Humanities

We aim:

• To enhance children's quality of learning through the effective delivery of the Geography, History, and Religious Education curricula.
• To raise attainment by creating a target-orientated culture based on the enhancement of self-esteem.
• To have consistently high expectations and match these with high quality resources and learning strategies.
• To provide a range of educational experiences appropriate to the age, ability and needs of our students.
• To manage resources to ensure maximum benefit.
• To adopt a philosophy of continuous improvement in all aspects of the delivery of all subjects within the curriculum area.

Knowledge and understanding of human behaviour, its consequences for other humans and the world they inhabit are important to all students in understanding the world in which we live.

The Humanities subjects develop subject specific knowledge in History, Geography and Religious Studies. To add to this, the study of Humanities subjects allows development of many skills. Some examples are listed below.

• You can understand what motivates people, what they think and feel...
• You are able to gather and read different kinds of information.
• You are able to look carefully at this information and can check it for bias or propaganda.
• You can read maps, graphs and other diagrams.
• You are able to communicate clearly and have learned to express yourself verbally and on paper.
• You understand religious, spiritual, cultural and moral issues.
• You are able to communicate clearly and effectively, displaying a good standard of written English.

We have a number of dedicated, professional and fully qualified staff, who are passionate about and dedicated to the subjects of History, Geography and Religious Studies.

We offer dedicated, well equipped and comfortable classrooms, equipped with interactive facilities or a projector and a wide range of quality resources, ranging from excellent detailed textbooks and artefacts to subject specific software.

We also have a dedicated Humanities ICT suite which can be utilised by any of the subjects in the curriculum area.

Key Stages 3 and 4

History

All students study History at Key Stage 3 in line with the National Curriculum.

In GCSE History students in Years 9, 10 and 11 study a "Modern World" Syllabus for the OCR Examination Group.

This involves the study of International Relations from 1919 to 2005

There will also be two depth studies undertaken which will be based on:

• Germany 1918 to 1945
• British Depth Study from the Twentieth Century

There will be two written exam papers which together will make up 75% of the marks. The other 25% of the marks will be awarded for coursework. All students will take the same exam papers and all grades (G-A*) are available.

Geography

All students study Geography at Key Stage 3 in line with the National Curriculum.

In GCSE Geography, OCR examination Syllabus 'B' is followed. It involves studies of the following topics:

1. Rivers and Coasts
2. Population and Settlement
3. Natural hazards
4. Economic Development

As part of the course there is a day's fieldwork to the Holderness Coastline where information collected will be used by you to produce a fieldwork project. This is submitted in the summer term of Year 10 and along with this you will look at a topical issue like crime rates, fashion or sports amongst others and you will have to use evidence to reach a conclusion. This is submitted in the Autumn term of Year 10. Together these make up 25% of your final grade.

Students also sit a Sustainable Decision Making Exercise paper, where you will receive information produced by the examination board three weeks in advance, and will have to make a decision based on the information provided. This paper also gives you 25% of your final grade. There is one final examination which tests knowledge and understanding of the four topics above. This is worth 50% of your final grade.

Religious Studies

All students study Religious Studies in Key stage 3 in line with the Locally Agreed Syllabus, the non-statutory National framework and the updated Curriculum 2008.

At GCSE students study the WJEC GCSE Specification B, Option B. In Year 9 students study Religion and Human Experience which includes:

• Religion and Conflict
• Authority, Religion and the State
• Religious Expression
• Religion and Medical Ethics

In Year 10, students study Religion and Life Issues which includes:

• Relationships
• Is it fair?
• Looking for meaning
• Our World

There is no coursework element to Religious Studies. It is assessed by two examinations, each worth 50% of the total marks.

Key Stage 5:

History:

IB:

This can be studied at both Standard and Higher level.

• Rise and rule of single party states, looking at Hitler, Mao and Stalin. How they got to power and what life was like for people under them
• Causes, practices and effects of war, focussing on WW1, WW2 and the Spanish Civil War
• The Arab-Israeli conflict 1947-197
• A History of the Americas, focusing on the Cold War in the C20th and Slavery

A-Level:

• A history of the Middle East, 1048-2002
• The Civil War and Interregnum 1637-1660
• American Civil rights
• Nazis and the Volksgemeinschaft (Coursework)

Geography:

IB:

This can be studied at both Standard and Higher level, with most of our students selecting to study at Higher level.

The course is structured into three knowledge areas, which vary depending on the level studied. That allows students to investigate a range of topical units. Each of these elements is examined at the end of the course. Further to the final exams a piece of internal assessment is undertaken in which a residential fieldwork trip is used, to collect data, about sand dune succession for the assessment write up. Other fieldwork trips may be available to support learning in the classroom throughout the course.

Part of the course

Content

The core

Both Standard and Higher Students will study this

• Population in Transition
• Disparities in Wealth and Development
• Patterns in Environmental Quality and Sustainability
• Patterns in Resource Consumption

Option units

• The Geography of Food and Health
• Urban Environments
• Hazards and Disasters (Higher only)
• Freshwater - Issues and Conflicts (Higher only)

Global interactions (Higher only)

• Globalisation of economic activity
• The 'shrinking word'

A-Level:

Geography at A Level is a varied course that allows students to further develop in-depth knowledge about both human and physical Geography. Fieldwork is integrated into the course to support learning. The A2 level allows students to develop more in-depth and independent research into various areas of Geography, considering contemporary issues and ideas. Each element is examined in either a January or June of each year.

