Humanities

Geography

Please note that our subject pages are currently being updated as we move across to the United Learning Curriculum. If you have any queries regarding our curriculum, please contact us.

The Geography curriculum starts in Year 7 with an in-depth study of the earth - its structure, atmosphere and landscapes. Moving from this, pupils then start to learn about how people interact with the world. 

Over time, the curriculum then develops key themes in both physical and human geography - natural hazards, rivers, coasts, ecosystems, population, migration, development and sustainability.

Pupils are taught case studies and in-depth country studies to wider their understanding of geographical concepts. By the time they sit the Edexcel GCSE Geography qualification in Year 11, pupils will have visited each key concept at least three times, each time spiralling through the content to deepen their knowledge and understanding.

History

Please note that our subject pages are currently being updated as we move across to the United Learning Curriculum. If you have any queries regarding our curriculum, please contact us.

The History curriculum at Heath Lane Academy seeks to help pupils develop a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. We want to inspire pupils’ curiosity about the past and what we can all learn from it. Studying history helps pupils understand the complexity of people’s lives, the processes of societal change, the diversity of and the relationships between different peoples, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

Our History curriculum is designed to teach pupils a chronological, knowledge rich overview of local, national, and international History. Lessons examine the key themes that shape society, including religion, war and violence, power, economics, the development of communication and technology, and the roles of key individuals. History lessons are built around ‘big questions’ that teach pupils how to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, assess arguments, and develop perspective and judgement.

As pupils work through our History curriculum they develop vital skills, including chronological understanding, identifying change and continuity, identifying and analysing key points of comparison and contrast, and source analysis (provenance, purpose and utility) and interpretation.

History is one of the most popular subjects at Heath Lane Academy, and for those who choose to follow the subject through Key Stage 4, that culminates in the Edexcel GCSE History qualification. This course covers British medicine since 1250, Superpower relations and the Cold War, Henry VIII and his ministers, and Germany 1918-1939.

Throughout their journey as students of History at Heath Lane Academy, our pupils develop essential knowledge and critical thinking, needed to be a well-rounded citizen in modern Britain.

 Religious Education

Please note that our subject pages are currently being updated as we move across to the United Learning Curriculum. If you have any queries regarding our curriculum, please contact us.