Curriculum – History

Vision

The Radclyffe School history department vision is that students become well-rounded historians, who can use a wide-ranging, word rich vocabulary, as well as become competent in historical second order concepts (Disciplinary knowledge). Furthermore, students receive a well-rounded curriculum, covering a range of historical time periods. The Radclyffe History Department strive to create independent and thoughtful thinkers who can contextualise significant events in history and relate this to their own experience.

Rationale: All KS3 content is sequenced broadly chronologically within each year group to ensure the development of this vital second order concept. Furthermore, the sequencing has been selected to consider the complexity and sensitivity of each topic. For example, the concepts and knowledge studied within Year 7 has a more fundamental approach, setting the building blocks for the rest of KS3. This is due to Year 7 being more comfortable with studying ideas they are familiar with such as trade, kingship and power. In contrast, the Holocaust and Civil Rights focus more on challenging second order concepts such as interpretations. The material studied in these units is more thought provoking and requires more debate around causes and consequences. All units at KS3 contain an historical enquiry question, students to use a range of historical sources and historical texts to enable them to develop the fundamental skills of being a historian. All units also explicitly teach historical vocabulary. The main theme throughout the sequencing is that the content becomes more complex as students progress through the school and students are able to revisit first order concepts and appreciate the links between historical events/ periods. For example, in Year 8, the Industrial Revolution and slavery are interlinked as the Trans-Atlantic slave trade had a significant impact on Britain’s and development during the Industrial Revolution.

Year 7: The changing nature of Britain: Society, religion and power.

Year 8: Britain and the wider world.

Year 9: Persecution, protest and a developing modern world.

Curriculum

Updated: July 2025

The curriculum is available to view online or download below:

Click here to view the GCSE and Equivalent Qualifications Specifications