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Science Department Intent

At Lathom we believe all students are entitled to an ambitious and engaging science education that is challenging, enjoyable and enriches them with the knowledge and skills to be successful in every aspect of their lives.
Our aims in the Science department are to ensure that at both key stages all students:

• Are equipped with scientific knowledge to develop their understanding of the world around them through the specific disciplines of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
• Empowered with the skills of thinking scientifically so they can predict, analyse and evaluate.
• Develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena and understand how Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s prosperity.
• Develop their practical skills and their ability to work with a broad range of scientific equipment to investigate and explore.
• Have exposure to a wide variety of careers and career pathways open to them through science.

The Science Curriculum

Key Stage 3

Students in years 7, 8 & 9 receive eight 60 minute lessons a fortnight with homework each week, as is the policy at Lathom. Progress is tracked and monitored through regular knowledge checks and end of unit assessments.

Key Stage 4

At Lathom students can choose to study one of the following AQA GCSE routes:-

AQA Combined Science: Trilogy
All students take this route unless they take Science as an option in Yr9. Students will receive 9 lessons (3 Biology, 3 Chemistry and 3 Physics) over the two-week timetable.

AQA Separate Sciences: GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry and GCSE Physics
Students that selected Science as an option in Yr9 take this route.  
Students will receive 14 lessons (4 Biology, 5 Chemistry and 5 Physics) over the two-week timetable.

Enrichment Opportunities

• Big Bang Fair Trip
• Chester Zoo Trip
• KS3 STEM club
• KS4 Science Clinics
• KS4 Science Ambassadors

How to Support your Child’s Learning

Support your child with homework. Ask them questions about what they are learning about in Science and how it applies to the real world around them. Watch documentaries with them and talk about how the world is changing and the impact that humans are having on the world.

Where to go

• Museum of Science & Industry Manchester
• Natural History Museum
• Eureka
• Knowsley Safari Park
• Chester zoo
• Blackpool zoo
• Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre
• The Sealife Centre
• Blue planet Aquarium

What to watch

• Gadget Show on Discovery Science – The Gadget Show previews and reviews all the latest and future technology to give you an insight into tomorrow’s gadgets today
• Brain Games on National Geographic – Brain Games is an American popular science television series that explores cognitive science by focusing on illusions, psychological experiments, and counterintuitive thinking
• Nat Geo Extreme Wild on National Geographic – From the most remote environments, to the forbidding depths of our oceans, to the protected parks on our doorsteps, Nat Geo Wild will use spectacular cinematography and compelling storytelling to take viewers on unforgettable journeys into the wild world 
• Modern Marvels on History – Modern Marvels is an American worldwide television series that formerly aired on the History Channel. The programme focuses on how technologies affect and are used in modern society
• Prehistoric on Animal Planet – Prehistoric Park is a six-part docu-fiction television mini-series that premiered on ITV on 22 July 2006 and on Animal Planet on 29 October 2006

What to read

• Horrible Sciences
• Catalyst Magazine
• Bad Science Series
• KS3 CGP Revision Guides
• BBC Operation Ouch
• 500 Things You Should Know about Science
• Richard Hammond Blast Lab
• Focus Magazine

Online

• www.nationalstemcentre.org.uk/catalyst
• www.sciencemag.org
• www.discovermagazine.com
• www.popsci.com
• www.bbcbitesize.co.uk
• www.newscientist.com
• www.sciencefocus.com
• www.senecalearning.com

Future Careers

Curriculum Overview – KS3 Science
Curriculum Overview – KS4 Science

Humanities Intent

The Humanities Department at Lathom aims to develop students’ understanding of, and curiosity about, the world around them. The curriculum is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills and vocabulary to investigate, analyse and interpret the modern world. Through their study of Geography, History, Religion and Worldviews, and Citizenship students will learn about how our globalized world has been shaped and is continually changing. They will have the opportunity to explore enquiry questions, think critically and communicate effectively. 

