Humanities

All pupils study both History and Geography and are set weekly homework tasks that enhance and extend their learning. There are different topics in each subject delivered during the year, all of which are connected to young people’s lives today; for example the unit on World War One asks how and why it should be remembered, and Geography lessons about the world’s billionaires encourage students to consider how they can contribute to a global society. The entire programme of study helps to prepare students for the demands of GCSE courses. Students learn in a variety of ways that challenge their intellect and curiosity.

The Humanities curriculum is well balanced and meets the needs of all students, with exams at the end of the course.

Geography (GCSE Specification)

Students in GCSE Geography follow the AQA Geography specification. The course is divided into 3 main papers; Living with the Physical Environment (paper 1) worth 35% of the overall GCSE Challenges in the Human Environment (paper 2) worth 35% of the overall GCSE, and Geographical Skills (paper 3) worth 35% of the overall GCSE.

Students develop an ability to gain an understanding of the world around them and how they can impact it on a variety of scales. For example, students look at climate change on a global scale and the impact of litter within Birmingham. During the course students build strengths in application of map reading skills, reading and application of graphs, inference from photos, application of knowledge, using specific case study locational information, written and verbal debates and developing problem solving solutions.

The physical side of the course is found in Paper 1 including “Natural Hazards”. Students learn about the structure of the earth, plate tectonic theory and two contrasting natural disasters (Haiti 2010 and Japanese Tsunami 2011). Not only this, but students look at weather hazards, including those that impact the UK and tropical storms (Tropical Storm Haiyan that hit the Philippians in 2013). “Physical Landscapes in the UK”, includes the processes and features that occur within rivers and along the coast. The students apply their knowledge to two case studies one local (The River Severn) and one further afield (Holderness Coast). Finally, “Living World” is a popular topic within paper 1, where students study Tropical Rainforests and Hot Deserts. Both areas include key characteristics including climate, location, plant and animal adaptations and students explore the opportunities and challenges humans have within these areas.

The first topic in paper 2 “Urban issues and challenges” requires students to investigate Rio De Janierio (Brazil) and Birmingham. Students will examine the reasons for growth, the opportunities for the cities and the comparative challenges found within cities of that size. A second topic “Economic World” includes the study of a Newly Emerging Economy of Nigeria. Students consider the challenges Nigeria faces to improve in wealth and how Shell Oil are impacting its growth. The topic then moves to the UK and the economic changes the UK has gone through over time including improvements to transport, changes in population and employment structure. Finally, “Resource Management” where students research the issues with food water and energy supply globally and within the UK. Students put their problem-solving skills to the test to develop solutions to food crisis around the world.

Students will be required to undertake a fieldtrip in both a human and physical environment to prepare for their geographical skills exam. This takes place in Weymouth where students will undertake a coastal study and an investigation in Birmingham (supporting their knowledge and understanding of a local area).

The knowledge, attributes and skills students learn in Geography are seen favourably by employers and higher education locations. Geography lends subject specific careers including Cartographer, Climate Change Analyst, Climatologist, Emergency Management Specialist, Geomorphologist, Geospatial analyst, GIS specialist, Hydrologist, Location analyst, Meteorologist, Pollution Analyst, Remote Sensing Analyst, Soil Conservationist, Surveyor, Town planner and Water conservation officer. However, it also lends itself to other careers and is well placed with many other A Levels including, Maths, English, Science, History, Languages, Art and Design and Engineering.

History (Edexcel)

The GCSE History syllabus enthuses and engages students and staff alike. The GCSE History course provides great variety in the topics that students cover and builds on some of the content that makes up the Year 9 curriculum. Students will learn a lot about British and European history that will help them to understand the modern world. They will also learn how to argue their case effectively, use evidence and question the views of others.

