Global is the umbrella term given to three subjects found within Humanities; History, Geography and Religion & Ethics. These are primarily taught to KS3 students, however there remains scope for KS4 to maintain basic instruction within these fields.
The curriculum is structured around and guided by threshold concepts (a TC is something that is fundamentally transformative; it may be considered ‘akin to a portal, opening up a new and previously inaccessible way of thinking about something). In total there are 10 threshold concepts underpinning the Global curriculum which not only provides a vehicle for knowledge and skill acquisition but also serves as a model for progression. This is a crucial part of whole school policy with threshold concept ‘maps’ being an integral element of all subjects being taught at the Gateway.
T1 - Reading Sources |
Name: |
Date: |
||||
Step 1 |
Step 2 |
Step 3 |
Step 4 |
Step 5 |
Beyond |
|
Highlight words identified by teacher. |
Locate dates and figures that relate to a task. |
Use information from text to answer questions. |
Use extracts from a text as an example when answering questions. |
Find information that is significant to an argument being made by someone else. |
Can find contradictions and invalid arguments within a source. |
E |
A |
EW |
U |
M |
E |
A |
EW |
U |
M |
E |
A |
EW |
U |
M |
E |
A |
EW |
U |
M |
E |
A |
EW |
U |
M |
E |
A |
EW |
U |
M |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Above is the 1st of 10 threshold concepts we start with reading because it is the primary skill used in order to convey information to students. Active reading is a technique used to extract important information from text, aid working-memory (easing extraneous cognitive load) and orient attention to words or passages that are of most importance.
Each of the 10 threshold concepts (TC) are divided into a sequential set of steps which essentially get harder as students’ progress through the concept. There are a total of 5 steps with the 6th being called ‘beyond,’ this ensures that pupils are expected to achieve their maximum potential (there is in effect no ceiling to the amount of step that can be created). The main purpose of the steps is that it ensures sequential, layered knowledge acquisition in the areas I believe are most vital to Global.
Attached to each TC is a secondary element which is used to shape ‘live feedback’ (feedback/dialogue between teacher-student that is immediate, relevant and crucially generates greater effort on behalf of the student). The labels/letters denote language used among students and teachers to convey depth of understanding and independence in terms of the way in which concepts and therefore steps have been attempted. It is a common language being developed in order to warrant a general, school wide understanding of what progression in terms of outcomes in class looks like.
All students have a TC map there accompanies them throughout their journey, ensuring that a depth to my subject-specific progression model is in place. It maintains a focus on progression through the content to be learned (curriculum = progression model). As subject lead I am able to monitor in real time my expectations of what students need to know at each particular stage of their journey. It is clear, accurate and responsive.
Year 7 |
Autumn 1 (weekly topic/content/knowledge interleaving overview) |
|||||||||
Week 1 |
Week 2 |
Week 3 |
Week 4 |
Week 5 |
Week 6 |
|||||
History |
Geography |
RE |
History |
Geography |
RE |
|||||
Romans |
Tornadoes |
Roman Gods |
Romans |
Tornadoes |
Roman Gods |
|||||
Autumn 2 |
||||||||||
Boudicca |
Map Skills |
Origins of Universe |
Boudicca |
Map Skills |
Origins of Universe |
|||||
Spring 1 |
||||||||||
1066 |
Extreme Weather |
Poverty |
1066 |
Extreme Weather |
Poverty |
|||||
Spring 2 |
||||||||||
1215 – Black Death |
Ebola |
Death |
1215 – Black Death |
Ebola |
Death |
|||||
Summer 1 |
||||||||||
Wars of Roses |
Climate change |
Secular philosophy |
Wars of Roses |
Climate change |
Secular philosophy |
|||||
Summer 2 |
||||||||||
Reformation |
Migration |
Troubles |
Reformation |
Migration |
Troubles |
Year 8 |
Autumn 1 (weekly topic/content/knowledge interleaving overview) |
|||||||||
Week 1 |
Week 2 |
Week 3 |
Week 4 |
Week 5 |
Week 6 |
|||||
History |
Geography |
RE |
History |
Geography |
RE |
|||||
Spanish Armada |
Biodiversity |
Catholicism vs. protestant |
Spanish Armada |
Biodiversity |
Catholicism vs. protestant |
|||||
Autumn 2 |
||||||||||
Plague (1664) |
Tsunami |
Dangers of religion |
Plague (1664) |
Tsunami |
Dangers of religion |
|||||
Spring 1 |
||||||||||
Stuarts – civil war |
Rainforests/climate |
Animal rights |
Stuarts – civil war |
Rainforests/climate |
Animal rights |
|||||
Spring 2 |
||||||||||
Industrial rev. |
Population – empire |
Origin of species |
Industrial rev. |
Population – empire |
Origin of species |
|||||
Summer 1 |
||||||||||
British empire |
Rivers |
Prejudice & discrimination |
British empire |
Rivers |
Prejudice & discrimination |
|||||
Summer 2 |
||||||||||
Slavery |
Plate tectonics |
Human rights |
Slavery |
Plate tectonics |
Human rights |
Year 9 |
Autumn 1 (weekly topic/content/knowledge interleaving overview) |
|||||||||
Week 1 |
Week 2 |
Week 3 |
Week 4 |
Week 5 |
Week 6 |
|||||
History |
Geography |
RE |
History |
Geography |
RE |
|||||
WW1 intro |
Development |
Problem of evil |
WW1 intro |
Development |
Problem of evil |
|||||
Autumn 2 |
||||||||||
WW1 – Somme |
Japan |
Religion & Peace |
WW1 – Somme |
Japan |
Religion & Peace |
|||||
Spring 1 |
||||||||||
WW2 – Intro |
China – Renewable energy |
Terrorism |
WW2 – Intro |
China – Renewable energy |
Terrorism |
|||||
Spring 2 |
||||||||||
WW2 – Aftermath |
Ecosystems |
Human rights |
WW2 – Aftermath |
Ecosystems |
Human rights |
|||||
Summer 1 |
||||||||||
Cold war – Intro |
Spanish Flu |
Comm vs. Cap |
Cold war – Intro |
Spanish Flu |
Comm vs. Cap |
|||||
Summer 2 |
||||||||||
Cold war – Vietnam (end) |
Glaciation |
Refugee crisis |
Cold war – Vietnam (end) |
Glaciation |
Refugee crisis |
The intention of the global curriculum is to provide students with a breath of topics while maintaining a high degree of depth. This is achieved by spacing and interleaving threshold concepts throughout their time here whilst providing a coverage of key topics which we feel are important factors in developing students cultural capital. Although not explicitly shown in the tables above, topics and content are reviewed/revisited multiple times throughout a student’s journey. For example Black Death, plague, Ebola and Spanish flu are all interlinked and recalled spanning from year 7 to year 9.