History

Subject Overview

The vibrant History Department at Peacehaven Community School engages pupils' interest in World, British and Local History, and aims to explain how History has shaped and is shaping the world around us. History also develops enquiring minds and encourages students to ask questions and seek answers.

Our pupils enjoy developing their knowledge and understanding of history through a varied, lively and relevant choice of topics. Pupils develop their writing, speaking, listening and reading skills at all levels of ability. We believe that History also develops the skills and knowledge that our students will need to engage fully with the world around them, access further study and the world of work.

Teaching and Learning

What do students study in History at Peacehaven?

Year 7

In year 7 our students engage with the following historical enquiries:

Term 1 and 2

Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?

How did the Normans control England after 1066?

Term 3 and 4

Why was Tudor England a religious rollercoaster?

Why did the Spanish Armada fail to invade England in 1588?

Term 5 and 6

What was the triangular slave trade?

How was slavery abolished?

Year 8

In year 8 our students engage with the following historical enquiries:

Term 1 and 2

How did Britain change 1750-1900?

Should we be ashamed of the British Empire?

Term 3 and 4

Who were the suffragettes?

Why did Britain declare war in 1939?

Term 5 and 6

How and why was the Holocaust allowed to happen?

Why did the Civil rights movement develop in the 1950s?

GCSE History at Peacehaven

Students at Peacehaven study the Edexcel GCSE History course and will be graded 9-1. There are 3 examination papers all of which will be sat at the end of year 11. The students study the course across three years, this gives them an opportunity for in-depth learning about the topics they study and opportunities for revision and exam preparation in class as well as at home.

They will study the following topics across the GCSE.

Paper 1: Thematic study and historic environment
Crime and punishment in Britain, c1000–present and Whitechapel, c1870–c1900:
Crime, policing and the inner city.

Paper 2: Period study and British depth study
Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91
Anglo Saxon and Norman England

Paper 3: Modern depth study
Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39

Assessment

At KS3 students complete assessments during each module throughout the year.

At KS4 there is no controlled assessment or coursework in GCSE History. Students are required to sit three examinations at the end of Year 11.

Homework

In KS3 a 30 minute homework is set once per fortnight and at KS4 a 60 minute homework is set once per week. Examples of homework tasks set are source analysis, practice exam questions, extended writing and further reading.

Homework is easily accessible to students through Show my Homework: https://peacehaven.showmyhomework.co.uk

Teaching Staff

If you have any questions about History at Peacehaven please contact their class teacher, or alternatively the Head of History:
Miss Laura Hughes, Head of History: lhughes@pcs.e-sussex.sch.uk
Miss Harriet Ward, History Teacher: hward@pcs.e-sussex.sch.uk

Historical Character

On open evening Peacehaven students campaigned for which historical figure was the most significant: Marie Curie, Emmeline Pankurst or Winston Churchill.