Autumn term — a sensual stirring of beginnings: the fall of Rome to the formation of post‑Roman kingdoms (c.400–700). Students taste primary sources (Asnapium inventory), map migrations, and create a tactile timeline. Skills: chronology, cause and effect, sourcing.
Winter term — richer, spicier: the Carolingian world and monastic life (Charlemagne to c.900). We steep in law, land and liturgy, study material culture (castles, manuscripts), and interrogate narratives (The Return of Martin Guerre; Janet Lewis) through source analysis and roleplays.
Spring term — a heady glaze: Viking and Anglo‑Saxon societies to 1066. We savour archaeology (Time Team), examine kingship and battle (Hastings), and compare vernacular voices. Assessments: a sustained historical inquiry question, an evidence‑based essay, a creative synthesis (museum exhibit or podcast).
Across the year, assessment rubrics align with ACARA v9: historical knowledge, analysis of sources, explanation of continuity and change, and empathy. Lessons are layered — lecture, hands‑on artefact study, group inquiry — with independent reading from Eleanor Janega, R. W. Southern and selected primary texts. There is always time for a quiet, rich reflection: history served warm, nourishing curiosity.
Differentiation is gentle: project choices, scaffolded documents and targeted feedback to feed varied appetites for learning. Deliciously inclusive, warmly curious.