History
An education which develops inspiring knowledgeable, enquiring and caring global citizens through excellence in education
Inspiring
Our aim as history teachers is to provide opportunities for our students to actively engage with exciting and stimulating topics and issues that are both personally relevant to them and necessary to understand the world as it is today. Above all we want to develop our students’ natural curiosity about the past to ensure they leave Hockerill with a life-long interest in history.
Knowledgeable
Through studying history at Hockerill, our students will become knowledgeable about key events and themes in British, European and world history. Our curriculum covers topics from social, political, and military history to ensure students have a broad and balanced knowledge of the past. We teach a mixture of development studies that track changes over centuries and depth studies that focus on a much shorter period. Revisiting key topics, themes and concepts across key stages ensures students leave Hockerill with a detailed and sophisticated understanding of them.
Enquiring and caring global citizens
From our own study of history, we know that historical understanding develops by means of argument in which competing interpretations are put forward by historians. It is not our job therefore to ‘tell’ our students what happened in the past. Instead, we offer students the chance to explore the topic for themselves and develop their own theories about the past. Our choice of topics allows students to see that history can provide us with many solutions to the problems of the present.
Excellence in education
For us, excellence in education is about much more than the grades students receive in their assessments and external exams. We know that our students excel in different ways. Consequently, our aim is to provide each student with the opportunities and support they need to develop their full and unique potential.
An education which is delivered through a student-centred approach which fosters a positive attitude to lifelong learning
Lifelong Learning
The American biographer Catherine Drinker Bowen once said, ‘History is, in its essence, exciting; to present it as dull is, to my mind stark and unforgivable misrepresentation.’ We couldn’t agree more and work hard to make sure that our lessons are as engaging as possible. As a result, many of our students retain an interest in history long after they have left Hockerill.
Concept-Based Student-led Inquiry
Our concept-based curriculum allows students to develop a powerful understanding of the “big ideas” that go beyond the particular subject matter they are studying in any one unit.
For Years 7-9 the key concepts we explore are change, global interactions, systems and time place and space.
At GCSE we examine the concepts of change, continuity, consequence, similarity, difference, and significance.
In Years 12-13 we focus on six key concepts: change, continuity, causation, consequence, significance and perspectives.
Approaches to Learning
Through approaches to learning (AtL), students develop skills that have relevance across the curriculum that help them “learn how to learn”. Our curriculum is carefully planned to provide coverage of all of the AtL skill categories: communication, social, self-management, research and thinking.
Approaches to Teaching
In the MYP classroom (Years 7-9) the teacher facilitates student learning by creating opportunities for, and supporting, student inquiries; by asking carefully thought-out, open-ended questions; and by encouraging students
to ask questions of each other as well as of the teacher. Our approach encourages students to take responsibility, to the greatest possible extent, for their own learning.
At GCSE (Years 10-11) our approach unfortunately has to be more structured to ensure full coverage of the content-heavy GCSE exam syllabus. All students are issued with a workpack for each topic which contains both core and extension material to ensure a comprehensive coverage of the syllabus.
An important and distinctive feature of history teaching at Hockerill is our bilingual programme in Year 9 in which selected students study History through the medium of French or German. This has a proven track record of improving not only their language skills but their knowledge and understanding of history.
In the Diploma Programme (Years 12-13) a ‘typical’ lesson involves the presentation of material (in a variety of media) by the teacher followed by discussion and debate. Although note-taking is an important life skill, we are much more interested in what students think about what we are studying and what they can do with the knowledge and information they have. Our teaching is designed to encourage critical thinking and to help students learn how to create interesting, sophisticated and effective arguments.
Interdisciplinary Connection
Our concept-based curriculum allows students to make connections between topics studied in History and those studied in other lessons. There are particularly strong links between our Year 9 content and that of the English Faculty.
Literacy
All history teachers work to support the development of literacy skills. Engagement with a broad range of texts and sources encourages the development of a wider vocabulary. All assessment tasks require students to communicate their ideas effectively and in most this includes extended writing. We are particularly interested in the links between language and thinking and work hard to ensure that students have the terminology necessary to express their thoughts about history clearly and precisely.
Numeracy
Students will come across numbers fairly frequently in history as we look at statistical evidence in a range of topics. For example, Year 10 students are asked to plot the election results of the Weimar Republic on a graph to show the changing fortunes of the main parties over time.
Within our curriculum there is a strong emphasis on encouraging students to develop intercultural understanding, open-mindedness, and the attitudes necessary for them to respect and evaluate a range of points of view. Many of our topics serve as a powerful warning of what can happen when such values are not respected.
Topics such as ‘Migration through Time’ in Year 7, ‘Power over time’ and ‘Revolutionary times’ in Year 8 and ‘The world since 1945’ in Year 9 allow us to discuss important issues with our students and fulfil our duty to ‘actively promote’ the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
As Natasha Capers, the coordinator for the Coalition for Economic Justice, has observed, “When children are not seeing themselves represented by curriculum, it sends them a message.” We are working hard as a department to revise our curriculum to ensure that all our students are represented in the curriculum we teach. Units such as ‘Migration through Time’ in Year 7, ‘The British Empire and the Slave Trade’ in Year 8, and ‘The world since 1945’ in Year 9 provide particularly powerful opportunities for teachers and students to discuss the themes of inclusion, equality and diversity.
