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Humanities

Head of Faculty: Mrs O'Donovan and Miss Ahearn
email: aon@denefield.org.uk and lan@denefield.org.uk 

The Humanities faculty teaches Geography and History from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 5, and Religious Studies from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4.

This page provides:

  • intent statements for all subjects
  • course content overview for all subject
  • information on extra-curricular clubs and visits.

If you require further information regarding our curriculum please contact the Head of Faculty as detailed above.

Curriculum and assessment maps can be accessed below.

Humanities faculty curriculum intent

History curriculum intent statement
Our History curriculum aims to make history meaningful for all students by enabling them to understand historical events and to relate history to their lives in the 21st Century. All history students will study history though enquiry questions. These questions cover a broad depth of history and focus on Britain, Europe and the wider world. Students understand the diverse experiences of people in the past, throughout the world. Embedded within this, students learn to use historical sources and interpretations to reach their own conclusions about the past. They will be able to communicate historical evidence and opinions in rigorous and creative ways. Ultimately, the intent of the history curriculum is to be engaging with a depth of knowledge and to equip students with essential critical skills in making decisions.

Geography curriculum intent statement
Our Geography curriculum is designed to create good, well rounded global citizens by increasing student’s awareness and understanding of the world around them. It will enable them to grasp both human and physical aspects, and the growing interconnections between them. Topics will develop curiosity of different locations, cultures and scenarios through the use of open-ended enquiry questions. Students will learn to answer these using relevant, specific up to date resources whilst being empathetic to individuals and organisation, some of which they would not have experienced. Students will learn transferable skills and apply knowledge from other subjects to complete industry equivalent enquiry questions. Students will learn to make decisions and assess how they are impacting our environment in order to positively contribute to the wider world.

Religious Studies
Our Religious Studies curriculum aims to make the study of religions, belief systems and worldviews meaningful to all students by enabling them to understand the religious and non-religious belief systems and worldviews that are represented in the local community and the wider world and relate these to their own views and beliefs. All students will study a mixture of focussed units, which will take one religion as their main focus, and thematic units focussed upon how religion affects believers' responses and interactions with the wider community in relation to specific issues. Embedded within this, students will learn how to interpret and respond to key religious teachings and texts to understand how divergent interpretations occur. They will also be able to understand the purpose and impact of religious practices and traditions and communicate knowledge coherently showing tolerance, empathy and understanding of views which are different to their own. Ultimately, the intent of the Religious Studies curriculum is to be engaging while still providing depth of knowledge and essential critical skills in analysis, interpretation and evaluation.

Detailed curriculum intent statements can be accessed here.  

Course Overviews

Course overviews

History Key Stage 3

Throughout each topic, students are taught a range of skills including source inference and interpretations.

Year 7

  • How have migrants shaped the British Isles?
  • Anglo-Saxons and Normans
  • How successful were the Mediaeval Monarchs at keeping control?
  • Why have interpretations of Tudors changed over time?
  • To what extent was the ECW a shift from Monarchy to Parliament?

Year 8

  • Reading and it’s link to slavery
  • Civil Rights in the USA and South Africa
  • WW1
  • Inter war years
  • WW2 – life on the Homefront

Year 9

  • WW2 – warfare
  • Holocaust
  • LGBTQI+

History Key Stage 4 - Edexcel

  • Paper 1 - Crime and Punishment
  • Paper 2 - Anglo-Saxons and Normans & American West
  • Paper 3 - The USA, 1954-1975

History Key Stage 5 – Edexcel

  • Paper 1 – In Search of the American Dream, 1917-1996
  • Paper 2 – South Africa, 1948-1994
  • Paper 3 – Poverty and Public Health, c1780-1939
  • Paper 4 – Coursework (NEA)

Geography Key Stage 3
Throughout each topic, students are taught a range of skills including map skills and how to conduct fieldwork.

Year 7

  • How can I investigate our local geography?
  • What skills does a geographer need?
  • Why is the UK at risk from weather hazards?
  • How can we close the development gap?
  • How have physical processes shaped the UK?

Year 8

  • Coasts
  • Developing world
  • Weather
  • Fantastic places
  • Conflict

Year 9

  • Global development
  • China
  • Resource management
  • Fragile enfironments
  • Africa

Geography Key Stage 4 – Edexcel A
Students are taught and assessed on the whole specification

Geography Key Stage 5 – Edexcel
Students are taught and assessed on the whole specification

Religious Studies Key Stage 3

Year 7

  • What is religion?
  • Buddhism
  • Christianity
  • Sikhism

Year 8

  • Islam
  • Hinduism
  • New world religions
  • Judaism

Year 9

  • Ethics
  • Philosophy

Religious Studies Key Stage 4 – OCR
Students study Christianity, Islam as well as Religion, Philosophy and Ethics in the modern world from a religious perspective

Recovery curriculum information can be accessed for History can be found here.

Recovery curriculum information can be accessed for Religious Studies can be found here.

Extra-curricular clubs and visits organised by the Humanities faculty

Year 7        Windsor visit – Geography fieldwork and Windsor Castle

Year 10      Rushall Farm visit – Geography rivers fieldwork

Year 11      Bristol visit – Geography urban fieldwork

QI Club run by Mrs O'Connell