We inspire students to find their own identity and discover the identity of the areas around them, from Thornton, to Britain, to the wider world.
We want our students to be inspired to continue to explore their own and other people’s worlds through sources, interpretations and experiences. We encourage students to think critically about the world around them and to question how and why events unfolded as they did. We believe that studying history plays a key part in preparing young people for the wider world and equipping them with the skills they need to succeed academically and in life beyond Beckfoot Thornton.
By studying history, students will improve their ability to develop and extend their knowledge and understanding of specific events, eras and societies in national and world history. They will become independent and critical thinkers, gaining a wide range of transferable skills for future study.
Enrichment
Students in KS4 receive the opportunity to hear from a speaker, who give them an in-depth insight into the history of medicine in Britain and World War 1. This speaker brings in a multitude of artefacts such as soldiers uniforms and medical equipment from WW1 that students can pick up and try on.
Assessment
Internal assessments take place throughout the year to monitor pupil progress and further inform teaching and learning.
KS4 Specification
Careers
History provides a great foundation for a variety of different careers, as it develops a variety of transferable skills. These skills can lead to careers in:
- Law
- Business
- Journalism
- Teaching and tourism
- Archaeology
- Teaching
Curriculum Overview
| Year | Cycle 1 | Cycle 2 | Cycle 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 7 | Battles of 1066: The events of 1066 and the last time Britain was successfully invaded by William of Normandy Crusades: Study of the repeated conflicts over Jerusalem and Holy Lands that occurred due to their religious importance | Peasants revolt: Study the long-term and short-term causes that led to the peasants revolt in England The Tudors: Pupils will look at the different Tudor monarchs and analyse how significant their actions were on British history | English civil war: Looking at the causes of the English Civil War to develop their causation skills – The rule of Oliver Cromwell: The significance of the time when England did not have a monarchy |
| Year 8 | Economic exploitation: Pupils will look at how humans have exploited each other over history, with an in-depth study of the Transatlantic slave trade Suffrage movement: Students will look at the brave campaign that enabled women to get the vote in Britain | Industrial Revolution: Pupils will analyse the impact the Industrial Revolution had on Britain British Empire: Students will look at colonisation and the empire and Britain created an empire that covered 25% of the Earth | World War 1: Students will study the causes of WW1 and the impact of trench warfare on frontline soldiers Rise of Hitler: Events from the end of WW1 to the election of Hitler as leader in Germany, analysing the factors that allowed this to happen |
| Year 9 | World War 2: What caused the war and the effects of the war that led to Nazi controlled Europe The Holocaust: Exploration of the state sponsored genocide of 6 million people in Europe | The Cold War: Students will look at the ideological war between USSR and USA that lasted nearly half a century to prove which was superior between Communism and Capitalism Civil rights campaign: The study of systematic racism in the USA, including the actions of Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks and Malcom X | The Vietnam War: Students will look at the conflict between USA and North Vietnam as one of the most significant events of the Cold War |
| Year 10 | Medicine in Britain: Pupils will study how the ideas about medicine such as the causes, treatments and preventions have changed from 1250-modern day and explain and evaluate what caused these things to happen | Medicine in Britain – World War 1 in-depth study: The significance of WW1 medicine which led to numerous medical advancements throughout the war Anglo-Saxon and Norman England: How William of Normandy successfully invaded England and the changes he brought to England as King to ensure he could keep control | Anglo Saxon and Normand England: the changes William of Normandy brought to England and how he ensured he could keep control Weimar and Nazi Germany: Pupils look at the monumental changes that occurred in Germany between 1918-1939 and how it became one of the most democratic countries in history to the fascist dictatorship of Adolf HItler |
| Year 11 | Weimar and Nazi Germany: Pupils look at the monumental changes that occurred in Germany between 1918-1939 and how it became one of the most democratic countries in history to the fascist dictatorship of Adolf Hitler | American West: The expansion of the United States across America look at how it went form 13 states to taking over the entire country as we know it today, students will look at what caused this to happen and the impact it had on the indigenous people of America | Exam revision and preparation |