Our history is littered with great achievements and scars – moments of greatness and moments so inhumane that they are barely comprehendible. The History curriculum at Felixstowe School provides a high-quality education which will enable students to gain acoherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past, the role it played globally, and the wider world beyond Europe. We encourage our students to be curious and inquisitive ensuring that they adopt a forensic approach when thinking critically, weighing evidence, sifting arguments, and when developing perspective and judgement. This considered approach will enable students to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies, and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.
Our students develop the skills they need in order to be resilient, independent, confident and successful young historians. We build on knowledge gained at Key Stage 2, such as Britain’s place in the world and history from outside of Europe ensuring that the transition is seamless and that layers of knowledge are added. The knowledge gained at Key Stage 3 serves as the building blocks for History at Key Stage 4. Our students will learn about British, local and world history outlined below:
- The development of Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509
- The development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745
- Ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901
- Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day In addition to studying the Holocaust.
- A local history study.
- The study of an aspect or theme in British history that consolidates and extends pupils’ chronological knowledge from before 1066.
- At least one study of a significant society or issue in world history and its interconnections with other world developments.
Our History curriculum develops literacy skills in each and every lesson through a range of activities, including presentations, guided discussions, key words, reading, and extended writing. Within each subject across the school history plays a part. For example, in English students will be learning about Britain post World War 2, the Civil Rights Movement, and in Media Studies students will explore the impact of colonialism on representations. History, writing about history, and discussing history is interwoven into the entire curriculum.