KS3 & KS4 History

Aims and purpose

What are the aims and purpose of our curriculum?

This curriculum inspires curiosity about the past and develops pupils’ understanding of history as a discipline. We provide a comprehensive narrative of British history situated within wider world developments. Our curriculum helps pupils understand historical concepts, methods of enquiry, and how different aspects of the past have been interpreted. We equip students to ask historical questions and make connections across different time periods.

Oak curriculum principles

What overarching curriculum principles inform the design of our curriculum?

Knowledge and vocabulary rich

This principle recognises the important role that knowledge, and vocabulary as a particularly important type of knowledge, plays in learning. In this curriculum, substantive and disciplinary knowledge are taught hand in hand. Pupils are introduced to concepts such as ‘king’, ‘empire’, ‘archaeologist’ and ‘artefact’ early in key stage 1, and then develop their understanding of these complex concepts in multiple contexts, throughout the rest of the curriculum. We map vocabulary across the curriculum, both in terms of the introduction of new vocabulary and the necessary repetition of vocabulary. The most powerful new vocabulary, called keywords, are signalled in bold in our lesson materials to indicate their importance.

Sequenced and coherent

A careful and purposeful sequencing of our curriculum content underpins the design of our curriculum, ensuring that pupils are able to build on and make links with existing knowledge. At its simplest, this means, for example, that pupils might first learn about the Mughal Empire in India before being introduced to the growing influence of the East India Company. Attention is paid to vertical coherence via threads, which map the developments of concepts over time, for example, in our ‘Empire, persecution and resistance’ thread pupils are first introduced to the concept of ‘empire’ in key stage 1 through various traditional stories that reference one country ruling over another. In key stage 2, this concept is broadened through exposure to other examples of empires, such as the Roman Empire. The same concept is then built upon in key stage 3 at multiple points, from the medieval Angevin Empire to the late twentieth-century British Empire. This means that pupils’ understanding of this concept is richly textured by the time that they encounter it again in key stage 4.

Evidence-informed

Our evidence-informed approach enables the rigorous application of research outcomes, the science of learning and impactful best practice both in education in general and at a subject-specific level. For example, the design of our resources reflects findings from Sweller’s cognitive load theory and Mayer’s principles of multimedia learning whilst our lesson design draws on Rosenshine’s principles of instruction. We also draw on findings from research organisations such as the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). At the subject level, ‘enquiry questions’ are used as a catalyst for pupils to develop historical knowledge over time. This approach is grounded in the expertise of the history subject community including research by teachers such as Gorman, Riley, Burnham and Brown. The curriculum is structured in such a way as to reinforce the interplay between substantive and disciplinary knowledge, supported by the work of Wineburg and Fournier and structures substantive knowledge in a way that anticipates how it will be built on later, as discussed by Counsell. Furthermore, the diversity of our curriculum is guided by the work of Priggs and the Historical Association whereby a large number of women are met in the curriculum; the stories of minority groups show their own agency; rather than focusing on their oppression, and the pasts of pupils across the country are represented.

Flexible

Our flexible approach enables schools to use our resources in a way that fits their context and meets the varying needs of teachers and their pupils. Our curriculum can be used in its entirety or units can be selected to complement existing curricula. Our curriculum often provides different options so that schools and teachers can decide what knowledge is best for their pupils, for example when teaching about the earliest civilisations in year 3 teachers can choose between the Indus and the Shang Dynasty - or teach about both. Our resources are adaptable so that, for example, teachers can edit or add checks for understanding or adapt practice tasks to better reflect the prior knowledge of their pupils. At key stage 4 teachers and pupils can select a pathway aligned to the most frequently used exam board specifications for GCSE history: AQA or Edexcel.

Diverse

Our commitment to breadth and diversity in content, language, texts and media can be seen throughout the curriculum, for example with the focus on women in history. Whilst teaching about male monarchs, political leaders and military chiefs is unavoidable due to the nature of historic power structures, we ensure that female characters present at the same time are represented in the narratives our curriculum presents. Equally, where appropriate, the presence of multiple ethnic groups in British history is represented and the stories of these groups show their own agency (rather than focusing solely on oppression). This curriculum makes it clear that history is studied at various levels, not just the global and that the pasts of pupils across the country are represented.