There are a broad range of fascinating topics from very different historical periods that will appeal to all students. The history of medicine from the Black Death to the present day is the focus of one unit, alongside a detailed study of the trenches of World War I and the impact they had on medicine and health. Another period to be covered in detail is that of Elizabethan England, at a time described as the ‘golden age’. Germany, the role of Hitler and the Nazis, forms the basis of another unit, and the final topic covers settlement of the American West and conflict with native American Indians.

This course gives students the opportunity to develop their ability to: Develop their own arguments and ideas, based on evidence. The ability to take a critical view of information and assess where it is from and why it has been published is also a key element to the course. Students’ communication skills are also developed in history, from completing exam answers and essays to presentations and discussions.

AS and A Level Geography (AQA)

A Level builds on skills and knowledge learnt at GCSE Geography to excite students’ minds, challenge perceptions and stimulate their investigate and analytical skills. Topics reflect the world today but also include popular topics including Natural hazards and population. Students are expected to build synoptic links across different areas of Geography; for example, looking at the impact the Eyjafjallajökull Volcanic eruption in 2010 had on the globalisation and movement of goods and services around the world. The develop an understanding of the human and physical processes putting more in-depth theory into world-wide examples on a variety scale (including time and spatial).

Paper 1 includes the Physical Geography aspect of the course, worth 40% of the A level and include a range of questions from short answer to extended prose.

The topic of “Water and Carbon Cycles” focus on the major stores at or near the Earth’s surface, looking at the relationships within them. “Coastal systems and landscapes” build on concepts at GCSE and focuses on coastal zones and the processes which drive them, including wind, wave, currents, terrestrial and marine sediments. Students foster an informed appreciation of the beauty and diversity of coasts and their importance as human habitats. Finally, students explore the origin and nature of “Hazards” and the various ways in which people respond to them. In this topic students can develop observational skills, measurement, and geospatial mapping skills. Within each aspect of physical Geography, the students are asked to contemplate the magnitude and significance of the concept on a variety of scales and their relevance to wider Geography.

Paper 2 focuses on the Human Geography where students discover the concept of “Global Systems and Governance”, “Changing Places” and “Population and the Environment”, this is paper is also worth 40% of the A level and includes a range of questions from short answer to extended prose.

“Global Systems and Governance” focuses on globalisation and the economic, political, and social changes associated with the factors that drive it. Students contemplate the complex dimensions of contemporary world affairs and link their own place and perspective on them. “Changing Places” focuses on people’s engagement with their places, their experiences of them and the qualities they ascribe. Students acknowledge the importance and develop an understanding of how they experience them. They study two contrasting places including a local area and a distant one. Finally, “Population and the Environment” students explore the relationship between key aspects of physical Geography, population numbers, population health and wellbeing as well as economic development and the natural environment- providing synoptic links between various topics.

To develop students investigative and Geographical skills the final 20% of the course is includes a “Non-Examined Fieldwork Investigation”, marked by teachers of roughly 3,000-4,000 words. Students will spend the summer term of year 12 planning and developing their investigation and the summer holidays conducting data collection and research to complete analysis and conclusion on their return in year 13. Students have independence to choose a topic and are supported within lesson and a two-day fieldwork trip to Weymouth.

AS and A Level History (AQA)

A Level History at Arrow Vale will offer students an understanding to assess some of the most significant events, people, and changes of the last 200 years. Students will learn about the past in a variety of ways including collaborative work such as debates and presentations. Throughout the course students will be expected to analyse the events of the past, evaluate a variety of opinions about what happened as well as suggest and defend their own interpretations.

Unit 1— The British Empire, c1857–1967

This option allows students to study in breadth issues of change, continuity, cause and consequence in this period through the following key questions: Why did the British Empire grow and contract? What influenced imperial policy? What part did economic factors play in the development of the British Empire? How did the Empire influence British attitudes and culture? How did the indigenous peoples respond to British rule? How important was the role of key individuals and groups and how were they affected by developments?

Unit 2— The Cold War, c1945–1991

This option provides for the study in depth of the evolving course of international relations during an era of tension between communist and capitalist powers which threatened nuclear Armageddon. It explores concepts such as communism and anti-communism, aggression and détente and also encourages students to reflect on the power of modern military technology, what hastens confrontation and what forces promote peace in the modern world.

