History

Intent - Why do we teach what we teach in history?

The History curriculum at Harris Academy Chobham intends to increase our students’ substantive knowledge of historical periods, people, trends and events. We want Chobham students to develop, and retain, a rich knowledge of the past; and to ensure they possess powerful knowledge that makes them ‘culturally literate’ and enhances their cultural capital.

Through our History curriculum we aim to give students the opportunity to study an overarching narrative of British history that is interwoven with diverse and global histories which speak to their own identities. We ensure that knowledge is taught, and retained, through a planned curriculum which is chronologically sequenced, driven by historical enquiries and underpinned by the second order concepts of change and continuity, cause and consequence, significance, similarity and difference, and interpretation. Our curriculum is shaped so that our second order concepts are continuously taught and revisited; each time deepening student’s understanding of the concept by teaching it through a new historical lens.

Furthermore, we want our students to develop into well-rounded, tolerant individuals who are aware not only of their own history, but of the history of their local, national and international communities. We intend for all students to leave us being able to think critically, to debate coherently and convincingly, and to write longer written answers that evaluate, judge and argue. At Harris Academy Chobham we want every student to feel empowered to stand independently, being confident to form, and articulate, their own substantiated judgements. Finally, through the study of sensitive topics, such as the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Holocaust, students will develop their capacity to empathise with others, develop respect for alternative viewpoints, and gain a broader understanding of the society in which we live in.

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Implementation - how do we teach history?

In EYFS, Chobham students are first exposed to ideas about the past through the use of fiction and non-fiction stories. This serves as useful preparation for the formal introduction of history in Year 1 where students are first exposed to some of the second order-concepts, namely continuity and change, and significance. Students will leave KS1 with an understanding of past societies and what makes specific events and individuals significant. Upon entering KS2, our students begin their chronological journey and are gradually exposed to a greater range of second-order concepts. As a result, Chobham students leave the primary phase with an understanding of each second-order concept, having been exposed to each one in different contexts. They will have a firm foundational knowledge of British and world history ranging from ancient history to present day.

At KS3, our curriculum builds upon the knowledge gained in the Primary phase. We aim for all students to have a strong sense of period for the Middle Ages, the Early Modern era and the 19^th-20^th century. Students should be aware of the interconnectedness of the modern world through their study of world history through the ages. By the end of KS3, every student is expected to have a strong disciplinary understanding of all second order concepts which they can use to construct historical arguments. In both KS4 and KS5, students reinforce their understanding of the second order concepts through studying a range of topics in breadth and depth. Students leave KS4 and KS5 respectively, with a secure sense of both British and world history. They will have developed into independent thinkers with the confidence to construct convincing lines of arguments and to formulate a judgement on a historiographical issue.

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Impact - What are the outcomes from History?

In History, to measure the impact of our teaching on pupils’ ability to acquire and recall key substantive and procedural knowledge, we use several assessment tools. In EYFS, children are observed discussing where they fit into their family and how there are similarities and differences for when their adults were children. In KS1 and KS2, pupils’ acquirement of knowledge is assessed through the completion of a multiple-choice quiz and short essay at the end of each topic. The low-stake quiz aims at ensuring that pupils know, and can recall, key facts relating to the topic taught at that half-term. The short essay aims at ensuring that pupils can use their substantive knowledge and use it to inform their writing as they use their reasoning skills to explain ‘why’ and ‘how’ events they have studied are significant.  Lastly, pupil voice forms a substantial assessment tool; we expect pupils to talk knowledgeably and enthusiastically about history and demonstrate knowledge of, and ability to recall, key substantive and procedural knowledge they have learnt over the course of half-term. 

In KS3 students develop a strong sense of period for the topics studied which spans from the Middle Ages to the 20^th century.  In year 7, students have a strong knowledge of the medieval past and are aware of the interconnectedness of the medieval world. Students have developed their understanding of the second order concepts, particularly change and continuity, and cause and consequence. In Year 8, students develop a strong sense of period for 19^th century history and are aware of the interconnectedness of empire through their studies of world history. Students further develop their understanding of all five second order concepts, with an added emphasis on significance and interpretation. In Year 9, students have a strong sense of period for 20^th century history and are aware of the interconnectedness of the modern world. They have a strong disciplinary understanding of all second order concepts and can apply these to new contexts. Across KS3 this is evident through student exercise books, the checking of understanding that takes place in lessons, as well as the regular assessed tasks which require students to answer the enquiry question they have been studying. Students can communicate their historical knowledge and understanding of the second order concepts through accurate spoken and written English. 

This leads to highly successful exam outcomes at the end of KS4 and Post-16. At GCSE in 2024 the subject was popular, being studied by half of the students in the year group. Over 65% of the students secured a strong pass at grade 5, with 25% securing an excellent result of grade 7 or higher. This allowed students to access their chosen Post-16 courses. History is also an incredibly popular and highly successful subject at A Level with a 100% pass rate on a yearly basis. In 2024 over 68% of students secured A*-B grades going onto secure excellent university places. In 2023 three students secured a place at Oxbridge universities. 

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Every year there are a number of A Level historian who go onto study history related degrees at higher education institutions.

Some highlights are below: 

• 2023- Maria Nagawa- History and Africa and Black Diaspora (including a year abroad)- SOAS University of London  
• 2023- Jessica Oseen- History at the University of Cambridge 
• 2023- Jaden Speid- History at the University of Warwick 
• 2023- Maya Layish- Human, Social and Political Science at the University of Cambridge  
• 2023- Haroon Shaikh- Law at the University of Cambridge.  
• 2022-Maha Mohammed- History at King’s College London 
• 2022-Daniel Minganu-History at Queen Mary University London  
• 2022- Rezewan Khan- War studies and History at King’s College London