History

Overall History Intent: 

• Historians at HGS have an inquisitive mind and an eagerness to embrace complex ideas. 
• HGS historians explore the diverse stories of the past, link events and draw parallels with the present.  
• HGS historians use their analysis of evidence as the foundation for articulating their own interpretation of the past. 

Key strengths of the curriculum

History at HGS broadly follows the national curriculum, with some deviation. 

• From the beginning of Year 7, students are exposed to historical scholarship, encouraged to read appropriately challenging extracts from the writing of historians and interrogate historical evidence including artefacts.  
• Students are exposed to a range of historical skills including analysing historical interpretations and sources which build incrementally across KS3 allowing students to face the challenges of KS4 with success and independence. The curriculum is the progression model.  
• The sequencing of curriculum at all key stages is designed to reinforce chronology and broaden understanding of substantive concepts to create a web of knowledge that students can draw on. 

Golden thread themes include – power, conflict and co-operation, diversity, religion, revolutionary ideas, rights and social themes. 

Key strengths within History 

• Unity of purpose and vision within the teaching staff 
• Teacher subject knowledge  
• Questioning – targeted for access and challenge for all. 
• Careful modelling  
• Production of targeted resources to meet the needs of all students 
• Presence of strategies to promote depth of long-term knowledge retention

Curriculum overviews