History
Mrs. T. Leyman – Curriculum Leader
We make history relevant and meaningful by connecting it to students’ lives in the 21st century. Students develop curiosity and form informed opinions and values based on evidence, building deeper understanding of the present through engaging with the past.
Our curriculum centres on historical enquiry, using sources constructively and communicating understanding through creative and rigorous ways. Students question the past, analyse evidence, and develop the critical thinking skills needed to understand the world around them.
Key Stage 3 Curriculum Intent
Students develop a deeper knowledge of the past by understanding connections between past and present, changes and continuities across time, and constructing chronological frameworks.
Our curriculum is rich in diversity, encompassing political and economic history alongside social and cultural history, family and local studies, and civilisations beyond Europe. We focus on diverse experiences and encourage students to engage with history around them, drawing on Southampton’s and the New Forest’s local heritage. History is enjoyable and life-enhancing, combining active engagement with rigorous enquiry to provide foundations for lifelong thinking and engagement with history.
Key Stage 4 Curriculum Intent
Our GCSE History curriculum explores significant periods and themes that shape our world. Students investigate the Norman Conquest to understand medieval society, trace America’s development through independence and nation-building, and examine how public health has transformed. Through studying Nazi Germany, students confront totalitarianism and its human costs. Locally, Portchester Castle reveals continuities across centuries.
Throughout, students develop historical enquiry skills, analyse diverse sources, and construct evidence-based interpretations. This combination of broad historical knowledge, local heritage, and rigorous methodology prepares students to think critically about past and present.
