Home / Winton / Curriculum / Curriculum by Subject / History
History / Content / 1018 / d23e79bd-3026-4cac-a81f-4d6a1e2a13b8

History

Subject vision / Content / 1038 / bd6d5b21-8e2d-46f9-80d6-e8ebba69a5b0

Subject vision

The purpose of the history curriculum at Glenmoor and Winton Academies is to help students gain coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We want to inspire students’ curiosities to know more about the past and learn to ask perceptive questions, think critically, and develop perspective and judgement. The history curriculum is intended as a journey. Our curriculum employs a strong chronological framework spanning Medieval to Modern times, presenting a diverse range of events, people and places with the aim of students not only seeing themselves in our curriculum but encountering knowledge, beliefs, and values, that they would not otherwise encounter. Knowledge is organised with students following conceptual themes of “power, identity and connectivity” from Years 7 to 11, allowing students to make connections across units and apply abstract and creative thinking. Moreover, our curriculum provides opportunities for students to engage with the methods of historians as well as enriching their understanding through the incorporation of local studies. Ultimately, our aim is to instil students with a sense of curiosity to explore the past and question the world around them, preparing them for their roles as valuable contributors to society. 

The main conceptual threads students will encounter are listed below. This is not an exhaustive list but represents the main substantive themes that students will explore, providing the basis for conceptual frameworks that students will develop over time. 

  • Succession: Understanding the traditions of power and authority and the impact of succession crises.  
  • Religion: Familiarity with ideas such as martyrdom, pilgrimage and consideration of the  
    impact of religion on society as a whole. 
  • Innovation: Inventions and discoveries from different eras and how they have shaped  
    attitudes. Keys ideas would include the Renaissance, exploration, Enlightenment. 
  • Warfare: Awareness of the complexity in the causation of conflict and the impact of conflict on nations and individuals. 
  • Empire: Familiarity with terms such as colonisation, imperialism, indigenous peoples. This thread should consider empire from a variety of perspectives both of imperial powers and colonised peoples and cultures. 
  • Class System:  Awareness of concepts such as feudalism and attitudes to others within social hierarchies.  
  • Trade: Understanding of economics and links to slavery and industrialisation, examining how financial connections have changed cultures and societies over time.  
  • Migration: Analysing the impact of the movement of peoples on environments, culture, traditions and ideas.  

Each of these concepts interlinks with others and the study of certain concepts will more naturally link with some units more than others. These concepts are intended as guide and to ensure continuity between the year groups. 

Year 7 / App / 1039 / bcea4338-6043-46dd-8321-9344ddc28781
Year 7

Autumn  

Empires East and West c. AD 1000 

This unit explores powerful empires c. AD1000 led by emperors, empresses and caliphs. The exchange of people, knowledge, beliefs and diseases across continents will be studied. 

The Norman Conquest and Control 

Students will examine Anglo-Saxon England before moving on to the succession crisis of 1066 and the methods of control and level of change the Normans brought to England. 

Spring 

Medieval Church and Life    

This unit explores the importance of Christianity on the lives of all people in the Medieval world. The role of the Church in government, conflict and society will be considered. 

Challenges to Medieval Monarchs  

Students will study a variety of monarchs and assess how different events such as the Magna Carta, Black Death and Peasants’ Revolt changed England. 

England’s Relations with Her Neighbours  

Students will learn about England’s turbulent relationship with her neighbours with a focus on Wales, Scotland, Ireland and France. 

Summer  

Mansa Musa and the Empire of Mali   

Students will study the life of Mansa Musa and his legacy on West Africa.   

The Renaissance  

The final unit of Year 7 explores the importance of the Renaissance on the world. This is considered through medical advancements, inventions and exploration. 

Year 8

Autumn  

The Reformation  

Students will study the European Reformation and the objections to the Catholic Church. Differences in  
Catholicism and Protestantism will be explored as well as why Henry VIII broke from Rome. 

Religion and Tudor England  

Students will study the fluctuations in religion during this era and the impacts on the ordinary people and the monarchy. Unit finished with the case study of the Gunpowder plot. 

Spring  

The English Civil War  

Students examine the reasons for the English Civil War, the execution of Charles I and the  
subsequent restoration of Charles II. 

The Transatlantic Slave Trade  

Students will learn about how and why the trade started. Students will then compare the different interpretations for why abolition occurred. 

Summer  

The Industrial Revolution  

Students will learn about the origins of the revolution and think how British society changed as a result.  