Assessments in KS3 are built around real-life tasks to show students how history is used by people in the real-world. For example in the Year 7 ‘Civilisations’ unit students work as curators to design a museum exhibition. In the Year 8 ‘Industrial Revolution’ unit students work as TV producers to make a short film about it. In our Year 9 unit on ‘Totalitarian regimes’ students work as authors and produce a short-story set in Nazi Germany.
Our excellent exam results at both GCSE and IB mean that students can continue studying History after Hockerill. We are particularly proud of our students who choose to study History at university.
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Year 7 |
Year 8 |
Year 9 |
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Unit 1 |
Ancient Civilisations |
Power through time |
The First World War |
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Key Concept Time, Place and Space Global Context Personal and cultural expression. Statement of Inquiry Civilisations have developed at different times and locations, bringing about cultural achievements and new ways of living that are still relevant to us today. ATL Focus Communication, Social, Research, Thinking. Content Focus The Sumerians, the Egyptians, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, ancient India, ancient China, and the Mayans. Assessment Students produce a museum exhibition about one civilization and then write a dialogue/interview about the concept of civilisation. |
Key Concept Change Global Context Fairness and development. Statement of Inquiry Changes in the balance of power between rulers, institutions and the people can affect how a country is governed. ATL Focus Communication, Collaboration. Content Focus The changing nature of power in England from c.1100 to c.1700. Key events are Magna Carta, the origins of Parliament, the Reformation, the Civil War, and the Restoration. Assessment Students write a children’s book telling the story of power over time. |
Key Concept Change Global Context Scientific and technical innovation. Statement of Inquiry The First World War, a pivotal conflict in modern history, created huge change across Europe and the world. ATL Focus Communication, Self-management, Research, Thinking. Content Focus The origins, course and impact of the First World War. Assessment Students create a website to explain the significance of the First World War. They also complete a short sourcework task. |
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Unit 2 |
The Norman Conquest |
Revolutions |
Totalitarian regimes |
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Key Concept Change Global Context Orientation in time and place. Statement of Inquiry The Norman Conquest was a turning point in English history, creating long-lasting and significant changes to the country. ATL Focus Communication, Research, Thinking. Content Focus The causes and consequences of the Norman Conquest of England. Assessment Students write an essay in class about the extent to which the Norman Conquest changed England. They also complete a short sourcework task. |
Key Concept Systems Global Context Orientation in time and space. Statement of Inquiry Revolutions that are designed to radically change the system of governance and create a fairer society do not always achieve their aims. ATL Focus Communication, Self-management, Research, Thinking. Content Focus The American Revolution, the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and the Russian Revolution. Assessment Students participate in a debate about the positives and negatives of on revolution from history. |
Key Concept Systems Global Context Orientation in time and space. Statement of Inquiry Political systems based on the ideologies of Communism and Nazism negatively affected the lives of the citizens of Russia and Germany. ATL Focus Communication, Research, Thinking. Content Focus Life in Stalin’s Russia and Hitler’s Germany. Assessment Students produce a piece of historical fiction set in Nazi Germany.
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Unit 3 |
Migration through time |
The British Empire and the Slave Trade |
The Second World War |
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Key Concept Systems Global Context Fairness and development. Statement of Inquiry Britain’s immigration system should take into account the benefits of a multi-cultural national identity and the interdependence between native people and migrants. ATL Focus Communication, Social, Research, Thinking. Content Focus The experience of migrants to Britain over the last 1000 years. Assessment Students produce a group presentation about the experience of one group of migrants to the UK. They also write a report to an MP about a proposed Migration Bill.
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Key Concept Global Interactions Global Context Orientation in time and space. Statement of Inquiry Conflicting perspectives exist on the British Empire and Britain’s involvement on the slave trade. ATL Focus Self-management, Social, Research, Thinking. Content Focus The origins, features, and legacy of the British Empire and Britain’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. Assessment Students produce materials for a campaign against the Slave Trade. They also complete a sourcework task.
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Key Concept Global Interactions Global Context Orientation in time and space. Statement of Inquiry Conflict between nations around the world in the years 1939-45 had terrible consequences for civilians. ATL Focus Communication, Research, Thinking. Content Focus The impact of the Second World War on civilians. Key events are the Blitz, the bombing of Dresden, the use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Holocaust. Assessment Students create a memorial about the Second World War. They also write an essay about whether the use of atomic bombs against Japan was justified. |
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Unit 4 |
The Heroes Project |
The Industrial Revolution |
The world since 1945 |
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Key Concept Global Interactions Global Context Orientation in time and space. Statement of Inquiry Heroes are individuals who benefit their community and the world; our view on their significance reflects our individual perspective. ATL Focus Communication, Self-management, Research, Thinking. Content Focus The lives of significant people from British, European and world history. Assessment Students produce a informative poster about the significance of an individual ‘hero’ from history.
