History
Overview
Why Study History?
"The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future."
– Theodore Roosevelt
– Theodore Roosevelt
History is more than dates and dusty documents. It's the study of real people, real decisions, and real consequences that have shaped our society, beliefs, and freedoms. At UBHS, we believe that understanding the past is essential to making sense of the present—and influencing the future.
As the philosopher George Santayana famously said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” By studying history, learners develop a deep understanding of how societies evolve, how conflicts arise, and how change is made. They also build vital skills—such as critical thinking, evaluating evidence, and articulating reasoned arguments—that prepare them for life beyond the classroom.
Outline of course content - History
We follow a broad and enriching curriculum from Year 7 to Year 11, covering both local history and global developments.
Year 7 – Exploring Civilisations, Parliament, Peasantry and belief
- Skipton Castle: A reflection of Britain over the past 1000 years
- The development of medicine from Ancient China to the Middle Ages
- The global impact of Viking explorations, both east and west
- Power struggles between the monarchy and the Church
- The significance of the Ottoman Empire
- Why the Tudors matter in British history
Year 8 – Revolutions
- The Reformation and its transformation of Britain
- The Enlightenment and how it shaped the modern world
- The growth of political suffrage in the UK (leading to 1928)
- The causes of the First World War
- The cultural consequences of the First World War
- Ireland’s changing identity: The First World War’s impact on Ireland
Year 9 – Conflict, Civil Rights and Change
- The Russian Revolution and its roots in WWI
- The rise of European dictators in the 1920s and 1930s
- The Holocaust (a compulsory and deeply reflective topic)
- Post-war immigration and its role in shaping modern Britain
- The legacy of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement
- The Cold War and its global impact
Years 10 & 11 – AQA GCSE History
We prepare learners for success in the AQA GCSE, studying:
- Britain: Health and the People (c.1000–present)
- Elizabethan England (c.1568–1603)
- Conflict and Tension (1918–1939)
- Germany: Democracy to Dictatorship (c.1890–1945)
"History helps me see patterns in the world – it shows that actions have consequences."
– Year 10 student
Extracurricular and Enrichment Opportunities
We enrich our curriculum with a variety of engaging activities:
- Educational visits to deepen understanding. In recent years, we’ve visited:
- Thackeray Medical Museum
- Royal Armouries
- Bradford Literature Festival
- Extra support: In Year 11, we offer weekly targeted intervention sessions to help learners reach their full potential.
- Language support: We use Bedrock to develop learners’ understanding of historical language and key terminology, helping them express themselves with precision and confidence.
A Subject That Matters
History helps learners understand identity, citizenship, power, and protest. It teaches empathy by examining the lived experiences of people from all backgrounds, cultures, and time periods.
"To study history is to participate in a long conversation between the past and the present."
– Dr. Mary Beard, historian
– Dr. Mary Beard, historian