Non-Examined Assessment (NEA)

Students will undertake a personal study, comprising a taught course as well as their own in-depth research to write an extended essay of 4500 words. This will focus on the Tudor time period, one of the most famous dynasties in English history, but the students’ devise their own essay question on a particular area they are passionate about.

There are regular trips and visits by Humanities students across all years and throughout the year. Recent trips have included a Geography field trip to Weymouth, and a History trip to the trench battlefields of northern France.

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Humanities subjects are all heavily focussed on people and their relationships and as such we are well placed to contribute to students’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural education. In every lesson across the Faculty, students are expected either to consider the needs and experiences of others, or their own personal responses to events, problems and changes. Teachers in Humanities encourage students to discuss and debate controversy outside the classroom. At times this is in a formal setting like educational visits or homework, but also, we expect the study of Humanities subjects to affect positively the way students live their daily lives. We encourage young people to enquire, consider and question in lessons and beyond.

Moral decisions by individuals, governments and societies are central to the study of the Holocaust or globalisation, for example, both topics that students consider throughout their time in the Faculty. There is an open and safe learning environment across the Faculty which allows students to express their views. Spiritual development is encouraged regularly by providing pupils opportunities to appreciate intangible concepts. The idea of truth is central to all History lessons that use sources. Order and beauty, and differing interpretations of these, also form a part of GCSE and AS History when assessing propaganda. Being inspired and awed by the world around us is also a key facet of the study of Geography, and one that is explicitly promoted through the study of Tectonics, Coasts, and World Cities throughout the Key Stages. Cultural appreciation and understanding is fundamental to learning in Humanities. Students are presented with authentic accounts of cultures as diverse as Sudan, Vietnam, Russia, China, Kenya, Brazil, and Ireland to name a few examples across the Key Stages. The contribution of different cultures to human development and progress is also explored and studied in both Humanities subjects.

Humanities subjects are all heavily focussed on people and their relationships and as such we are well placed to contribute to students’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural education. In every lesson across the Faculty, students are expected either to consider the needs and experiences of others, or their own personal responses to events, problems and changes. Teachers in Humanities encourage students to discuss and debate controversy outside the classroom. At times this is in a formal setting like educational visits or homework, but also, we expect the study of Humanities subjects to affect positively the way students live their daily lives. We encourage young people to enquire, consider and question in lessons and beyond.

Spiritual Development in History

• A sense of curiosity is central to the study of History at Arrow Vale and is strongly encouraged by the staff. Lessons adapt according to students’ current knowledge and thirst for more.
• A strong feature of History lessons is encouragement pupils receive from each other as well as from their teachers in relating their learning to a wider frame of reference by persistently asking ‘how’? and ‘why?’.
• Spiritual development is encouraged regularly by providing pupils opportunities to appreciate intangible concepts. The idea of truth is central to all History lessons that use sources. Order and beauty, and differing interpretations of these, also form a part of GCSE History when assessing Nazi government and propaganda.

Moral Development in History

• History lends itself well to supporting the moral education and development of young people. Whole school assemblies led by the History staff encourage students to reflect on their personal values, principles and actions, in the light of historical events and commemorations.
• Moral decisions by individuals, governments and societies are central to the study of the Holocaust or globalisation, for example, both topics that students consider in all three phases of their time in the Faculty.

Social Development in History

• Students’ ability to exercise leadership and demonstrate responsibility is promoted through team learning activities in many History lessons. Sharing understanding, knowledge and ideas is crucial in order that students make informed, well-reasoned arguments that are based on fact. The staff regularly employ a range of strategies and activities to facilitate these discussions and collaborations.
• The A Level History curriculum demands an understanding of the British political system and students regularly compare the key issues and debates of the 19^th and 20^thcenturies, such as education, public health and democracy, with our concerns today.

