davison Mystery Key Task 8: Martin Luther King obituary |
Independent historical investigate: Change over 1000 years |
Key Task 9: Change over 1000 years (independent enquiry) |
Note: Teachers will pick either Key Task 3 or Key Task 4.
Year 10
Year 10 students are the first to begin the new WJEC History GCSE course. The full programme of study is outlined below.
WJEC GCSE History (New) |
% of GCSE |
Exam |
Teaching times |
Unit 1 Depression War and Recovery 1930-1951 |
25% |
1hr |
Y10 |
|
|
|
|
Unit 2 USA 1910-1929 |
25% |
1hr |
Y10 |
Unit 3 Development of Warfare c.1250 to the present |
30% |
1hr 15 |
Y11 |
Unit 4 Controlled Assessment |
20% |
CA |
Y11 |
We have started the course with Unit 2 and will be moving onto Unit 1 in February of Year 10. Students will have regular opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the historical context. Students will be provided with revision guides later in the course and should take every opportunity to attempt past paper practice. When working with past papers students should be encouraged to focus their answers directly on the question set and must provide relevant factual support in their answers if they want to achieve the higher marks. In addition to what the school provides there is much excellent support on the WJEC GCSE History site.
If you need any further support please contact Miss T.A Leighton at the School.
Year 11
Year 11 students will be the first to complete the new WJEC History GCSE course. The full programme of study is outlined below.
WJEC GCSE History (New) |
% of GCSE |
Exam |
Teaching times |
Unit 1 Depression War and Recovery 1930-1951 |
25% |
1hr |
Y10 |
Unit 2 USA 1910-1929 |
25% |
1hr |
Y10 |
Unit 3 Development of Warfare c.1250 to the present |
30% |
1hr 15 |
Y11 |
Unit 4 Controlled Assessment |
20% |
CA |
Y11 |
WJEC GCSE History Changes 2021 resulting from the Covid 19 lockdown
Students will now sit two examinations in the summer of 2021: Unit 1 and Unit 2; students will also complete Unit 4 (Controlled Assessment) in the classroom. All three units will be equally weighted. I can therefore confirm that Unit 3 will not be examined in 2021.
We completed Unit 2 at the start of Y10 and will complete Unit 1 by the end of Year 10. We will then be starting the Unit 4 Controlled Assessment Tasks on Civil Rights in the 1950s- 1960s, with a special focus on the remarkable role played by Martin Luther King in the struggle. It is vital that all students complete both Controlled Assessment Tasks as they represent 20% of the final qualification. Students will start the final unit later in the Autumn term and will have regular opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the historical context. Students will be provided with revision guides later in the course and should take every opportunity to attempt past paper practice. When working with past papers students should be encouraged to focus their answers directly on the question set and must provide relevant factual support in their answers if they want to achieve the higher marks. In addition to what the school provides there is much excellent support on the WJEC GCSE History site.
If you need any further support please contact Miss T.A. Leighton at the School.