Key Stage 3

Units of Work Covered
We have developed our own units of study, however we will continue to incorporate the main features of the national curriculum and assessment levels.
Term	Year 7 People and Power in Britain, 1066-present day (4 hours a fortnight)	Year 8 The British Empire, 1585-present day (4 hours a fortnight)	Year 9 The Making of a Modern World, 1900-present day (4 hours a fortnight)
Autumn 1 (September - October)	Who has the power in society today? We will look at how the majority of the people have the right to vote on how they want their country to be run, whereas the monarch is a figurehead with little actual power. The Norman Conquest, 1066 What was the problem in 1066? Why did William win the Battle of Hastings? How did William keep control after the Battle of Hastings?	What is an Empire? The concept of Empire Which countries were part of the empire? What were the attitudes towards the Empire? Why did the British Empire grow? How did the following factors have an impact on the growth of the Empire? Technology, Rivalries, Trade, Religion, War, Exploration, The Industrial Revolution	How far did life change between 1900 and 1999? Focusing on the areas of entertainment and leisure, sport, housing, education, fashion and shopping. The Liberal Reforms Titanic case study What were the causes of the First World War? What were the relative strengths of European powers? Rivalries between European powers The development of alliances The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Autumn 2 (October - December)	King John and the Magna Carta What is the traditional story of King John? Why did the Barons rebel against King John? What was the Magna Carta? Was King John really a bad king? The Black Death and the Peasants Revolt What was the Black Death? What were the causes and consequences? Why were the peasants unhappy? Were the rebels of 1381 heroes or villains?	Case Study 1: America in the Empire The Roanoke settlement What was life like before British rule? How and why did British rule develop? What was the relationship with the Native Americans like? Why did British influence decline? Case Study 2: Australia in the Empire Australia before British rule Why and how did it become part of the Empire? What were the positive and negatives impacts on British rule?	How was World War One fought? Why did Britain join the war? What was life like in trench warfare? What was the experience of British soldiers? What was the impact of the war? What happened at the Battle of the Somme? What was the role of the Empire? How is World War One remembered?
Spring 1 (January - February)	The Tudors Who were the Tudors? Why did Henry VIII set up the Church of England? How and why did it make the King and Parliament stronger? Who was Mary I? Who was Elizabeth I?	Case Study 3: India in the Empire India before British rule Why and how did it become part of the Empire? What were the positive and negatives impacts on British rule?	Interwar Years What was the Treaty of Versailles? German reaction to the Treaty The 1920's The Great Depression The rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party
Spring 2 (February - April)	The Stuarts and the English Civil War Was Guy Fawkes framed? What were the long-term and short term causes Was Oliver Cromwell a hero or a villain? The Glorious Revolution What events led to the monarch being brought back? How was the monarchy's power different to how it had been before the Civil War?	Case Study 4: Africa and Slavery Africa before British rule Why and how did it become part of the Empire? What were the positive and negatives impacts on British rule? Focus on Slavery - life before, capture, middle passage, plantations, abolition and legacy. Civil Rights The end of the slave trade and the impact on lives for ex-slaves Segregation in the USA and the fight for Civil Rights.	Events of World War Two How was the Second World War fought? What was the impact of WW2 on the loves of people in Britain? The Blitz & evacuation Dunkirk, Operation Barbarossa, D-Day Breaking of the Enigma Code Was the dropping of the Atomic Bomb justified? Persecution What is persecution/ genocide What was Jewish life like before the Holocaust? How did the Holocaust happen? What is the legacy of the Holocaust? Who is to the blame for the Holocaust? Modern examples of genocides and the reasons behind them
Summer 1 (April - May)	The Industrial Revolution What is meant by an Industrial Revolution? What was the impact of British entrepreneurs? What were working conditions like for children and adults? What was the living conditions like in British towns?	South Africa The Scramble for Africa The Boer War and the development of Apartheid Nelson Mandela and the fight for freedom Immigration Who immigrated to the UK and when? Why did certain groups move to the UK? What were the experiences of migrant groups? What impact has empire immigration had?	The Cold War What was the Cold War and why did it start? How significant was the Cold War? What were the Hot spots of the war? How were the Cold War leaders interpreted?
Summer 2 (June - July)	The Suffragettes How was Britain ruled in 1900? What was the position of women? How did women get the vote? Were the suffragettes right to use violence? Winning the Vote What was wrong with democracy in 1820? Was Britain close to a revolution? How did men gain the right to vote? What is democracy like today?	The Decline and Legacy of the Empire Why did British influence over the empire decline? What is the British Empire's legacy?	Terrorism What is terrorism? What is the difference between a Freedom Fighter and a Terrorist? Should governments negotiate with terrorists? Can terrorism itself be justified? Case Study 1: Al Qaeda Caste Study 2: IRA How significant has terrorism been on your local environment/ community?
Trips	Black Country Museum, Dudley

Units of Work Covered

We have developed our own units of study, however we will continue to incorporate the main features of the national curriculum and assessment levels.

