Intent

We believe that our History curriculum gives all learners the opportunity to develop a curious mindset; explore their own opinions based on evidence and critical thinking, and gain a deeper understanding of the world they live in by engaging with - and questioning - the past.  We expect all learners to be able to study a range of key themes and periods whilst developing their sense of historical enquiry and their ability to think - and work - as historians.  This includes utilising both their creative and critical thinking to be able to fully immerse themselves in some of the key questions of historical debate.  From the beginning of Key Stage 3 to the end of Key Stage 5, learners will engage with different cultures through a variety of media and teaching methods.  This includes an explicit focus on British values and history and their changing role over time.  We endeavour to create a careful balance of extended writing to accompany a wide range of other initiatives to ensure that pupils are set up to achieve in the subject, regardless of the key stage.  Our intention is that learning is embedded and sequential so that learners are able to consolidate existing knowledge and assimilate it with new knowledge over time.  As a result, we believe that the study of History at The Cottesloe School should be a truly engaging and interesting experience which gives all pupils the opportunity to grow as historians, academics and individuals.

Ethos

We aim to make the lessons interesting and interactive using a variety of approaches to suit the learners in each class. This can include role play, re-enactment, living history and primary sources. 

There is more to history than dates and facts and we try to explore the past through the story of the people that lived in the past.

Careers in History

Our curriculum helps students understand the world we live in and History teachers link skills and topics to real world applications. History is a well respected, useful and often necessary subject for a wide range of careers. For example:

• Media and journalism
• Charity work
• Law
• The police and armed forces
• Teaching
• Museums and galleries
• Historic houses, heritage sites and organisations
• Archives, record offices, libraries and universities
• Archaeology and conservation
• Architecture
• National and local government, civil service and diplomatic service