HUMANITIES
History
“The aim of the historian, like that of the artist, is to enlarge our picture of the world, to give us a new way of looking at things.” (James Joll)
We engage and inspire every student to achieve their potential and to fire their curiosity. As much as possible, history at South Chingford Foundation School is related to current day issues to remind students of its relevance and that history is very capable of repeating itself.
All learners will design their own enquiries through source based investigation so as to become lifelong learners. History helps students develop the skills to look beyond the headlines, to ask questions properly, and to express their own opinions.
We have high expectations of all our students, pushing them to reach their maximum potential to become critical thinkers and independent learners. This can be demonstrated by the era that is covered at Key Stage 3; from 450,000 years ago all the way through to the Cold War. We believe that preparation for GCSEs is important at Key Stage 3, but so is acquiring an overview of world history to understand the world we are in now as well as ourselves.
The highest academic results are expected by the history department, yet students are also encouraged to develop other skills such as debating, and to connect events from the past to wider ideas that society engages with, such as progress in engineering through the study of the 1851 Great Exhibition to the culmination of our own 2051 version.
Additionally, history is a very popular choice at KS4 and we have chosen the specification to engage and inspire our students in particular the Britain, Migration and its People aspect from 790c to now. During students’ exam years they are pushed to achieve beyond their target grade through targeted revision sessions, resources and interventions. Home learning is set every week that addresses a range of skills.
All students at South Chingford Foundation School are invited to enjoy in the excitement of history with organised visits to places such as the World War I battlefields and various exhibitions in London, which instil respect and awe for the contributions and sacrifices of earlier generations.
Unit guide breakdowns and knowledge organisers for Years 7 to 11 can be downloaded from the list below.
Overview programme of study KS3
Overview programme of study KS4 shortened version
Overview programme of study KS4
Commonly Misspelled Words in History
Geography
Geography is taught to all pupils in Years 7-8 and it is very much seen as a GCSE core subject. Pupils choosing GCSE courses at South Chingford are now encouraged to include courses which will enable them to achieve Ebacc as part of their Key Stage 4 education. Geography is a subject which can form part of the Ebacc. It is a solid academic subject and well respected by universities and employers alike.
Geography helps you to make sense of the world around you. It is hands on, it is relevant and it is fun. The current GCSE course is a good mix of topics such as urban issues, tourism, coasts and natural hazards to name but a few. The course will give you the chance to get to grips with some of the big questions which affect our world and understand the social, economic and physical forces and processes which shape and change our world.
Geography at South Chingford is very practical with opportunities to learn new skills such as, map skills, interpreting photographs, fieldwork skills, data prevention, role play and debating techniques.
The study of geography improves students' literacy through report writing and written work. Practical use is made of numeracy skills through the interpretation of data and construction of graphs, as well as improving science knowledge and understanding. Geography is the subject that cements the core subjects together and provides a global perspective.
There has never been a better time for studying geography. The skills used in geographical studies are of potential interest to a wide range of employers. Statistics show that compared with other subjects, geographers are among the most employable. Many of those leaving university with a geography degree enter three fields of employment: administration and management; marketing or financial work - geographers possess the abilities and skills that employers look for.
Psychology
As the only school within the borough of Waltham Forest to deliver GCSE Psychology we offer students a unique opportunity to study a subject that most students can only access at A level. Psychology is the ‘scientific study of the mind and behaviour,’ offering students a glimpse in the fascinating causes of human behaviour and methods of scientific research. Psychology is an extremely popular choice for key stage 4 students and is a hugely successful subject in terms of progress rates. The GCSE course is designed to prepare students for A level Psychology and enables those students to maximum their progress through Key Stage 5. The Psychology department has the highest expectations for students and incorporates the chance to take part in a ‘Psychology Masterclass’ as an extra-curricular activity. This challenges students to take their learning further than the classroom and develop their skills as an independent learner. The content of the course includes topics such as mental health, social influence, memory and neuropsychology. For further information please see the programme of study.
Links:
Commonly Misspelled Words in Psychology