Term

Year 7

People and Power in Britain, 1066-present day

(4 hours a fortnight)

Year 8

The British Empire, 1585-present day

(4 hours a fortnight)

Year 9

The Making of a Modern World, 1900-present day

(4 hours a fortnight)

Autumn 1

(September - October)

Who has the power in society today?

We will look at how the majority of the people have the right to vote on how they want their country to be run, whereas the monarch is a figurehead with little actual power.

The Norman Conquest, 1066

What was the problem in 1066?
Why did William win the Battle of Hastings?
How did William keep control after the Battle of Hastings?

What is an Empire?

The concept of Empire
Which countries were part of the empire?
What were the attitudes towards the Empire?

Why did the British Empire grow?

How did the following factors have an impact on the growth of the Empire? Technology, Rivalries, Trade, Religion, War, Exploration, The Industrial Revolution

How far did life change between 1900 and 1999?

Focusing on the areas of entertainment and leisure, sport, housing, education, fashion and shopping.
The Liberal Reforms
Titanic case study

What were the causes of the First World War?

What were the relative strengths of European powers?
Rivalries between European powers
The development of alliances
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Autumn 2

(October - December)

King John and the Magna Carta

What is the traditional story of King John?
Why did the Barons rebel against King John?
What was the Magna Carta?
Was King John really a bad king?

The Black Death and the Peasants Revolt

What was the Black Death?
What were the causes and consequences?
Why were the peasants unhappy?
Were the rebels of 1381 heroes or villains?

Case Study 1: America in the Empire

The Roanoke settlement
What was life like before British rule?
How and why did British rule develop?
What was the relationship with the Native Americans like?
Why did British influence decline?

Case Study 2: Australia in the Empire

Australia before British rule
Why and how did it become part of the Empire?
What were the positive and negatives impacts on British rule?

How was World War One fought?

Why did Britain join the war?
What was life like in trench warfare?
What was the experience of British soldiers?
What was the impact of the war?
What happened at the Battle of the Somme?
What was the role of the Empire?
How is World War One remembered?

Spring 1

(January - February)

The Tudors

Who were the Tudors?
Why did Henry VIII set up the Church of England?
How and why did it make the King and Parliament stronger?
Who was Mary I?
Who was Elizabeth I?

Case Study 3: India in the Empire

India before British rule
Why and how did it become part of the Empire?
What were the positive and negatives impacts on British rule?

Interwar Years

What was the Treaty of Versailles?
German reaction to the Treaty
The 1920's
The Great Depression
The rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party

Spring 2

(February - April)

The Stuarts and the English Civil War

Was Guy Fawkes framed?
What were the long-term and short term causes
Was Oliver Cromwell a hero or a villain?

The Glorious Revolution

What events led to the monarch being brought back?
How was the monarchy's power different to how it had been before the Civil War?

Case Study 4: Africa and Slavery

Africa before British rule
Why and how did it become part of the Empire?
What were the positive and negatives impacts on British rule?
Focus on Slavery - life before, capture, middle passage, plantations, abolition and legacy.

Civil Rights

The end of the slave trade and the impact on lives for ex-slaves
Segregation in the USA and the fight for Civil Rights.

Events of World War Two

How was the Second World War fought?
What was the impact of WW2 on the loves of people in Britain?
The Blitz & evacuation
Dunkirk, Operation Barbarossa, D-Day
Breaking of the Enigma Code
Was the dropping of the Atomic Bomb justified?

Persecution

What is persecution/ genocide
What was Jewish life like before the Holocaust?
How did the Holocaust happen?
What is the legacy of the Holocaust?
Who is to the blame for the Holocaust?
Modern examples of genocides and the reasons behind them

Summer 1

(April - May)

The Industrial Revolution

What is meant by an Industrial Revolution?
What was the impact of British entrepreneurs?
What were working conditions like for children and adults?
What was the living conditions like in British towns?

South Africa

The Scramble for Africa
The Boer War and the development of Apartheid
Nelson Mandela and the fight for freedom

Immigration

Who immigrated to the UK and when?
Why did certain groups move to the UK?
What were the experiences of migrant groups?
What impact has empire immigration had?

The Cold War

What was the Cold War and why did it start?
How significant was the Cold War?
What were the Hot spots of the war?
How were the Cold War leaders interpreted?

Summer 2

(June - July)

The Suffragettes

How was Britain ruled in 1900?
What was the position of women?
How did women get the vote?
Were the suffragettes right to use violence?

Winning the Vote

What was wrong with democracy in 1820?
Was Britain close to a revolution?
How did men gain the right to vote?
What is democracy like today?

The Decline and Legacy of the Empire

Why did British influence over the empire decline?
What is the British Empire's legacy?

Terrorism

What is terrorism?
What is the difference between a Freedom Fighter and a Terrorist?
Should governments negotiate with terrorists?
Can terrorism itself be justified?
Case Study 1: Al Qaeda
Caste Study 2: IRA
How significant has terrorism been on your local environment/ community?

Trips

Black Country Museum, Dudley