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We have designed our curriculum using the KS3 National Curriculum and it is delivered under the framework of the IB Middle Years programme. We have also referenced the KS2 Programmes of Study in our initial planning.

At Leigh Academy Mascalls, we feel that the study of History and its associated skills is fundamental to developing into a well-informed and articulate citizen. At KS3, we study the past in a chronological order in order for students to make sense of the past in a coherent manner. Our lessons immerse students in the events of the past, providing them with an understanding of local, national and global history that enables them to understand their place in the world, and in the long story of human development. We aim to offer alternative perspectives, to understand personal histories, and the treatment of minority groups. Students will gain a depth of knowledge as well as skills of inquiry and argument, through a curriculum that is designed to promote engagement and prepare students for GCSE, A-Level, and future career progression. The curriculum will encourage history students to engage with evidence and scholarship, and partake in debates that will drive and test new knowledge, as well as their own views of historical and contemporary events.

KS3 history

Who won the Battle of Hastings? – Exploration of the position of England prior to the death of Edward the Confessor. Exploration of the reasons why England was a coveted country after the death of Edward and the sequence of events that led to the four claimants preparing for battle. Focus on the outcomes of battle, including the Battle of Fulford Gate, Stamford Bridge, and Battle of Hastings. 

  • SOI: Connections and relationships between countries often cause conflict
  • Key Concept: Connections
  • Related Concept: Causality and Conflict
  • Global Context: Identities and Relationships

How did the Normans consolidate their power after 1066? – Exploration of how William won the Battle of Hastings, considering the methods by which the Normans consolidated their power. The first steps led to William’s coronation in December; studying of coercive tactics like the building of castles and introduction of law and order, before exploring other methods like the introduction of the feudal system and the use of the Domesday Book. Understanding consequence, as the Anglo-Saxon population regularly rebelled against William. Consideration of how William was effective in subduing these rebels, and understanding the broader, longer-term impacts.

  • SOI: Change in governance can affect a sense of identity.
  • Key Concept: Change
  • Related Concept: Governance
  • Global Context: Identities and Relationships

What challenges did the monarchy face in the Middle Ages? – Exploration of the concept of civil war, through the story of Stephen and Matilda. Introduction to key terms, such as anarchy, understanding why a system of rules and governance is important. Exploration of the reign of Henry II and his attempts to restore law and order, using the historical skill of significance to evaluate which of his actions was most important. The course goes on to look at several other key challenges including the murder of Thomas Becket, the rule of King John, the Magna Carta and the arrival of the Black Death.

  • SOI: Events of great significance and changes in governance can often affect systems leading to more or less fairness
  • Key Concept: Systems
  • Related Concept: Governance and Significance
  • Global Context: Fairness and Development

How did medieval people deal with conflict and division at home and abroad? – Exploration of the key theme of conflict and division by exploring the causes / experiences / impacts of the Crusades; considering the Hundred Years War. The second half of this unit focuses more on internal division and focuses on similarity and difference, for example, by considering the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, the experiences of ‘others’ like Jews and women in the Middle Ages, and concludes with the civil Wars of the Roses, setting students up for study of the Tudor era.

  • SOI: National and international communities often experience conflict and division that can shape culture and identity
  • Key Concept: Global Interactions
  • Related Concept: Conflict and Culture
  • Global Context: Identities and Relationships

How did the Tudors change religion? – Exploration of the Tudors, focusing on religious change in particular, and its effects on society. Consideration of the power of the Church at the start of the period, before studying the main ideological motivations behind the Protestant Reformation. Focus on Henry VIII and the key reasons for the break with Rome, including the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Focus on the reign of Edward VI, considering the motivations that lay behind a further shift towards Protestantism. This is then juxtaposed with the Catholic revival under Mary I. Consideration of the reign of Elizabeth I, and the move from a ‘Middle Way’ to a less tolerant treatment of Catholics by the mid- to end-reign. The MYP investigation and communication assessment is linked to this unit by focusing on what the Mary Rose can tell us about life in Tudor times.

  • SOI: Different approaches to governance can result in changes to culture and fairness in society.
  • Key Concept: Change
  • Related Concept: Culture and Governance
  • Global Context: Fairness and Development

How did democracy develop in the United Kingdom? – Exploration of the political formation of the United Kingdom, covering key concepts such as ‘democracy’, ‘parliament’, ‘union’, and finding links between developments since the Middle Ages and the present day. Recap of Yr7 and consideration of the first parliaments, the conquering of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, and the continuing influence of succession crises and religion on instability in the kingdom. Understanding of the causes of the English Civil War as well as its legacies, before covering the formation of the United Kingdom through the Act of Union and institutions like the Prime Minister and role of parliament. Consideration of  the growth of democracy through a study of suffrage reform, trade unions, and the radical thoughts of Karl Marx.