Accessible

Our curriculum is intentionally designed to facilitate high-quality teaching as a powerful lever to support pupils with SEND. Aligned with EEF guidance, our resources have a focus on clear explanations, modelling and frequent checks for understanding, with guided and independent practice. Lessons are chunked into learning cycles and redundant images and information are minimised and the narrative that accompanies historical stories and explanations is contained in a separate document, rather than on slides to manage cognitive load. We have removed reference to year groups in our resources so that they can be used when pupils are ready, regardless of their age. Our resources are purposefully created to be accessible, for example by using accessible fonts, colours with good contrast, and captions in our videos.

Oak subject principles

What subject specific principles inform the design of our curriculum?

The overall selection and blend of content should match or exceed the ambition of the National Curriculum for history, represent the diversity of the past and display responsiveness to evolving historical scholarship

In key stage 2, we present three ancient civilisations as part of the main sequence and ensure that early Islamic civilisation is studied in addition to another non-European society. Evolving historical scholarship is referenced throughout key stage 3 but in particular in units such as those concerning the Peasants’ Revolt and the Black Death.

Pupils’ substantive and disciplinary journeys are shaped by rigorously historical enquiry questions, so that they can learn, systematically, to recognise and carry out differing types of historical argument, and so that medium-term analytic and narrative journeys are well-blended

All of the units in our curriculum are shaped by enquiry questions such as ‘Significant explorers: How has seafaring changed over time?’, ‘Ancient Egypt: what stayed the same across 3,000 years?’ and ‘11th-century Islamic worlds: how similar were the regions of the Islamic world?’.

The programme incrementally introduces a wide range of interpretations of the past, showing pupils how such interpretations arise and how they are constructed as well as their diverse forms, frameworks, origins and effects in the present

A range of interpretations is presented throughout. In key stage 1, we use traditional stories to introduce pupils to their first interpretations of the past. In key stage 2, we study why people have argued about the Benin Bronzes. In key stage 3, we examine why Elizabeth I has been portrayed differently over time.

Historical narrative is used to secure coherence and retention, on micro and macro levels: from world-building and hinterland secured by rich stories in individual lessons to seeing possible temporal and spatial relationships between societies, civilisations, trends and contrasts, across time

In key stage 1, we use traditional, rich stories about rulers and rebellions to introduce pupils to the relationships between different societies and civilisations. In key stage 2 and key stage 3, stories about individuals alongside wider political narratives secure pupils’ understanding of complicated developments across time and space.

National curriculum

How does our curriculum reflect the aims & purpose of the national curriculum?

Our curriculum has been designed to enact the aims and purpose of the national curriculum. We use clear, chronological narratives to develop pupils’ understanding of Britain’s history and its interaction with the wider world. We inspire curiosity and critical thinking about the past by supporting pupils to ask questions, analyse sources, and form judgements in our practice tasks. We have included early civilizations, empires, and non-European societies such as the Shang Dynasty, the Maya, Mali, Haiti, and India so that pupils ‘understand significant aspects of world history’. The curriculum develops pupils' knowledge ‘of historical concepts like continuity and change, using them to create structured historical accounts’. Our enquiries use a wide range of source material and interpretations to help pupils ‘learn and apply the methods of historical enquiry, understand how evidence is used, and form differing interpretations of the past’. The careful selection and sequencing of content help pupils to understand ‘the connections between local, regional, national and international history; between cultural, economic, military, political, religious and social history’.

Curriculum delivery

What teaching time does our curriculum require?

Our curricula for key stages 1-3 are designed for 36 weeks of curriculum time across the school year, which leaves time for other activities both within and beyond the curriculum, such as assessments or school trips. At key stage 4, year 10 also has 36 weeks of curriculum time, but year 11 has only 26 weeks (approximately 2 terms) to recognise that schools will not be teaching new content in the run-up to the GCSE exams.

