History KS3 | Years 7 to 8

Subject Content

Students are taught the following six topics in Year 7:

Migration into Britain from prehistoric times until 1066
The Norman Conquest and its impact on England
Mediaeval monarchy, church and power, 1066–1509
Tudor Church and State, 1509–1603
Church, State and Society, 1603–1745
Local Study: an investigation into the history of Wing which includes field-work

Through their investigation into these topics, students develop their understanding of historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance. They also develop their understanding of the methods of historical enquiry, including how historians use evidence to make historical claims and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.

Students are taught the following topics in Year 8:

The Transatlantic slave trade and the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.
Industrial revolution, agricultural change and impact on towns and cities 1745-1901
Changes in ideas, medicine and crime 1745-1901.
Political changes for men, attitudes to women and changing rights for women c.1830 – c. 1928.
Causes and key events of the First World War and their impact on Britain.
Impact of the First World War and changes in political ideas in Europe 1918–1939.

As part of their studies, students will have the opportunity to go on a three-day trip to the battlefields of the First World War in France and Belgium.

Assessment Details

Students complete a Baseline Test in their second/third week to assess their existing key Historical skills. Students complete three further major assessments throughout the year. In addition, students will be assessed using a range of formative assessments as each unit of work progresses.

To be successful, students will need to be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of historical vocabulary
Explain causes and consequences, with the use of evidence and an explanation
Use a range of sources to find out about the topic being studied
Make inferences from simple sources and back them up with evidence
Show an understanding of chronology and the use of dates
Identify bias within a source and consider the reliability of evidence
Form their own interpretations and support their points of view with evidence
Write in sentences and paragraphs

Additional Equipment Recommended

Glue

What can I do to support my child at home?

Be interested in your child’s learning. Your child should always have their exercise book unless it has been taken in for marking. Ask to see it. Talk about the different events, people and times that they have studied in lessons.
Discuss the news with your child. History has many connections with political issues.
Check your child’s Google Classroom and remind them to complete tasks. It is helpful if you read through their homework to check that they have completed it properly. If they haven’t, or there are a lot of errors with their spelling and grammar, encourage them to edit it before they hand it in. Also encourage them to use key terms from lessons and their Knowledge Organiser to broaden their vocabulary and improve their confidence with literacy.
Encourage your child to read books set in or about the past. Explore local areas of historic interest and visit museums with interactive displays and activities to reinforce that history is an active, developing subject.
Enjoy films together about the periods we study, and sing along to Horrible Histories songs on YouTube. There are so many good avenues into the fascinating world of the past to investigate with your child.