Religion and Worldviews Intent

Our curriculum for Religion and Worldviews at Lathom aims to foster understanding and respect for diverse religious traditions and philosophical perspectives. Through critical thinking exercises and open dialogue, students explore the impact of religion on society, develop empathy, and enhance their communication skills. We have a foundational ‘course’ in the first half term for year 7 to enable them to fully access the curriculum as they progress through school. This is an exploration of the ‘lenses’ we use to study; the Theological, Philosophical, and Sociological lenses. We encourage ethical reflection and promote global awareness, preparing students to become engaged and inclusive citizens in an interconnected world. By celebrating diversity and inclusivity, our curriculum nurtures a sense of belonging and community while equipping students with the knowledge and attitudes needed to navigate a complex and diverse world with empathy and respect.

Core Principles:

1. Respect Diversity: Learn about different religions and worldviews without judgement.
2. Think Critically: Analyse beliefs with an open mind.
3. Communicate Respectfully: Talk about theological, philosophical, and sociological topics respectfully and listen to others.
4. Value Acceptance: Appreciate differences and promote understanding in a diverse world. We have a completely inclusive curriculum.

Key Stage 3

Students at KS3 receive two lessons a fortnight, and the homework set (set once a unit) is appropriate to support the learning that takes place in the classroom. Progress of students is monitored regularly through class assignments, and there are assessments completed at an appropriate stage in each unit of work.  

Key Stage 4

Students at KS4 also receive two lessons a fortnight, and the homework set (once a unit) is set to aid further learning and retrieval practice at home using the Seneca Learning platform. Students follow the Eduqas Short Course at GCSE, and this is something all students participate in. Studies include Christian and Islamic beliefs and teachings, whilst also learning about ethical topics such as Issues of Relationships and Issues of Life and Death. The beauty of this course is that students get an extra GCSE, without taking away from curriculum time in their chosen subjects.

Enrichment Opportunities

There are several enrichment opportunities available to all students. For example, we run a Film Club during Monday lunch times, Mindfulness Club on Wednesday lunch times, and recently we have contributed to the running of Pride Club on Tuesday lunch times. Trips are also very important to Religion and Worldviews, with plans to visit local places of worship, places of significance abroad (for example Auschwitz), and visits to the theatre when appropriate performances are scheduled.

Supporting Your Child

Initiating conversations on complex issues is a great start to helping your child develop outside of the classroom. Make use of the curriculum overview below in order to target certain topics you could drop into your conversations. You can also support your child with their homework, which is often in the form of a creative assignment.

Where to visit

You would be welcomed by all places of worship should you want to visit them – just get in touch with them beforehand and plan a day out. Some of the places you can visit locally include:

Skelmersdale Ecumenical Centre – Skelmersdale
Sri Guru Nanak Gurdwara Sahib – Sikh Temple – Liverpool
Al-Rahma Mosque – Liverpool
Liverpool Anglican Cathedral – Liverpool
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral – Liverpool
The Buddhist Centre – Liverpool
Princes Road Synagogue – Liverpool
Manchester Cathedral – Manchester
Manchester Jewish Museum – Manchester
Various Museums – The North West

What to watch

Many TV shows explore varied worldviews or religious ideas. Some worth watching are:

1. The Good Place
2. Good Omens
3. The Bible
4. The Chosen
5. Highway to Heaven
6. God Friended Me
7. Race Across the World
8. Everyone Else Burns
9. Young Sheldon
10. Living Biblically

Many films also explore varied worldviews or religious ideas. Some of those worth watching are:

1. The Help
2. Selma
3. The Shack
4. Malcolm X
5. Martin Luther King
6. The Shawshank Redemption
7. I, Origins
8. Planet Earth
9. The Tree of Life
10. The Blind Side

What to listen to

Music can be a source of inspiration and comfort. Listen to music that inspires or uplifts you. Lo-Fi music is always a good idea when studying, as there aren’t any lyrics to distract you. Additionally, there are podcasts available online that you may find interesting. Some of our favourites are Philosophize This!, Interfaith Voices, You’re Dead to Me, The History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps, Stuff You Missed in History Class, 5 Minutes of Faith, and On Being with Krista Tippett.

If you enjoy podcasts, stay tuned for our very own Religion & Worldviews podcast coming soon. Specifically created for our KS4 students.

