“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Our mission of Humanities at Fearnhill School is to ensure that the students understand that the world we study is their world and that they are a part of it. We want to teach the students that they are not sitting on the side-lines of the world, but they are part of the world and if they want to see change then they can be that change and make that change.
Humanities at Fearnhill School is divided into three separate subjects: Geography, History and Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (PRE)
Key Stage Three Humanities students study three lessons of Geography and History every two weeks and two lessons of PRE.
Our mission at Key Stage Three is to provide the students the knowledge and understanding platform of all the Key Stage Four topics allowing them to then build on from this during their GCSEs. All Key Stage Four (GCSE) topics are covered in Key Stage Three.
At Key Stage Five we also offer the options of A level Psychology, Level 3 Criminology, A level Geography and A level History.
YEAR 7
Geography Topics
Where are we? Maps.
How can we feed 8 billion people? Farming and Food.
Why do the British talk about the weather? Weather and Climate.
Where do we live? Settlement.
What’s Great about Britain? UK Geography.
Can we ever stop crime? Geography and Crime.
History Topics
How did the Anglo-Saxons shape England?
How did William the Conqueror control England?
Did a medieval king have complete control?
Meanwhile elsewhere….
How Christian were the Tudors?
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (PRE) Topics
The Big questions
The Big 6
Respect
Christianity part 1
Christianity part 2
Humanism
YEAR 8
Geography Topics
Why is there inequality in the world? Development.
What makes the world go around? Trade.
Are floods natural or manmade? Rivers and Flooding.
What is the Holocene? Ecosystems and TRF.
What is Energy? Consuming Energy?
What’s my carbon footprint? Energy Sustainability.
History Topics
Why did Royal Authority collapse?
How did the Industrial Revolution change Britain?
What was life like in the British empire?
What caused the French Revolution?
How did WW1 change the world?
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (PRE) Topics
Sikhism
Introduction to Philosophy
What is a Moral issue
Islam
Martin Luther King and civil rights
Buddhism
YEAR 9
Geography Topics
How many people can our world manage? Population.
Which is better prediction or preparation? Plate Tectonics.
Why are coasts so important to people? Coasts.
Is tourism good or bad? Tourism.
Are all rocks hard? Rocks and The Rock Cycle.
History Topics
How did one man change the lives of millions? 1914-1918
Why did people vote for Hitler? 1918-1939
Why should we remember the Holocaust?
What was the impact of WW2?
How did the world change after WW2?
Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (PRE) Topics
Judaism
Extremism
Issues of life and death part 1
Issues of life and death part 2
Community Cohesion
Start of GCSE – Islamic beliefs.
KEY STAGE 4 – YEARS 10 & 11
GCSE Geography: Specification Edexcel Geography B.
The Specification covers 9 topics and includes 3 exam papers.
Content overview
Topic 1: Hazardous earth.
Topic 2: Development dynamics
Topic 3: Challenges of an urbanising world.
Topic 4: The UK’s evolving physical landscape – including sub-topics: Coastal change and conflict and river processes and pressures.
Topic 5: The UK’s evolving human landscape – including a case study: London.
Topic 6: Geographical investigations – including one physical fieldwork investigation: coastal conflict at Walton on Naze and one human fieldwork investigation: regeneration success in Stevenage.
Topic 7: People and the biosphere.
Topic 8: Forests under threat.
Topic 9: Consuming energy resources.
GCSE History: Specification AQA
Content overview
The GCSE History content comprises the following elements:
Paper 1: Understanding the modern world. Written exam: 2 hours, 50% of GCSE.
One period study: Germany, 1890–1945: democracy and dictatorship.
One thematic study: Conflict and tension: The inter-war years, 1918–1939
Paper 2: Shaping the nation. Written exam: 2 hours, 50% of GCSE.
One wider world depth study: Britain: health and the people: c1000 to the present day.
One British depth study including the historic environment: Elizabethan England, c1568–1603.
GCSE PRE: Specification AQA A
Content overview
Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teachings and practices: Christianity and Islam.
Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes.
50% of GCSE.
Component 2: Thematic studies.
Theme A: Relationships and families.
Theme B: Religion and life.
Theme E: Religion, crime and punishment.
Theme F: Religion, human rights and social justice.
Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
50% of GCSE.
KEY STAGE 5 – YEARS 12 & 13
History
Students study 2 modules which are a depth study on the Tudors 1529-1570 and a breadth study on Tsarist and Communist Russia 1855-1964. Students also have to complete a non exam assessed unit on a historical topic of their choice.
Geography
Edexcel: Unit 1 – Dynamic Landscapes (Tectonic Processes and Hazards and Coastal Landscapes and Change), Unit 2 – Dynamic Places (Globalisation and regenerating Places).
Edexcel: Unit 3 – Physical Systems and Sustainability (The water cycle and water security and the carbon cycle and energy security). Unit 4 – Human systems and Geopolitics (Superpowers and Migration, Identity and Sovereignty).
Psychology & Criminology
Information to follow soon.
EXAM BOARD LINKS
Links to exam board information for GCSE, BTEC & A Levels for each exam covered by faculty
CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES
Geography
Trips include:
Year 7 – Letchworth Town Centre
Year 9 – Natural History Museum, London
Year 10 – Walton on the Naze – Coastal Investigation
Year 11 – Letchworth
Year 12 – Flatford Mill, Field Study Centre, Suffolk
Year 12 – Stevenage
Year 12 – Bayfordbury Study Centre, Hertfordshire University
History
We run a well attended and vibrant history club including collaboration with historic England to explore the local area.
History Trips:
Year 7 – walk to bronze age burial site and iron age hill fort
Year 9 – Duxford
Year 11 – Hastings
PRE
There is an active Christian union in school and we also have a dedicated prayer room for our Muslim students to access.
PRE Trips:
KS4 Mosque visit and St. Albans Cathedral plus local churches
External visitors are often brought in to work with students on various topics.
USEFUL WEBSITES
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please note, parents and carers have the right to withdraw their children from any/all RE (PRE) lessons. If this is the case, please email admin@fearnhill.herts.sch.uk