History Curriculum Overview
Curriculum Intent
At Chingford Foundation School, our History curriculum gives students the knowledge, curiosity and critical thinking skills to understand the complex story of humanity.
History helps students make sense of the past, engage with the present, and imagine a better future. Through an interconnected seven-year journey, they study local, national and global histories — learning how individuals, ideas and events have shaped the modern world.
Our curriculum is ambitious, inclusive and disciplinary. Students learn not only what happened, but how historians construct interpretations and use evidence to understand the past.
History embodies our four curriculum pillars:
- Knowledge – Students engage with a wide canon of cultural and disciplinary knowledge, exploring the local, national and global past across a coherent seven-year curriculum. They gain a secure understanding of chronology, cause and consequence, change and continuity, and historical significance.
- Inclusion – The curriculum explores a wide range of historical narratives and voices, ensuring all learners see themselves represented in the story of the past. Students study the achievements of different civilisations, as well as the mistakes of humanity, to foster empathy and moral understanding.
- Empowerment – Students develop rigorous disciplinary skills, using evidence, interpretation and argument to form their own historical judgements. They learn that history is contested, complex and vital to understanding the world today.
- Independence – Learners are equipped to think critically about information, challenge assumptions and use their knowledge of the past to make informed decisions about the future.
Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9)
At KS3, students explore history from the ancient to the modern world through enquiry-based learning. They develop a chronological understanding of key eras, people and events, while learning how to interpret evidence and construct historical arguments.
Year 7
- How has Chingford changed over time? – Investigating local history and the importance of primary sources.
- The Romans and the ‘Dark Ages’ – Examining invasion, resistance and legacy.
- The Norman Conquest – Understanding 1066 and how William controlled England.
- Medieval Religion and the Crusades – Exploring belief, power and medieval life.
- Medieval Monarchs – King John, Magna Carta and the rise of Parliament.
- Migration to Britain – Investigating who has migrated to Britain over time, why they came and how migration has shaped our nation.
Year 8
- The Tudors and Reformation – How far did religion really change under the Tudors?
- The Industrial Revolution – How Britain transformed socially, politically and economically.
- The British Empire – Causes, expansion and impact across Africa, India and the Americas.
- The Slave Trade and Abolition – Investigating slavery, resistance and the campaign for abolition.
- Women’s Suffrage – How and why women gained the vote.
- The British Empire and End of Empire – Independence movements and global change.
Year 9
- World War One – Causes, trench warfare and the Western Front.
- The Russian Revolution – The fall of the Tsars and the rise of communism.
- The Holocaust – Persecution, propaganda and the escalation of genocide.
- The Civil Rights Movement – African American activism and equality in the 20th century.
- The Cold War- Causes & conflict post-World War Two
By the end of KS3, students have a secure grasp of chronology and the historical methods needed to evaluate sources, analyse interpretations and write extended arguments — providing strong foundations for GCSE study.
Key Stage 4 (GCSE History – Edexcel)
At GCSE, students study the Edexcel History specification, which challenges them to explore depth and thematic studies across British and world history. They investigate change and continuity over time, analyse evidence critically, and construct well-reasoned arguments supported by knowledge and evaluation.
Topics Studied
Paper 1: Thematic Study
Medicine Through Time, c1250–Present
- Medieval and Renaissance medicine
- The impact of science and technology
- Public health reform and modern medicine
- Case studies: The Black Death, The Great Plague, The Broad Street Pump, and lung cancer
- Medicine on the British sector of the Western Front 1914-1918
Paper 2: Period Study and British Depth Study
Superpower Relations and the Cold War, 1941–1991
- The origins of the Cold War, crises, détente and the fall of the USSR
- Early Elizabethan England, 1558–1588
- Elizabeth’s government, religion, threats and exploration
Paper 3: Modern Depth Study
Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–1939
- The Weimar Republic, Hitler’s rise to power, life under Nazi rule, and the persecution of minorities
Through these studies, students develop powerful knowledge about medicine, politics, conflict, and human rights, seeing how the past continues to shape the modern world.
Key Stage 5 (A Level History – AQA)
At A Level, History fosters a deep understanding of key periods of change, continuity and causation. Students study how power, conflict and ideology have shaped the modern world, while developing the skills of independent research, interpretation and analysis.
Unit 1K: The USA, 1865–1975 The Making of a Superpower
- The transformation of the USA from Civil War to global superpower
- Race relations, social change and Cold War foreign policy
Unit 2S: The Making of Modern Britain 1951-2007
- Political, social and economic change in 20th-century Britain
- The growth of multiculturalism, social reform and equality
Unit 3: NEA Coursework (20%)
- Tudor Rebellions – an independently researched essay analysing causes and consequences of rebellion under the Tudor monarchs.
Students at A Level learn to debate interpretations, synthesise evidence and write academically, preparing them for success in higher education and careers that demand analytical and evaluative thinking.
Links to Other Areas of Study
History connects powerfully to English, Politics, Geography, Religious Studies and Sociology. It strengthens literacy, critical reasoning and citizenship — helping students become informed, reflective and active participants in society