Cultural Development in History

• The History curriculum offers students opportunities to express their opinions and communicate their knowledge in varied ways from Years 9 to 13.
• The contribution of different cultures to human development and progress is also assessed carefully, especially in the GCSE unit covering the History of Medicine which considers the extent of the impact that the Christian Church, the Muslim World and Ancient cultures had on the development of medicine and treatment.

Humanities subjects are all heavily focussed on people and their relationships and as such we are well placed to contribute to students’ Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural education. In every lesson across the Faculty, students are expected either to consider the needs and experiences of others, or their own personal responses to events, problems and changes. Teachers in Humanities encourage students to discuss and debate controversy outside the classroom. At times this is in a formal setting like educational visits or homework, but also, we expect the study of Humanities subjects to affect positively the way students live their daily lives. We encourage young people to enquire, consider and question in lessons and beyond.

Spiritual Development in Geography

• In Geography, we encourage spiritual development through providing opportunities for students to reflect on the wonder and fascination within the physical and human world.
• Students understand that all life is linked together and create the processes that make Earth the only inhabited planet.
• We encourage Geographers to be curious about the world in which we live and to ask questions about future events.
• A sense of the scale of different locations is constantly referred to in Geography lessons and how small changes can have far reaching consequences. For example, students question the likelihood of impacts of global temperature change and how we would have to adapt our lives to survive.
• When on site during fieldwork students develop the ability to assess the impact of tourism and students engaged by the beauty of the physical and human environment.

Moral Development in Geography

• Moral questions are important in all topics that we study in Geography at Arrow Vale. We investigate the impacts of Deforestation in the Tropical Rainforest, building on greenfield and brownfield sites, the implications of Urban Sprawl on the surrounding areas, the impact of Natural Hazards on a variety of development levels.
• At A-Level Geography students study China’s attempts to reduce their population growth using the one child policy. Students discuss the successes of this, but also question whether it is morally correct and how they would feel if they were forced to live under its rules. Other examples include investigating the impact of the UKs ageing population, and the development of shanty towns in Rio De Janeiro.
• Health issues around the world forms part of a contemporary topic in A-Level Geography and addresses many moral issues. Students discover the ways in which tobacco companies target children in poor parts of the world with their products and explore the right and wrongs of this exploitation.
• Students understand the ability to manage different strategies differently and the appropriateness for each country.

Social Development in Geography

• Social issues and the needs of different groups of people are also common themes that are explicitly recognised on a regular basis such as the need to create a sustainable society.
• At KS3 and KS4 students look at the impact of migration including push and pull factors.
• At KS5 students investigate the impact of immigration in the UK and the wider world including the views of asylum seekers and refugees to develop compassion. The conflict in Afghanistan is thoroughly debated during Year 13 Geography. Students discover the key issues of the conflict and explore whether they think British involvement is necessary, helping them to understand key issues in the world.
• Students’ leadership and initiative is developed in the classroom, through debate and opinion-based activities encouraging all students to voice and listen to each other. During fieldwork tasks students take on roles and responsibilities during group tasks and working together to write up their data collection. Working with members of the general public require the A Level geography pupil to be polite and courteous.

Cultural Development in Geography

• Understanding different cultures is a key part of Geography at Arrow Vale, where we look at how different cultures and beliefs can impact a variety of issues such as the improvement of the favelas, the impacts on birth control, the delivery and reliance upon aid and the impact of Trans-National Corporations (such a (Coca-Cola and Shell) in Low Income Countries.
• In both year 9 and GCSE Geography, students explore the concept of migration. Lessons are spent discovering why people migrate and why this is necessary for refugees. The topics help to give students a greater awareness of such a current issue.
• At GCSE students look at a variety of different places including Brazil, Japan, Australia and the UK and are introduced to their customs and traditions allowing pupils to develop their humility and understanding of a global community.
• On a local scale students study Birmingham and how the impact of migration has changed the cultural mix of the city. Students can appreciate the benefits this has had on their everyday lives and their world around them.