  • SOI: When systems experience conflict, it can lead to the development of greater fairness in governance.
  • Key Concept: Systems
  • Related Concept: Governance and Conflict
  • Global Context: Fairness and Development

How has transatlantic slavery shaped our world? –  Exploration of the emergence and development of the transatlantic slave trade and Britain’s role in perpetuating and benefiting from it. Focus on the reasons why this form of slavery occurred, before focusing on the operation of the trade triangle, the role of Liverpool in the slave trade, and conditions for enslaved people at different stages of the trade. Focus on the testimony of Olaudah Equiano and examine why abolition took place in the way that it did. 

  • SOI: Over time, systems can become significant and affect civilisation unfairly.
  • Key Concept: Systems
  • Related Concept: Significance and Civilisation
  • Global Context: Fairness and Development

Why did the British Empire rise and fall? – Exploration of the rise of the British Empire, the impact on colonies acquired and the aftermath and development of the commonwealth, understanding the benefits the British Empire brought about, whilst also understanding the negative impacts on colonies. Focus is to challenge the belief that the Empire was wholly good. Links to the Year 8 Module 2 course of transatlantic slavery to understand the role the British Empire played. Furthermore, the British Empire scheme will give an opportunity to forge base knowledge that will be fundamental to studying the Industrial Revolution and the WWI units later in the year. Focus of attention on India, America, and the scramble for Africa – the latter two tie in especially strongly to the ‘Age of Revolution’ and WWI topics.

  • SOI: Global interactions often affect culture and governance negatively, changing identities and relationships.
  • Key Concept: Global interactions
  • Related Concept: Culture and Governance
  • Global Contect: Identities and Relationships

Why was there an ‘Age of Revolutions’ and how did it change the world?  – Exploration of the 13 American colonies and how they led a revolution against Britain in the late 1700s. Consideration of the causes, events, and outcomes of this American War of Independence, before moving on to consider the causes, events, outcomes and legacies of the French Revolution. This includes considering the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte and his reputation. Exploration of the Irish Revolution of 1798 and its own causes, events, and outcomes.

  • SOI: Revolution can have the consequence of profound change, affecting relationships within and between countries.
  • Key Concept: Change
  • Related Concept: Causality, Innovation and Revolution
  • Global Context: Identities and Relationships

What were the causes and achievements of the ‘Industrial Revolution’? What were its impacts? – Exploration of  the interdependent causes and consequences of the Industrial Revolution by focusing on: population and coal as drivers (and consequences) of the profound shifts taking place; developments in transport (road, canals, railways) and factory systems as key processes of change; and finally on some of the results of this change by studying urban environments. Consideration of the growing health issues (cholera), and social issues like poverty and crime. A case study on Merthyr Tydfil will bring many of these strands together.

  • SOI: Interdependent factors can lead to technical innovations, which frequently result in large-scale change.
  • Key Concept: Change
  • Related Concept: Interdependence, Causality
  • Global Context: Scientific and technical innovation

 What made the First World War a ‘global’ war? – Exploration of the origins of the First World War and focus particularly on the international dimensions of the conflict. Consideration of  links to previous topics of Empire by considering fighting in the colonies, the diversity of the troops fighting on the Western Front, and then specific episodes like Gallipoli (1915), Russia’s defeat (1917), and the USA’s entry. Consideration of the Home Front and life after WWI. 

  • SOI:  Global interactions can lead to conflicts of great significance that have an impact on identities and relationships.
  • Key Concept: Global Interactions
  • Related Concept: Conflict and Significance
  • Global Context: Identities and Relationships

How did Hitler rise to power? – Exploration of the steps taken by Hitler and the Nazi Party to obtain power. It begins with a focus on post-war Germany and the problems of the Weimar Republic, examining key episodes in the rise to power and consolidation of the Nazi Party, e.g. the Reichstag Fire and the Night of the Long Knives. Exploration of the forms of control and censorship undertaken by the Nazi Party.