At key stages 1-2, our curriculum has been designed to teach one weekly lesson, approximately 40 minutes long in key stage 1 and 50 minutes to an hour in key stage 2. At key stage 3, our curriculum has been designed to teach two weekly lessons approximately 50 minutes to an hour. At key stage 4, our curriculum assumes two 50-minute lessons of teaching per week in both years 10 and 11. Whilst we have divided the units equally between years 10 and 11, teachers have the flexibility to begin the year 11 units in year 10.

We understand that the exact time dedicated to history can vary greatly between schools due to differences in curriculum planning, resource allocation, and school-specific priorities. Therefore, we fully expect and encourage teachers to adapt our curriculum and resources to best suit their needs and available curriculum time.

Curriculum coherence

What are 'threads'?

We use threads to signpost groups of units that link to one another and build a common body of knowledge over time. We use the term thread rather than vertical concepts, themes, or big ideas because it helps to bring to mind the visual concept of a thread weaving through the curriculum.

Our history threads that weave through both our primary and secondary curricula are: 

• Empire, persecution and resistance
• Invasion, migration and settlement
• Power, government and religion
• Trade, ideas and communication
• Warfare and conflict

Our threads are substantive concepts that span the entire curriculum. They represent important ideas that it is necessary for pupils to return to again and again with increased complexity to gain a developed and deep understanding over time. For example, a pupil’s knowledge and understanding of ‘settlement’ will be much deeper and more nuanced by the end of key stage 3 compared with the end of key stage 1 due to mapping of the ‘Invasion, migration and settlement’ thread. Consistent threads across our primary and secondary curricula can enable a more effective transition, helping pupils to bridge their knowledge and understanding from primary to secondary.

Recommendations from subject specific reports

How does the curriculum address and enact recommendations from subject specific reports (e.g. EEF guidance reports & Ofsted Research Review)?

Enacting the recommendations from the Ofsted subject report for history, this curriculum balances depth and breadth, covering diverse periods and cultures. It integrates substantive and disciplinary knowledge, emphasising key concepts through varied contexts. Rich historical context supports learning, addresses misconceptions and represents academic history's complexity. The curriculum includes diverse interpretations. In key stage 3 these range from popular depictions of Elizabeth I to arguments about Haiti’s role in the abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. These reflect the past's intricacy while avoiding negative group portrayals.

Learning about different groups' contributions to history prepares pupils for modern life. Building on existing knowledge enables pupils to construct their own historical arguments, whilst clear exposition and narrative support learning.

Our curriculum is adaptable to the needs of different pupils and emphasises British history within global contexts. For example, in key stage 2 units about life in Anglo-Saxon and Viking England emphasise the trade connections that existed between Britain and the rest of the world. This approach develops historical thinking skills, contextual understanding, and engagement with complex narratives.

Subject-specific needs

How does the curriculum deal with elements that arise from the specific needs of the subject?

What key events and periods in history are featured in our curriculum?

Our curriculum teaches the following key events and periods in history:

Key stage 1

• Changes within living memory that reveal aspects of change in national life:
  • The life and reign of Elizabeth II
  • Historical photographs from the 1950s, 60s and 70s
  • Changes that took place both during and after the Second World War
• Events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally:
  • The traditional stories of St Patrick, Aethelflaed, Owain Glyndwr and Robert the Bruce
  • Changes to seafaring over time
• The lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements:
  • The lives and achievements of Emily Davison and Paul Stephenson are used to compare aspects of life in different periods
  • The life and reign of Queen Victoria
  • Stories of significant rulers from the past: Boudica, Constantine II, King John, Suleiman the Magnificent, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Mansa Musa, Elizabeth I and Nūr Jahān

