Humanities

The aim of the KS3 Curriculum is to engage students with the study of History, Geography and Religious Education through the exploration of topics and themes that enable them to understand the world around them and make greater sense of current events and issues.

Each subject will be explored throughout the year through connecting themes so that students can appreciate the link between these Humanities subjects.

Students will develop their reading and writing skills and gain confidence in their oracy through discussion and feedback. There will also be an emphasis on independent learning in the way in which students showcase their learning after the study of each topic.

The scheme of work seeks to develop students’ skills and understanding in Humanities subjects in the following ways:

History – understanding substantive concepts such as war, empire and protest as well as second order concepts such as cause and consequence and change and continuity. Students will also develop skills of source analysis and understanding interpretations.

Geography – students will develop a contextual knowledge of the British Isles and other globally significant places such as Russia, and urban environments like Rio de Janeiro. They will understand both the human and physical characteristics of these locations.

Religious Education – students will develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural knowledge in the following ways:

• Gain knowledge of Christianity and other religions and their view on key topics such as peace and conflict, protest and poverty.

• Understand the impact that religions have on societies around the world.

• Use understanding of religious views to discuss and form judgements on key issues such as war, justice, fairness and poverty.

• Humanities is currently taught in Years 7 to 9 and is a KS3 qualification.

• Students have 2 hours of lessons per week.

• There are no formal assessments but there will be an opportunity for students to showcase their learning either through project work, a group activity, quizzes, or a short test after the study of each topic.

By the end of Key Stage 3

Learners who have developed their skills and understanding in Humanities subjects might consider progression to:

• Studying History at GCSE level