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Key Concept Time, Place and Space Global Context Scientific and technical innovation. Statement of Inquiry Innovation and revolution occurring in a particular time, pace and space can have long-lasting consequences. ATL Focus Communication, Self-management, Research. Content Focus The transformation of life in Britain from c.1750 to c.1900 as a result of the Industrial Revolution. Assessment Students work in groups to produce a short film about an aspect of the Industrial Revolution.
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Key Concept Time, Place and Space Global Context All – depending on allocated topic. Statement of Inquiry The significance of an event in the past reflects its consequences and the perspectives of both people at the time as well as our own. ATL Focus Communication, Social, Self-management, Research, Thinking. Content Focus This unit investigates how the world has changed since 1945. Assessment Students create a museum exhibition about an aspect of post-war history.
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The History Department follows the Edexcel specification.
Year 10
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Medicine in Britain, c1250–present and The British sector of the Western Front, 1914–18: injuries, treatment and the trenches.
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Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39.
Year 11
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Early Elizabethan England, 1558–88.
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The American West, c1835–c1895
Purpose: How does the curriculum support a holistic approach to education that goes beyond academic development?
Our teaching at KS5 includes a strong focus on the development of conceptual understanding and transferable skills alongside the acquisition of detailed substantive knowledge of the past. Furthermore, the topics we study raise important political and moral questions that we feel it is important for our students to consider as they become adult citizens. We are proud to teach a curriculum that explicitly aims to ‘increase students’ understanding of themselves and of contemporary society by encouraging reflection on the past.’ In this way we feel our sixth form course is about much more than learning subject content matter and passing exams.
Environment: How is the curriculum adjusted to ensure all students can succeed?
All KS5 teachers in the History department also teach at GCSE level and so are very familiar with general ability level of students as they begin the course. We plan accordingly to ensure as smooth a transition as possible for our students. We start a course with an explicit focus on the notetaking and essay writing skills that are essential to do well in History. As is shown in the curriculum maps below, we start in Year 12 with topics that most students will be familiar with (the First World War followed by Hitler’s Germany) before moving on to more challenging material in Year 13. Model essays written by teachers are shared regularly with students throughout the course so they can see how to write effectively. We are also lucky to be well-resourced in terms of textbooks and revision guides to support our students, as well as very well-stocked shelves in the College’s library. Furthermore, many of the topics we teach are also well-supported with online material and TV documentaries which we recommend to our students.
Learning: How is feedback written into the curriculum to ensure that all students are set challenging goals?
Students receive detailed written feedback on the essays that we set regularly throughout the course. These include specific targets for students to work on in their next essay. Teachers are available to support students and regularly offer one-to-one sessions outside of lesson times.
Year 12 Curriculum Map
HL & SL
- The First World War
- Hitler’s Germany
- The Move to Global War – Germany and Italy
- The Spanish Civil War
- Internal Assessment
HL only
- Russia 1855-1924
Year 13 Curriculum Map
HL & SL
- The Move to Global War – Japan
- Second World War (Asia)
- Chinese Civil War
- Mao’s China
HL only
- European Diplomacy 1871-1918.
Theory of Knowledge explores questions about knowledge and the process of knowing. The Knowledge Framework outlines four topics to consider for each area of knowledge: scope, methods and tools, perspectives, and ethics. Our course particularly provides opportunities for students to consider the methods and tools used by historians to produce knowledge. This is particularly the case in the Internal Assessment in which students act as historians to investigate their choice of topic. We also spend a lot of time discussing and evaluating the perspectives of historians who have written about the topics we study.
Relevant knowledge questions from the TOK Subject Guide that can be discussed in lessons include:
- Is truth the goal of all historical inquiry?
- Is certainty about the past more difficult to attain than certainty about the present or the future?
- What counts as a fact in history?
- If it is difficult to establish proof in history, does that mean that all versions are equally acceptable?
- Are historians’ accounts necessarily subjective?
- Can the historian be free of bias in the selection and interpretation of material?
- Is it inevitable that historians will be affected by their own cultural context?
- What methods do historians use to gain knowledge?
- On what criteria can a historian evaluate the reliability of their sources?
- How do the methods and conventions of historians themselves change over time?
- Is it unfair to judge people and actions in the past by the standards of today?
- Should terms such as “atrocity” or “hero” be used when writing about history, or should value judgments be avoided?
During the course students have the opportunity to engage in a range of creative activities, including role-play, scripted drama, and the making of videos. We understand the importance of learning outside of the classroom and are pleased to be able to offer an enrichment programme for our students. Activities vary from year to year but can include visits by historians, academic conferences, and trips to theatres and cinemas. In addition we are pleased to offer a Year 13 six-day study visit to Berlin (subject to travel restrictions).