History has a fundamental role to play in providing a forum for young people, giving them a vivid appreciation of culture, the past and identity. The study of History prepares them for their civic duties and responsibilities, encouraging them to appreciate our liberties and how we obtained them. It can assist them on their career paths too, giving them the power of advocacy, oratory and the value of objective research. We firmly believe that History at King’s develops valuable learning skills, sparks dreams, and fosters an innate curiosity in our students.
’We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future’
Franklyn D Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States of America
KS3
History at The King’s (The Cathedral) School follows the National Curriculum
Year 7
1066-1450
History – What’s it all about? Skills unit; How did Medieval Monarchs keep control? How did the Medieval church affect people’s lives? What was England’s relationship with her neighbours? How hard was life for medieval people in town and country?
Year 8
1450-1750
Why did England become a Protestant country in the 16th Century? Elizabethan England – A Golden Age? Why did England Experience a Civil War between 1642 and 1649? Reputations: Oliver Cromwell - Hero or Villain? The Making of the United Kingdom. Union and the rise of Parliament . The fight for Civil Rights in the USA.
Year 9
1750-1945
How did Britain become an industrial nation? How Democratic was Britain by 1900? The Era of World Wars. How and why did the Holocaust happen?
KS4
OCR GCSE History A - J410 (FB) Explaining the Modern World
Year 10
British Thematic Study (Unit 2): Power and Monarchy 1000-2014 (25% of total GCSE)
British depth study and a study of the historic environment (Unit 3): The English Reformation and Castles (25% of total GCSE)
Year 11
Period study and non-British depth study (Unit 1): International Relations 1919-2014 and The USA 1919-48 - People And State (50% of total GCSE)
KS5
A Level OCR History A - H505
Year 12
British Period Study and Enquiry Unit 1 (Y102): Anglo Saxon England and The Norman Conquest 1035-1107 (25% of total A-Level)
Non-British Study Unit 2 (Y221): Democracy and Dictatorships in Germany 1919-63 (15% of total A-Level)
Year 13
Thematic Study and Historical Interpretations Unit 3: (Y319): Civil Rights in the USA 1865-1992 (40% of total A-Level)
Topic Based Essay Unit 4 (Y100): Independent Coursework (20% of total A-Level)
Links to the Wider Community
- Visits to the Black Country Living Museum with Year 8 as part of Activities Week
- Visit to the Houses of Parliament and Castle Case Study with Year 10
- A-level History lectures / conferences / trips
- Year 12 Visit to Berlin
Department Staff
Mr Gordon Gunn (GEG): Head of History Department
Mrs Caroline Randeria (CNR): Teacher of History
Mr Jonathan Lister (JEL): Teacher of History
