Thomas Becket Catholic School

Thomas Becket Catholic School

“Waging war on ignorance”

Is to paraphrase the words of Winston Churchill in 1939 when he wrote an article about the need to

defeat Fascism in Europe. In many ways it sums up perfectly the aim of our department;

  • deliver a knowledge rich curriculum
  • ensure all our students leave with a broad understanding of the key events that have shaped our modern world
  •  foster a genuine respect for the past and understand how it can be abused
  • make sure our students can differentiate between fact and opinion
  •  interrogate sources to make judgements about the reliability of information
  • understand how and why factual information about our past can and has been interpreted differently

Year 7

Year 7 Changing faiths thoughts and minds

Who were the Romans and what impact did they have on Britain?

What was the Norman Conquest?

Why did Medieval Kings and the Catholic Church fall out: the story of Becket and Henry II

What was the Renaissance?

What was the Tudor Reformation

Year 8

Year 8 A world of Revolutions: Societies and Revolutions through the ages:

What was the English Civil War and What was the outcome?

Why and how did Britain gain an empire?

What was the Slave Trade?

What was the Industrial Revolution and how did it change Britain?

Protest in 19th and 20th Century Britain—how did we become a democratic society?

Protest and Revolutions around the world: IRA, the PLO and Mandela: Terrorists or heroes?

Year 9

Year 9 (A bridging year):  A Year of Prejudice and Hate?

What was the Holocaust?

Is the USA the land of the Free?

How equal is Great Britain? How did Women get the vote?

How Equal is Great Britain?  How and why is Britain a Multi-cultural society?

Equality around the World:  What was Apartheid?

How safe was the World after World War Two – an introduction to the Cold War.

Year 10 GCSE AQA 8145GC

Cold War Conflict 1945-73—AQA GCSE

USA 1919-73—AQA GCSE

Britain: Migration Peoples and Empire AQA GCSE

Year 11 GCSE AQA 8145GC

Migration Peoples and Empire—AQA GCSE

Links to Other Subjects

Year 7 links to

RS Eastern religions Year 7 and Islam contextual knowledge for the Crusades part of Medieval Church

Year 8 RS knowledge of Renaissance supports scientific challenge to religion and religious Art module

Year 7 English—module on literature through the ages relates to various aspects of History Medieval, Renaissance Reformation and Victorians in Year 8

Year 8 links to:

RS—Year 7-unit History of the church feeds into Reformation in year 8

English—’A Christmas Carol’ / ‘Body Snatchers’ supports understanding in History of Victorians.

English—’Noughts and crosses’ links to study of empire colonialism

Geography - Urbanisation Global Issues relates to colonialism and Victorian era of industrialisation and urbanisation

Year 9 links to:

RS Peace and Conflict

RS year 9 /10 Jewish beliefs will help provide context for the Holocaust

Performing Arts—context of 5 soldiers provided by WW1 WW1 WW2 studies

Year 10 History

English ‘Of Mice and Men’ relates to study of USA in the Depression

Year 11 History

English ‘Noughts and Crosses’ with regards to racial issues relates to Migration Peoples and Empire

RE study of history or religion in Year 8 relates to Elizabeth I

History also provides context for History of technological development

PSHE

British values discussed and taught via Peasants Revolt, Civil War, Industrialisation and increased democracy through 19th century Britain