Central to the history department is the desire to see happy, contented and successful students enter and leave our classrooms. They will also be inspired and intrigued by local, national and global events, people, cultures and places. Students will have the confidence and ability to challenge ideas as well as stand up for who and what they believe in.

The history department is committed to helping the students in our care be able to make the world a fairer, kinder and better place to live. We want our students to understand the lessons of the past and base their future actions on the knowledge that they have gained. If we want students to lead lives full of wonder and exploration, we must expose them to some of the wonders and stories that already exist, and teach them how to explore whilst providing them the keys that open up the world.

The history curriculum is accessible to all, knowledge rich and enquiry based, with students given the opportunities to form their own views and opinions. We ensure that historical understanding is in place before embarking on new enquiry questions and both knowledge and skills are assessed at regular intervals. Where possible, cross curricular elements are built into enquiries in order to widen contextual understanding and knowledge. Teachers within the history department are expected to develop their own subject knowledge and are given the freedom to adapt enquiries according to both their own interests and their students. Members of the history department model positive interactions in line with the THRIVE approach when dealing with students and staff.