  • SOI: Individuals and groups use systems to obtain positions of governance often resulting in limits to personal and cultural expression. 
  • Key Concept: Systems
  • Related Concept: Governance, Causality (Cause and consequence)
  • Global Context: Personal and Cultural Expression

How did Jewish persecution intensify during the Holocaust? – Investigation into historic Antisemitism before considering the varied life of Jews across Eastern and Western Europe in the early 20th century. Nazi Antisemitism is then considered before moving onto to explore the escalating persecution of Jews from 1933 onwards. Exploration of the Nuremberg laws and the shocking impact of WW2 on deepening Jewish persecution: ghettos, Eintsatzgruppen, and the establishment of death camps. One of the major themes in this study is the scope of choice, or ‘choiceless’ choices, that Jews faced. There is an option to study the work of the Sonderkommandos in Auschwitz. Study of  the repercussions on survivors, their families, and geopolitical scene postwar are the final topics to be considered.

  • SOI: Over time, the systematic discrimination against and destruction of culture affects identities and relationships.
  • Key Concept: Identity
  • Related Concept: Ideology and Culture
  • Global Context: Orientation in Space and Time

Why did Germany lose the Second World War? – Exploration and understanding of the multiple reasons why Germany lost WW2. Focus on challenging the myth of invincibility that the German military has gained in the post war period and they will learn about how Germany went from military victories in the 1939-41 stages of the war to utter defeat by 1945. Exploration of the changing nature of technology during the war and the impact that it had and the issues that Nazi Germany faced after 1941 when it faced the might of the USSR, UK and USA and their allies.

  • SOI: Innovative technologies and methods of warfare can cause global conflict that have lasting consequences.
  • Key Concept: Global Interactions
  • Related Concept: Conflict, Causality (Cause & Consequence)
  • Global Context: Scientific and Technical Innovation

The Cold War: How did two superpowers emerge and compete after WW2?  – 

Study of the rise of the two superpowers, the USA and USSR. Examination of some of the key developments of the late 1940s: the Truman Doctrine / Marshall Plan and ‘iron curtain’ to explore the idea of ideological divides. Exploration of the Berlin blockade as a case study in the relations between superpowers. Consideration of the key episodes from the Cold War, such as the Korean War, arms race and nuclear deterrent, U2 and Cuban Missile Crises. Consideration of the technological conflict of the space race, the Vietnam War and the period of detente, concluding with the fall of the Berlin Wall.

  • SOI: The development of different ideologies regularly leads to conflict, altering a sense of place, identities, and relationships
  • Key Concept: Time, place and space
  • Related Concept: Ideology, Conflict
  • Global Context: Identities and relationships

How did life change for African Americans in the USA between 1865 and the present day?

Focus on the changing treatment of and opportunities for African Americans after the American Civil War. Study of the manner in which laws changed in southern states after 1865, focusing on the rise of the Jim Crow Laws and KKK. Then, the focus shifts to challenges to segregation in education in the 1950s, followed by a focus on peaceful protest movements of the 1950s and 1960s. As a point of contrast, students will also consider the Black Power movement and its key ideas and protagonists. Reflection on how far life has changed for African Americans in the USA.

  • SOI: Unfairness and inequalities often lead to significant moral issues for both individuals and groups, resulting in change
  • Key Concept: Change
  • Related Concept: Significance
  • Global Context: Fairness and development

How have experiences of disability, sexuality, gender, and ethnicity changed in Britain, c.1920-2000?

Exploration of British social history, with a focus on the 20th century. What is social history / how is it written; how do historians use sources to find out about marginalised groups; what was life like in the ‘roaring 20s’; what challenges were faced 1930-1945; how did the British government plan to look after people ‘from the cradle to the grave’? How did people struggle for change in the 1960s and 1970s? How did groups campaign for equal rights in the 1980s and 1990s? The main focus is on ‘ordinary people’ and marginalised groups, with a particular focus on the ‘craft’ of History and the careful process of selection that plays a role in telling stories about the 20th century.

  • SOI: Identities and perspectives are often influenced by unfairness and inequalities, which results in change
  • Key Concept: Change
  • Related Concept: Identity, Perspective
  • Global Context: Fairness and development

KS4 history

Medicine in Britain, c.1250-present and historic environment

Medicine in medieval England: ideas about the cause of disease and illness; approaches to prevention and treatment; case study. The Medical Renaissance in England: ideas about the cause of disease and illness; approaches to prevention and treatment; case studies. Medicine in 18th and 19th century Britain: ideas about the cause of disease and illness; approaches to prevention and treatment; case studies. 

Medicine in Britain, c.1250-present and historic environment

Medicine in modern Britain: ideas about the cause of disease and illness; approaches to prevention and treatment; case studies. Historic environment: British sector of the Western Front 1914-1918: context, conditions requiring treatment; medical treatment; significance of experiments; sources and exam technique.

Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588

Elizabethan government and religion 1558-1569: accession, religious settlement and challenges, Mary, Queen of Scots; Challenges to Elizabeth at home and abroad, 1569-88: plots and revolts, relations with Spain; outbreak of war and the Armada.

Early Elizabethan England, 1558-1588

Elizabethan society in the Age of Exploration, 1558-1588: education and leisure, the ‘problem’ of the poor, exploration and voyages of discovery, the attempted colonisation of Virginia and its failure.

Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-39

The Weimar Republic, 1918-1929: origins, early challenges, ‘golden years’, and changes in society. Hitler’s rise to power: early development of the Nazi Party, Munich Putsch and Nazi Party 1923-1928, growth of support for the Nazis, how Hitler became Chancellor.

Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-39

Nazi control and dictatorship, 1933-1939: creation of a dictatorship, police state, controlling and influencing attitudes, opposition, resistance and conformity. Life in Nazi Germany, 1933-1939: policies towards women, towards the young, employment and living standards, persecution of minorities.

Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941-1991

Origins of the Cold War, 1941-1958: early tension between East and West, development of the Cold War, intensification of the Cold War. Cold War crises, 1958-70: increased tension between East and West, Cold War crises, reaction to crises.

Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941-1991

Origins of the Cold War, 1941-1958: early tension between East and West, development of the Cold War, intensification of the Cold War. Cold War crises, 1958-70: increased tension between East and West, Cold War crises, reaction to crises.

Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941-1991

The end of the Cold War, 1970-91. Attempts to reduce superpower tensions in the 1970s, the end of detente and the ‘Second Cold War’, the collapse of Soviet control of Eastern Europe, 1985-91.

KS5 history

Henry VII (1485-1509)

Introduction to A-Level History; events of 1485 including Henry VII’s background and Bosworth Field; Priorities in 1485; early achievements; political opposition faced through rebellion and pretenders to 1506; role of government including councils, changing nature of government; role of Parliament; royal finances.

Henry VII (1485-1509)

England’s relations with foreign powers; marriage alliances and succession; structure of English society; rural and urban, regional division; importance of industries and exploration to early Tudor England; extent to which England was prosperous in this time; power and role of the Church; humanism and developments in the arts.

 Henry VIII (1509-1547)

Henry VIII’s character and aims; his approach to government and the role of chief ministers; how government functioned in Wolsey’s time; Wolsey’s fall from power; the establishment of the Royal Supremacy and the Reformation Parliament; the final years of Henry VIII’s government, from 1540-7.

Henry VIII (1509-1547)

Henry VIII’s foreign policy, 1509-1529; 1529-1547; the succession; how far English society changed 1509-1547; the reaction of social groups to taxation; the causes, events, and consequences of the Pilgrimage of Grace (1536); mock feedback; the extent to which trade and exploration developed in the reign; the health of England’s economy.

Henry VIII (1509-1547)

The ideas and influences behind religious change and humanism; the religious or doctrinal reformation; the causes and consequences of the dissolution of the monasteries; the religious opposition faced by Henry VIII; consolidation + 30-mark question.

Mid-Tudor Crisis (1547-1558)

The historiographical debate as to whether there was or was not a ‘Mid-Tudor Crisis’; the continuities and changes in the government of the regents: Somerset and Northumberland; the success with which the governments managed foreign affairs and the economy; the causes and consequences of religious change in Edward VI’s reign 1547-1553; the role of rebellions in 1549.  

Mid-Tudor Crisis (1547-1558)

Mary I’s character and her ministers; royal authority and the problems of succession; relations with foreign powers and the Spanish marriage; the social impact of religious and economic changes under Mary I; rebellion; intellectual developments, humanist and religious thought. Elizabeth’s character and aims; her consolidation of power, including the Act of Settlement of 1559 and relations with foreign powers, especially Scotland and France; the impact of economic, social and religious developments in the early years of Elizabeth’s rule. NEA development, selection of the sources and interpretations, writing the introduction.

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)

Elizabeth’s reign, including her government: royal court, Privy Council, ministers, factionalism and Parliament. Foreign affairs including the issues of marriage and succession; Mary, Queen of Scots; and relations with Spain. Society: continuity and change; problems in the regions; social discontent and rebellions. NEA development: writing the full essay with AO1 focus.

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)

Economic developments under Elizabeth I including trade, exploration and colonisation; prosperity and depression – the Poor Laws. Religious developments, change and continuity; the English renaissance and the ‘Golden Age’ of art, literature and music. NEA development: sources and interpretations included for final draft.

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)

The last years of Elizabeth: the state of England politically, economically, religiously, and socially by 1603. Synoptic links across the course on these themes.