What to read

Books are a great way to challenge our own worldview, as it allows us to journey into the mind of others and imagine a world other than our own. Some great books worth reading include:

1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
2. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
3. The Shack by Wm. Paul Young
4. The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
5. Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah
6. Killing Honour by Bali Rai
7. Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman
8. The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank
9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
10. Holy Books (such as The Bible/The Qur’an) by God

Useful Websites

KS3 Religious Studies – BBC Bitesize
KS4 Religious Studies – BBC Bitesize

Potential Careers

Good news! When you finish your course in Religion & Worldviews you will be able to become a priest!… I’m joking – this isn’t the only career path. There are so many careers you can go into, and here are just a few: Prison Work, Hospitality, Social Work, Pastoral Care, Counselling/Psychotherapy, Chaplaincy, Teaching, Media/Journalism, Travel and Tourism, Museum Curator, Charity Work, Law, and Community Outreach.

PE Department Intent

At Lathom, our aims in the PE department are to ensure that at both key stages all students:

• Develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
• Are physically active for sustained periods of time
• Engage in competitive sports and activities
• Lead healthy, active lives.

The Physical Education Curriculum 

In both key stages students will be taught a range of activities.  In all activities, students will understand what makes a performance effective and how to apply these principles to their own and others’ work.  They will develop their confidence and interest to get involved in exercise, sports and activities out of school and in later life, and understand and apply the long-term health benefits of physical activity.  The activities undertaken will develop their personal fitness and promote a healthy active lifestyle.  In all aspects of teaching across both key stages, learning will be embedded consistently by all teachers using the following pedagogy:

• Provide clear learning objectives and success criteria
• Use activities appropriate for the teaching group
• Provide clear instruction for students
• Build in opportunities for students to respond
• Provide meaningful feedback
• Periodically check if students have progressed by using appropriate assessment strategies.

Key Stage 3

Students build on and embed the physical development and skills learned in Key Stages 1 and 2. They all receive two hours of physical education per week and are taught in mixed ability groups.  Progress is tracked and monitored in accordance with agreed procedure.  Students develop a range of tactics and strategies to outwit opponents in both team and individual games such as handball, netball, badminton and cricket.  They develop their technique and performance in other competitive sports such as athletics and gymnastics.  Students perform dances using advanced dance techniques within a range of dance styles.  They take part in outdoor and adventurous activities which present both intellectual and physical challenges.  Students analyse their performances compared to previous ones and show improvement to achieve their personal best.  They are encouraged to take part in competitive sports and activities outside of school through community links or sports clubs.

Key Stage 4

Students tackle complex and demanding physical activities.  They get involved in a range of activities that develop personal fitness and promote an active, healthy lifestyle.  Students are taught to use and develop a variety of tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in team and individual games such as badminton, football, and tennis.  They continue to be given the opportunity to regularly take part in competitive sports and activities outside of school through community links or sports clubs.

Enrichment Opportunities

• Athletics Club 
• Rounders Club
• Dance Club 
• Netball Club
• Football Club 
• Badminton Club 
• Handball Club 
• Trampolining Club 
• Fitness Suite
• GCSE Rock Climbing Trip 

How to Support your Child’s Learning

Ensure your child always brings PE kit to lessons.  In KS4, support your child with homework.  Encourage your child to stay physically active to maintain a good level of fitness.

Where to go

• Anfield Stadium Tour
• National Football Museum (Manchester)
• Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground
• HSBC National Cycling Centre 
• Chill Factore
• Manchester United Museum and Stadium Tour
• Manchester City Museum and Stadium Tour
• Haigh Woodland Park
• Edge Hill Park Run

What to watch

• Lance – On BBC iplayer, Lance is a fascinating, revealing, comprehensive chronicle of one of the most inspirational – and then infamous – athletes of all time.
• I am Bolt – On Amazon Prime, Usain Bolt is a globally adored icon. His is a man who defines athletics, transcends sport, and embodies his homeland.  He has become a symbol of inspiration for generations now and to come.
• Jessica Ennis Hill: A coach’s story – On BBC iplayer, it is a documentary going behind the scenes of Jessica Ennis-Hill’s bid to defend her heptathlon title at the Rio 2016 Olympics, seen through the eyes of her coach Toni Minichiello.
• Cheer – A Netflix series, which follows the ups and downs of Navarro College’s competitive cheer squad as they work to win a coveted national title.

