Year 11
Students have started this school year off by studying Temple Newsam, a local stately home that is now open to the public, but was very different 1000 years ago when the site was first created. We have studied how and why the site has changed, when the first house was built between 1500-1520, who has owned the house/site throughout its 1000 year old history and why Temple Newsam is so important, both locally and nationally. We have looked at its most famous owner, Lord Darnley, the father of King James I and who was said to have been murdered by his wife, Mary Queen of Scots! We have spent a whole day at Temple Newsam during this half term, looking at specific features of the house to gain more in-depth knowledge of the house and site and we have practiced answering past exam questions so students are well prepared for their GCSEs next year.
In the last 2 weeks we have begun our learning on the next unit of the History GCSE qualification – The making of America 1789-1900. Students have started to look at the expansion of America following the British losing the War of Independence in 1783 and America’s first President, George Washington. We have analysed why there was so much tension between the early settlers, the Native Americans and the British during this period and the impact this had on people, particularly the Native Americans. We have already started practicing answering past exam questions on this topic, and so moving into half term two, this will continue to form a large portion of our lessons so that students feel fully prepared and confident going into their exams. Next half term, our focus will start on how slavery grew, the cultures of the different Native tribes, the Gold Rush and the Civil War and Reconstruction.
