The Humanities faculty is housed throughout A Block. The faculty is proud of its focus on an active and student-centred environment. Learning is focused on a variety of activities that seek to push the thinking skills of each individual. In Year 7 and Year 8, students undertake an integrated Humanities Curriculum which includes related units on Geography, History and RE. This provides a coherent experience for students, especially as they are starting at the school, whilst the focus in lessons is on students taking ownership for their own learning. This is enhanced by the experience of having a single teacher who has a better understanding of how to push each student towards their own personal targets.
Overview of KS3
The focus in Key Stage 3 is very much on the students being engaged in a number of active learning scenarios, where they investigate the relevance and importance of Humanities on their own lives. Students are encouraged to look at the world around them and analyse how and why the world is the way it is and understand their own role and choices within it. In Year 7 and 8, each teacher takes responsibility for teaching all three Humanities subjects to their class, whilst in year 9 there is a separation of subjects in preparation for GCSE examinations. In all cases, students experience a total of 10 hours of teaching per fortnight.
There is a significant emphasis placed on literacy in lessons, with a regular focus on creative writing and comprehension tasks in the context of Humanities issues. Students are asked to review and improve their approach, with support given by teachers.
Students undertake termly Homework Projects for which they take full responsibility. These projects are designed to give the students ownership of all aspects of their work from their own selected title, to their research and their method of presentation. Students are expected to show Literacy, Numeracy, Creative and ICT skills and a major role is to communicate with friends, family, neighbours and the local community in designing and adapting the project. Projects titles for students to investigate include: “Is there more hate or love in the world?”, “Will we ever achieve equal rights?” and “Has technology had more of a positive or negative effect on society?”
A thriving student-led club, “Soul Space”, supports this questioning and independent approach. It meets once a week, with students discussing a range of moral and spiritual issues. “The Rainbow Room”, now a very well- established club, is an LGBTQ+ group of all years, whose focus is inclusivity, charity and equality. Everyone is welcome and there is an open, friendly and supportive atmosphere. Participants undertake a variety of activities, including organising the next fundraising or representation event, hearing from internal and external speakers, sharing ideas and supporting one another.
What will be studied in Year 7
Geography units include map skills, Urbanisation, Hydrology, India and Economic Activity. In History lessons, students investigate the Middle Ages, study a unit on the Black Peoples of the Americas and evaluate the Role of Women throughout history. Religious Education includes a study of Christianity and Religion in the UK today.
What will be studied in Year 8
All units in Year 8 look to build upon the skills, knowledge and understanding of Year 7. In Geography, studies include Population, Tourism and Ecosystems. In History, key topics include the Tudors and Stuarts, The Industrial Revolution and a study of the history of USA. This has included an evaluation of change and continuity and an investigation into the significance of events and individual leaders. RE topics include investigations into the Environment and Animal Rights, finding truth with a focus on bible stories and Buddhism. Students are encouraged to widen and develop their understanding of the world, and its people, as well as reflecting upon their own lifestyles, beliefs and hopes for the future.
What will be studied in Year 9
In Geography lessons, students focus on Russia, World Development, Weather and Globalisation, and focus on Extreme Environments with a focus on increasing knowledge of issues at a local, national and global scale, as well as developing the core geographical skills of research, data presentation and analysis.
In History lessons, the focus is on the 20th Century and its significance for the modern world. This includes the potential positives and negatives of warfare on humanity, and the clash of democracy and dictatorship as ideologies. The focus is on understanding and evaluating cause and effect and the relationship between individuals and greater society.
The Year 9 RE course is based on three core issues: 'Has Science got all of the answers?', 'Why is there evil and suffering in the world?' and ‘Moral Issues'. Students are encouraged to increase their knowledge and understanding of the world and its people, as well as reflecting upon their own lifestyles, beliefs and opinions.
Overview of KS4
Students can opt for single or combined options of Geography, History or RE at GCSE, and lessons continue to be active.
All students also take part in discrete non-examined RE and Citizenship lessons. RE lessons encourage the students to further investigate moral and philosophical issues, whilst Citizenship lessons focus on students considering their own place in society and the ways they can both contribute and benefit from it.
GEOGRAPHY - GCSE
Examination Board:
WJEC Eduqas GCSE in Geography B
Our aim through this course, as well as helping our students to gain good grades, is to equip them with a wide variety of skills and knowledge to help them to understand and challenge modern day social, economic and environmental issues. Many of our students continue their study of Geography into post-16 education at North Hereford and Ludlow College, Hereford Sixth Form College and Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, as well as into higher education establishments across the country.