The British Empire  

Students will learn about the establishment and the legacy of the British Empire. Students will also consider the experiences of indigenous people within the empire.   

Year 9

Autumn 

The First World War 

Study of the European powers and how imperialism, nationalism, alliances and militarism led to the outbreak of war in 1914. Students will then examine key events of WW1 with a focus on the ‘forgotten armies’. 

Female Suffrage  

Students will study attitudes to women in the early twentieth century and the different factors that led to women gaining suffrage in Britain.   

Spring  

The Second World War  

Students will study Germany post WW1 and how Nazi policies helped cause WW2. The unit then explores the significance of the main events of WW2 and the origins of the Cold War. 

The Holocaust  

Students will engage with the historical context of the Holocaust before studying the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany and the legacy of the Holocaust. 

Summer  

Civil Rights in the US and Britain   

Students study the experiences of Black Americans after the abolition of slavery and the fight for civil rights. Students then look at the experiences of civil rights for Black British communities.  

1250-1500: Medicine in Medieval England  

Students study the factors that led to change and continuity in medical understanding in the Medieval period.   

Year 10

Autumn 

1500-1700: The Medical Renaissance in England  

Students study the factors that led to change and continuity in medical understanding in the Renaissance period.  

1700-1900: Medicine in 18th and 19th century Britain.  

Students study the factors that led to change and continuity in medical understanding in the Enlightenment period.  

c.1900 - present: Medicine in Modern Britain  

Students study the factors that led to change and continuity in medical understanding in the Modern period.  

The British sector on the Western Front, 1914-18: injuries, treatment and trenches  

Students study the skills needed to assess sources in their historical context. 

Spring 

The Weimar Republic 1918-29  

Students will learn about the origins of the Weimar Republic and its early challenges. Students will then study the Weimar recovery and its impact on German society.  

Hitler’s Rise to Power, 1919-33  

Students will learn about the origins of the Nazi party and the events that led to Hitler’s chancellorship.   

Nazi Control and Dictatorship, 1933-39  

Students will learn about how the Nazis controlled Germany through the police state and by influencing attitudes. 

Summer 

Life in Nazi Germany, 1933-39  

Students will study the experiences of women, young people and minorities in Nazi Germany.  

The Origins of the Cold War, 1941-58  

Students will learn about the new world order after the Second World War and why tensions increased between the USA and Soviet Union.  

Cold War Crises, 1958-70  

Students will study how events in Berlin, Cuba and Czechoslovakia had an impact on superpower relations.  

Year 11

Autumn 

The end of the Cold War, 1970-91  

Students will learn about the impact of Détente on the Cold War and explore the events that led to the end of the Cold War.  

Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest, 1060-66  

Students will learn about Anglo Saxon society and the events that led to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. 

Spring 

William I in power: securing the kingdom, 1066-87  

Students will study the methods that William I used to control England and the resistance that he faced.  

Norman England, 1066-88  

Students will learn about Norman society and consider the changes the Normans brought to England. 

Summer 

Revision   

Extracurricular (clubs and trips) 

KS4 
We endeavor to offer a residential trip in Year 10 linked to our GSCE curriculum. Previous trips have included:  
The First World War Battlefields of France and Belgium  
Munich 

KS3 
Year 7 day trip to Corfe Castle  

Careers

What you can do with a degree in... history : Unifrog Blog  

Museum Curator  
Solicitor 
Heritage Manager 
Lecturer 
Political Analyst  

Learning beyond the curriculum

KS4 Revision Guides   

There are a variety of revision guides available. Please ensure they are Pearson Edexcel specific and are on the topics below:  

Medicine Through Time  

Superpower Relations and the Cold War  

Anglo-Saxon & Norman England  

Weimar and Nazi Germany 

Academic Reading  

General overview of many KS3 topics:  

A History of Britain, Simon Schama  

Higher level reading for KS4:  

Blood and Guts: A Short History of Medicine, Roy Porter  

The Coming of the Third Reich, R.J. Evans  

The Norman Conquest, Marc Morris  

Online Links 

Seneca  

BBC bitesize  

YouTube –BBC Teach 

Winton

Curriculum

United Learning Hub

United Learning comprises: United Learning Ltd (Registered in England No: 00018582. Charity No. 313999) UCST (Registered in England No: 2780748. Charity No. 1016538) and ULT (Registered in England No. 4439859. An Exempt Charity). Companies limited by guarantee.
Registered address: United Learning, Worldwide House, Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SB.

Financial Accountability and Freedom of Information
Website Terms, Cookies and Privacy
Policies

United Learning