What to read

• Sportopedia – Adam Skinner 
• You are a champion – Marcus Rashford 
• Women in Sport: Fifty Fearless Athletes Who Played to Win – Rachel Ignotofsky
• Ultimate Football Heroes – Tom and Matt Oldfield

Online

• www.brainmac.co.uk
• www.nhs.uk
• www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
• www.youthsporttrust.org
• www.ocr.org.uk
• www.livestrong.com
• www.thisgirlcan.co.uk

Future Careers

Curriculum Overview – KS3 and KS4 PE

MFL Department Intent

“If you talk to a man in language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart” – Nelson Mandela

We aspire to expose our students to a broad and ambitious Modern Languages curriculum, which is rich in skills and knowledge, develops self-efficacy, kindles curiosity and promotes diversity and tolerance of other cultures. Our Modern Languages curriculum will give students the opportunity to:

• use language skills, receptively and productively, for communication in the real world, for practical purposes, for their immediate needs, interests and beyond and to express and justify opinions
• develop their confidence and autonomy to access new and unfamiliar language through the use of decoding skills brought about by the explicit teaching of phonics and sound patterns
• work towards becoming a fluent and spontaneous speaker of the foreign language

The MFL Curriculum

Our curriculum is designed to build on the linguistic foundation established at Key Stage 2. Whatever the language studied at KS2, we ensure that students recognise these skills as transferable to and relevant in Key Stage 3. We also consider that language learning exposure will be somewhat varied at Key Stage 2 and aim to address these variations through the delivery of our curriculum.

We offer a curriculum which is rich in skills and knowledge, develops self-efficacy, kindles curiosity and promotes diversity and tolerance of other cultures. We aspire to give students the opportunity to gain systematic knowledge of the vocabulary, grammar, and sound and spelling systems of their new language, to build on this knowledge with extensive planned practice and use in order to build the skills needed for communication.

Structured Learning

Content is driven through communicative functions sequenced so that focus is initially on embedding knowledge of the most frequently used language and a strong knowledge of grammatical principles. The sequencing of content has been selected carefully and set out so that students are not presented with too much information at once.

We believe that students deserve to understand the ‘big picture’, how this links to the schema of the subject and, importantly, other subjects. The content taught is stimulating and widens students’ knowledge of the culture of the new language. We select reading material, including authentic materials, to provide opportunities for students to pursue their own interests and develop their skills in handling new materials. Students are taught to pay attention to the detail of meaning through translation and to extend the range of their vocabulary and understanding though reading short texts and literature.

Our pedagogy is underpinned by:

• expert subject knowledge and a passion for languages
• the nurturing of a ‘can do’ attitude towards language learning, built through the minimisation of cognitive load (less is more), controlled input-output and scaffolding the understanding and the production of the language through the extensive use of worked examples and gradually builds to freer production
• the regular and spaced recycling and retrieval of high frequency vocabulary, verbs and structures to support the store of knowledge in the long-term memory
• careful sequencing of skills and anticipating possible misconceptions
• the use of low stakes assessment opportunities which allow for effective checking of understanding throughout a single lesson or sequence of lessons
• interventions that are timely, planned and effective

In Year 7 students cover 4 units of work which teach the communicative functions of:

• Identifying people and describing people
• Expressing opinions
• Describing routine behaviour in the present tense
• Indicating frequency
• Creating questions

In Year 8 students cover 5 units of work which revist the communicative functions taught in Year 7 and introduce the functions of:

• Describing places
• Reporting events in the past
• Sequencing events
• Making plans for the future
• Indicating time and location
• Comparing and contrasting

In Year 9 students revist the communicative functions taught in Year 7 and 8 and introduce the functions of:

• Making plans – expressing a wish
• Expressing an opinion and a viewpoint
• Using commands

Key Stage 3

Year 7, 8 and 9 students receive four 60 minute lessons a fortnight of Spanish. Students are taught in mixed ability groups to encourage a culture of high expectations for all students.

