History Curriculum KS3

Our KS3 Curriculum Intent

At Castle View Enterprise Academy, our KS3 history curriculum reflects the aims of the National Curriculum for history. Through enquiry, we want students to become knowledgeable, curious and confident historians. Through KS3 History, students explore how English society was created, how social and political change has shaped Britain, and how individuals and world events have driven political, social and cultural change over time.

Students develop an understanding of the connections between people, power, and society. They learn to question evidence, consider different perspectives, explain change over time, and make well-supported historical judgements.

At Castle View Enterprise Academy, KS3 history helps students understand how Britain and the wider world have changed over time. This is done through big questions that overarch the year, and key enquiry questions for each unit. Across Years 7-9, students study key events, people and developments from the Norman Conquest to the modern world, while making links to Sunderland and the local area. Students learn to question evidence, consider different perspectives, explain why change happened, and make well-supported historical judgements. Our curriculum develops respect, responsibility, ambition and determination, helping students become informed, critical and thoughtful citizens.

Respect: Students explore different people, societies, and perspectives and learn to approach the past thoughtfully.

Responsibility: Students learn to question evidence, consider interpretations, and use historical evidence carefully.

Ambition: Students build secure chronological knowledge and develop increasingly sophisticated historical understanding.

Determination: Students develop the confidence to tackle challenging historical enquiries and support their ideas with evidence.

National Curriculum at KS3

Our KS3 curriculum reflects the aims of the National Curriculum for History. Students develop their knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history while learning to think critically about the past.

• Develop a chronological understanding of British, local and world history.
• Understand significant people, events, developments and societies.
• Use historical concepts such as cause and consequence, change and continuity, similarity and difference, and significance.
• Ask historical questions and use evidence to investigate the past.
• Analyse and evaluate historical sources.
• Understand that historians may offer different interpretations of the past.

Literacy in History

Reading is an important part of our history curriculum, enabling students to develop their understanding of key historical vocabulary and concepts so that they can confidently access and engage with the curriculum. Through regular reading of historical texts, interpretations and sources, students build their vocabulary, improve their comprehension, and develop the knowledge needed to become successful historians.

The CVEA KS3 Learning Journey

Year 7: Key Question: How was English society created?

• How do we understand the past before 1066?
• How important was the Norman invasion?
• How much power did medieval kings have?
• What impact did the Reformation have?
• Why did Britain expand and explore?
• How far did the Divine Right of Kings rule 1603-1688?
• Independent investigations and local historical enquiries, including the House Castle Competition; Black History Month; Sunderland v Newcastle in the English Civil War

Year 8: Key Question: What impact has social and political change had on Britain?

• How far did people benefit from the Industrial Revolution?
• How far did people benefit from the Industrial Empire?
• How effective was the protest movement of the 1800 & 1900s?
• How did WWI impact on people and governments?
• Independent investigations and local history enquiries, including Sunderland's connections to abolition, coal mining, and the First World War.

Key contact

Mrs C Russell