Part of the course

Content

AS

G1 - Changing Physical Environments

• Investigating climate change
• Investigating tectonic and hydrological change

G2 - Changing Human Environments

• Investigating population change
• Investigating settlement change

A2

G3 - Contemporary Themes and Research in Geography

• Section A: you will study two units: Coasts and Development
• Section B: you will have the opportunity to research a pre-issued topic area from one of ten research themes.

G4 Sustainability

• Pre-released material will be issued to you to explore and examine on a range of different topics. You will work through the resource folder and use classroom work in the assessment to make decisions about the specific topic.

Philosophy:

IB:

This can be studied at both Higher and Standard level, with most of our students selecting to study at Higher level.

• What is a human being?
• Theories and problems of Ethics - Principles for moral action - normative ethics, The nature of moral judgment - meta-ethics and Applied ethics
• Philosophy of Religion
• Meditations by Rene Descartes
• Philosophy of Religion
• Political Philosophy - Civil society, the state and government, Liberty and Rights and Justic
• Unseen text - exploring philosophical activity.

These elements are assessed by 2 exams at Standard level and 3 exams at Higher level and one piece of coursework.

A-Level:

Philosophy at A-level covers the same content as at IB level but the areas are grouped together differently.

• An introduction to Philosophy 1
• An introduction to Philosophy 2
• Key Themes in Philosophy
• Philosophical problems

These elements are all assessed by exam which can be sat in either January or June.

Theory of Knowledge (ToK)

IB:

Theory of Knowledge (ToK) is a core element within the Diploma Programme. It encourages critical thinking about knowledge itself, to try to help young people make sense of what they encounter. Its core contents are questions like: What counts as knowledge? How does it grow? Who owns knowledge? What are the implications of having, or not having knowledge?

The ToK course is divided into two sections. The first section covers ways of knowing and within this section students examine knowledge, sense perception, language, reason and emotion. The second section covers areas of knowledge which includes mathematics, natural sciences, human sciences, history, the arts and ethics. ToK is assessed by a 1,600 word essay on a prescribed title and a presentation.

Critical Thinking:

AS Level:

Critical Thinking is studied as part of the core programme for A-levels. It incorporates skills that will be extremely useful for the Extended project such as evaluating arguments, evidence and counter arguments as well as skills required for all other subjects that you study at AS and A Level.

Unit 1 is an introduction to:

• Identifying reasoning
• Analysing and evaluating argument
• Responding to argument
• Presenting argument

Unit 2 is comprised of:

• An application of critical skills to the assessment of information and data, and to drawing inferences.
• An introduction of a range of skills related to understanding and using data.

History

Year 11 revision class

In March 2009, the year 11 revision trip took a different slant. Instead of the annual outing to watch a performance called 'Hitler on Trial, in which Hitler is put on trial for starting the war and students weigh up arguments for and against his guilt, it was decided to attend a revision seminar organised by Key Note Education. 30 students attended the workshops, led by lead examiners from the exam boards that we use.

The workshops were intensive, covering a wide range of examinable material in the few hours they were there. Students were also provided with an invaluable pack of revision resources to use in and out of the classroom.

The students felt that the day was incredibly beneficial and they felt that it would help them secure their desired grades from their June exams.

Humanities in general

Students also at Key Stage 3 have the opportunity to take part in the Magistrates Mock Trial which is a national competition. This competition allows students to take on the roles of solicitors, witnesses and magistrates and it prepares them by developing skills required for later life. Participation in this competition has allowed our students to develop personally as individuals who have a good understanding of the law and how it protects and reforms society. It has also allowed our students to develop their ability to collaborate with others and it has allowed them to develop their organisational skills. Our students have also been able to develop their skills of presentation and public speaking which has allowed them to build their confidence and it has enabled them to be better prepared to play a fuller part in society.

Geography

The Geography department also runs an excellent Geography club for Key Stage 3, known as 'Geoexplorers'. This has involved much learning outside the classroom, with students taking part in activities such as exploding volcanoes and map reading.

At Key Stage 4 Geography GCSE students will undertake a one day visit to the coast to complete their Geography GCSE field investigation which is worth 15% of their GCSE grade. Pupils will develop their skills in collecting data including field sketches, profiling and analysing beach gradients. The focus of the investigation will change annually, based on the exam board criteria which can range from looking at the structure of the coastline to management and sustainability.

The study of Humanities subjects lets you develop skills which could lead to many different career choices. Some examples of careers you could choose are:-

Accountancy, Administration, Archaeology, Architecture, Barrister, Broadcasting, Civil Service, Diplomatic Service, Drama Theatre and the Performing Arts, Education, Environment and Conservation, Finance, Information Management, Media, Teaching, Public Relations, Journalist, Legal Executive, Police, Politics, Publishing, Sales and Marketing, Solicitor, Tourism, Town Planning, TV Researchers, Lawyers.......

Humanities qualifications are accepted by almost all employers and universities as the wide range of skills and knowledge provided allows the student to develop as an individual. Most universities offer History, Geography and Religious Studies courses.