History
At Trinity all students will encounter a rich and broad history curriculum demonstrating that while Britain is in the world, it is not the center of the world. Students will study some of the different societies, cultures and beliefs around the world and the similarities and differences between them, challenging commonly-held misconceptions and stereotypes. They will encounter different examples of empire and their legacies and how protest and conflict has been managed within and across these frameworks. Finally, they will chart how and why beliefs, ideologies and the balance of power have changed over time and the consequences of this. The study of history will give students an understanding of how the past has shaped life in our local area, in Great Britain and the wider world. Through the course of study students will develop the knowledge and skills to become informed and compassionate global citizens. Students will grapple with historical concepts including causation, consequence, change and continuity and historical significance. They will explore the process of the historian and use evidence to pose and answer historical enquiry questions. Students will examine a range of historical sources and the work of a diverse range of historians. They will understand how historical claims are made through reading and constructing their own arguments.
By the end of Year 9, all students will have experienced a history curriculum which goes above and beyond the requirements of the national curriculum. Students will be able to comprehend historical evidence and interpretation and will be beginning to use it critically. They will have developed their skills of analysis and evaluation to make judgements about the past and will be proficient at utilising specific historical evidence to validate their claims.
By the end of Year 11, students will have developed their historical skills through one breadth and four depth enquiries. At GCSE level, the students will study a thematic course charting the development of crime and punishment in Britain over the last thousand years. They will have encountered works of historical interpretation regarding the political changes that took place in Germany during the early twentieth century. In addition, students will undertake two further contrasting depth studies of Anglo-Saxon and Norman England and the American West. Students will have refined their skills and be proficient in using evidence critically and debating interpretation with confidence. Our exam board is Edexcel.
At A Level, history students will study the social, economic and political developments of the twentieth century in contrasting topics on Britain and the USA. They will encounter different interpretations on the premiership of Margaret Thatcher and will develop their skills in responding to and creating their own historical interpretations. Students will go on to enhance these skills in a 4000-word independent essay on the debates surrounding the American Civil Rights Movement. For their final topic, the students will explore the reasons for the rise of the British Empire and will conduct a series of case studies into specific areas that were colonised by the British in the 18th and 19th centuries. Our exam board is Edexcel.
Trinity History Department – Inclusion Statement
The History Department at Trinity School Sevenoaks is passionate and driven to delivering an inclusive and chronological curriculum that enables students to learn about the history of the world as well as developing skills. Our scheme of work has been designed in line with the National Curriculum as well as specialities within the department and is centred around all students being able to access the learning (regardless of background, language, ethnicity, prior attainment etc)
In line with the current Ofsted framework, inclusion is understood as the extent to which all pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers, with appropriate support to succeed. At Trinity, this means that all students are taught the full history curriculum, with adaptation rather than dilution, so that high expectations are maintained for all. Our curriculum is designed to be coherently planned and sequenced, enabling pupils to build secure knowledge over time.
The curriculum of the department is based on providing students with knowledge of the past 1000 + years and touches upon the following themes:
- Change and Continuity over time (e.g. changing public opinion, laws and punishment etc)
- Historical Turning Points/Revolutions – events that have greatly shaped both Britain and the wider world (e.g. Industrial Revolution and abolition of the Slave Trade)
- Causation – what has led to change/continuity over time? (e.g. taxation, lack of effective leadership and religion etc)
- Interpretations/Sources and Evidence – examining the past by using a variety of historical opinions, texts etc
Throughout our diverse and extensive curriculum, we provide students with vital understanding of much broader concepts such as democracy, feudalism, capitalism, totalitarianism and imperialism. The understanding of such concepts is crucial for students to understand both the past as well as their current history/present day.
Outside of the classroom environment, the History department encourage students to engage in extracurricular activities to further their learning and understanding as well as build upon their enjoyment of history such as:
- Watching documentaries
- Reading up to date historical articles (e.g. BBC History Magazine)
- Listen to podcasts
Professional relationships between teachers and students within the department are strong and allow for transparent communication and support offered to ensure that the highest standards. Our teachers frequently engage in Teaching and Learning opportunities (both inside of work and outside) to continue to refine their teaching. Examples of such activities include exam board marking and further CPD events.
Inclusion is a fundamental expectation across all teaching and learning in History at Trinity. We are committed to ensuring that students with SEND achieve well and make strong progress from their starting points. SEND data is rigorously analysed to inform responsive planning, targeted support and effective intervention, in line with whole-school approaches. The skills we teach in lesson in turn are the same as those reviewed in assessments throughout the year.
History teachers embed inclusive practice through three key approaches:
- Seating and Environment: Teachers conduct a ‘seating check’ to ensure that students are positioned according to their individual needs with frequent check ins throughout the lesson. These are continuously reviewed to adapt to the needs of the class.
- Accessible Resources: All teaching materials are designed to be accessible and reduce unnecessary cognitive load. This includes the use of clear, readable fonts, well-structured PowerPoints and carefully scaffolded resources. Strategies such as dual coding are embedded to support understanding and long-term retention for all learners.
- Adaptive Implementation: Teaching is carefully structured so that all students can succeed within the same ambitious curriculum. Instructions are broken down into manageable steps, with clear and concise success criteria. Teachers use ongoing assessment to adapt teaching responsively, ensuring that pupils with SEND are supported to learn the intended curriculum alongside their peers.
In History, teachers use a range of inclusive strategies to meet common barriers to learning. Students with dyslexia are supported through clear fonts, reduced visual clutter, explicit teaching of subject-specific vocabulary, dual coding, structured reading tasks and writing frames. Students with ADHD are supported through clear routines, chunked instructions, regular checks for understanding, purposeful questioning and manageable stages of work. Students with autism are supported through predictable lesson structures, clear and literal instructions, visual timelines, advance explanation of changes and careful scaffolding of discussion and extended writing. These approaches are adapted to the individual student and are designed to maintain access to the same ambitious curriculum.
The carefully sequenced and inclusive historical curriculum at Trinity ensures that all students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to make judgements, understand modern day problems and enable curiosity. We strive to ensure that all students succeed in all forms of further education, employment and love of History.