Course content:
The content of the specification is organised into three broad themes:
Theme 1: Changing Places - Changing Economies
Theme 2: Changing Environments
Theme 3: Environmental Challenges
Within each theme, learners will be encouraged to take an enquiry approach to a range of contemporary geographical and environmental issues. Students will be given the opportunity to represent geographical data using a range of cartographical and graphical techniques whilst exploring the content of each component. They will be given the opportunity to analyse a variety of maps, graphs, photographs and data sets.
Assessment:
Paper 1: Investigating Geographical Issues Written Examination: 1 hour 45 minutes - 40% of qualification
Paper 2: Problem Solving Geography Written Examination: 1 hour 30 minutes - 30% of qualification
Paper 3: Applied Fieldwork Enquiry Written Examination: 1 hour 30 minutes - 30% of qualification
HISTORY GCSE
Examination Board:
OCR History B (SHP)
Course Content:
Students are challenged to consider and form judgements on historical topics. They will evaluate sources, investigate and debate key issues and apply historical themes to the world today.
There is a wide range of British and World Studies with both depth and thematic studies:
“Punish, Protect or Prevent: Will we ever find the right answer?”
British Thematic Study: Crime & Punishment 1250-Present.
“Ludlow: Back to the Beginning”
British Depth Study: The Elizabethans 1580-1603
History Around Us: An Evaluation of Ludlow Castle as a historical site
“Myths and Realities: Freedom makers or Freedom breakers?”
World Period Study: The Making of the USA 1789-1900
“All that is needed for evil to conquer is for good men to do nothing”
World Depth Study: Life under Nazi Rule 1933-45
Assessment:
Paper 1: Crime and Punishment 1250-Present & The Elizabethans 1580-1603: 1 hour 45 minutes - 40% of qualification
Paper 2: Ludlow Castle: 1 hour - 20% of qualification
Paper 3: Nazis 1933-1945 & Making of USA 1789-1900: 1 hour 45 minutes - 40% of qualification
RELIGIOUS STUDIES - GCSE
Examination Board: WJEC EDUQAS (Route A)
Course Content:
The course encourages learners to develop knowledge, understanding and skills to engage in debate and discussion about life in the modern pluralistic society. This includes developing an understanding of non-religious beliefs. Students will be encouraged to develop and understand personal values and beliefs, with an emphasis on critical analysis and the ability to construct balanced and informed arguments within the context of religious, philosophical and ethical awareness.
The course includes exciting content exploring four themes and a focus on two religions – their beliefs, teachings and practices. The chosen religions are Christianity and Islam, and the four themes are as follows:
Issues of relationships
Issues of life and death
Issues of good and evil
Issues of human rights
Component 1:
For this component, learners will study four themes: Issues of Relationships; Issues of Life and Death; Issues of Good and Evil; Issues of Human Rights. Learners will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the influence of religion on individuals, communities and societies. They will be expected to support their responses using appropriate knowledge and understanding of key sources of wisdom and sacred texts. Learners will also study non-religious views, for example atheism and humanism. This component includes a lot of contentious and debatable topics.
Component 2:
Learners must know, understand the basis for beliefs, teachings and practices. References to relevant sources of wisdom and authority are expected, including scripture and/or sacred texts. Trinity, Incarnation, Atonement and Resurrection to name a few, are examples of topics studied in regards to Christianity.
Component 3:
Learners must know, understand the basis for beliefs, teachings and practices. References to relevant sources of wisdom and authority are expected, including scripture and/or sacred texts.
Tawhid, Prophethood, Halal (permitted), Haram (forbidden), Greater/ Lesser Jihad and The Mosque to name a few, are examples of topics studied in regards to Islam.
Assessment:
Component 1: Religious, Philosophical and Ethical Studies in the Modern World: 2 hours - 50% of qualification
Component 2: Study of Christianity: 1 hour - 25% of qualification
Component 3: Study of a World Faith (Islam): 1 hour - 25% of qualification
Staffing:
Mr Graeme Sampson (Head of Humanities)
Mr Steve Benbow (History)
Mr Bryn Faulkner (SENCO) (Geography)
Mrs Leah Merrick (RE)
Mrs Zoe Turner (CLT) (Geography)
Mr Daniel Webb (CLT) (Geography)