Key stage 2

• Changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age:
  • Settlement in the Mesolithic and Neolithic, including a focus on Skara Brae
  • Changes to agriculture, settlement and trade in Bronze Age Britain
  • Important Iron Age archaeological finds such as the Snettisham Torc, Lindow Man and the Wetwang chariot
• The Roman Empire and its impact on Britain:
  • Rome’s development from monarchy to republic, to empire, and its subsequent decline
  • Claudius’ invasion of Britain and the changes the Romans brought about
  • The role played by the Roman Empire in the spread of Christianity
• Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots:
  • Roman withdrawal from Britain in c. 410 AD
  • Scots and Anglo-Saxon invasions
  • Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, art, culture and life
  • The survival of Christianity in parts of Britain such as Ireland and the later conversion of the Anglo-Saxons
• The Viking and Anglo-Saxon struggle for the Kingdom of England to the time of Edward the Confessor:
  • Viking raids and invasion
  • Resistance by Alfred the Great, Aethelflaed and Athelstan
  • The creation of the Kingdom of England
• A local history study:
  • The life and achievements of Captain Noel Chavasse and how the Great War affected various local communities
• A study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066:
  • The Second World War as a significant turning point for the British people during it and in the decades following it
• The achievements of the earliest civilisations:
  • An overview of where and when the first civilisations appeared, using Ancient Sumer as a lens through which to compare these civilisations
  • Depth studies of Ancient Egypt, the Indus Valley and the Shang Dynasty of Ancient China
• Ancient Greece:
  • A study of Greek life including depth studies of Athens and Sparta
  • A study of Ancient Greece’s achievements and legacy in philosophy, language and sport
  • The rivalry between Greece and Persia and the achievements of Alexander the Great
• A non-European society that provides contrasts with British history
  • The rise of Islam and early Islamic civilisation, including a study of Baghdad and its connections to the wider world
  • Maya civilization c. AD 900
  • Benin c. AD 900-1300 and the arguments surrounding its looted artworks and religious objects

Key stage 3

• The development of Church, state and society in Medieval Britain 1066-1509:
  • The Norman Conquest
  • The Empress Matilda
  • England under Henry II
  • King John, Magna Carta and early parliaments
  • Edward I’s attempts to conquer Wales and Scotland
  • The Peasants’ Revolt
  • The Wars of the Roses
• The development of Church, state and society in Britain 1509-1745:
  • Henry VIII and the Reformation
  • The reign of Elizabeth I
  • Life in Tudor England
  • The English Civil War
  • The Commonwealth and Restoration
  • The Glorious Revolution
  • Robert Walpole and cabinet government
• Ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901:
  • The East India Company
  • The Enlightenment
  • The Industrial Revolution
  • Widening the franchise in the 19th century
  • The transformation of the British Empire in the mid-nineteenth century
  • Interpretations of the British Empire
• Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day:
  • Women’s suffrage
  • The imperial nature of the Great War
  • The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia
  • The turning points of the Second World War
  • The Holocaust
  • Decolonisation in the British Empire
  • Post-war Britain
• A local history study:
  • Medieval lives in Norwich
• The study of an aspect or theme in British history that consolidates and extends pupils’ chronological knowledge from before 1066:
  • The role of women in British society
• A study of a significant society or issue in world history and its interconnections with other world developments:
  • Christian and Islamic worlds in the 11th century
  • The First Crusade
  • Medieval West Africa
  • The Black Death and the Silk Roads
  • The Renaissance
  • The European conquest of the Americas
  • The impact of the Transatlantic Slave Trade on West African societies
  • The Mughal Empire
  • The Haitian Revolution and the abolition of the slave trade
  • The European response to the French Revolution

Key stage 4

Edexcel:

• Thematic study and historic environment - Migrants in Britain, c800–present and Notting Hill, c1948–c1970
• Period study - Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91
• British depth study - Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–88
• Modern depth study - The USA, 1954–75: conflict at home and abroad

AQA:

• Period study - America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and inequality
• Wider world depth study - Conflict and tension between East and West, 1945–1972
• Thematic study - Migration, empires and the people: c790 to the present day
• British depth study including the historic environment - Norman England, c1066–c1100