Key Stage 4

The majority of students study a language at GCSE level. In Year 9 students can decide whether to continue with Spanish or to study French. In Year 10 and Year 11 students have five 60 minute lessons across a fortnight.

Enrichment Opportunities

We will enrich our curriculum by:

• visiting a Spanish/French restaurant
• watching Spanish/French films
• providing opportunities to correspond with speakers of the foreign language
• exploring appropriate authentic materials to enrich language learning (poems, songs, stories, literary extracts and audio-visual materials)
• acknowledging festivals, traditions and customs which are relevant to the countries where the target language is spoken
• taking part in the annual celebration of the European day of Languages to support diversity and culture
• offering after school and lunchtime sessions to encourage pupils to show independence and ‘to go the extra mile’ in their learning
• entering Spanglovision – a Spanish song competition for Year 7
• entering the Year 7 National Spelling Bee competition – French, German and Spanish

How to Support your Child’s Learning

Support your child with homework. Test them on key vocabulary that they bring home and discuss cultural events with them. Encourage them to use the sites below.

• www.language-gym.com Vocabulary and grammar revision
• www.wordreference.com Online dictionary
• www.languagesonline.org.uk Grammar and vocabulary revision
• www.languagenut.com Exam skills, vocabulary and grammar revision
• www.quizlet.com Vocabulary revision
• www.memrise.com Vocabulary revision

Further Online 

• www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
• www.bbc.co.uk/teach/secondary
• www.thenational.academy
• www.linguascope.com
• www.kahoot.com

Authentic listening materials

Film

Spanish

• Valentin –  A youngster is left in the care of his elderly grandmother after his warring parents abandon him. He struggles to find suitable role models in her small isolated village.
• Voces Inocentes – A young boy, in an effort to have a normal childhood in 1980’s El Salvador, is caught up in a dramatic fight for his life as he desperately tries to avoid the war which is raging all around him.
• El misterio del Pez – Once upon a time, an old man went fishing every day and every day he caught the same fish.
• Pan’s Labyrinth – In the Falangist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.
• El Bola – El Bola, a 12 year old boy a.k.a. “Pellet” is a 12 year old boy raised in a violent and sordid environment. Embarrassed by his family life, he avoids becoming close to classmates. 

French

• Kirikou – depicts how a newborn boy, Kirikou, saves his village from the evil witch Karaba
• Neuilly Sa Mere – a teenager who moves from the housing projects to the upscale neighbourhood of Neuilly-sur-Seine
• Les Choristes – The new teacher at a severely administered boys’ boarding school works to positively affect the students’ lives through music.

Spanish Radio 

• Cadena Ser 
• Cope 
• Los40 

Songs

• www.audio-lingua.eu/?lang=en – Searchable MP3 clips by topic, level and language
• www.spanishlistening.org/ – Search by topic and difficulty level, with transcript and activity.
• www.lyricstraining.com/ – Site for song activities in many languages using the text
• www.zachary-jones.com/zambombazo – Not just songs. This is an amazing site for authentic material of all kinds.

Authentic Reading Resources

News and current affairs

• www.elpais.com The best-selling newspaper in Spain is El País, which sells about 458,000 copies per issue
• www.elmundo.es 

Poems and stories

• www.mfl-storybirds.wikispaces.com/ – Online books written for language learners
• www.spanishwithjudith.com/spanish-forkids.html – An amazing portal with poems, stories, riddles, tongue twisters
• www.spanishplayground.net/tag/easy-spanishpoems/ – An excellent site with lots of ideas for poems 
• www.elhuevodechocolate.com/ – A collection of poems, but also some stories and songs
• www.milcuentos.com/ – Offers links to interactive short stories. The stories include pictures and audio. 
• www.eljardindedouglas.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Poesías – A Modern poet – Douglas Wright – poems and song
• www.storyplace.org – Stories to watch, read and listen with follow up activities

Future Careers

Curriculum Overview – KS3 and KS4 Spanish

Curriculum Overview – KS4 French

Mathematics Department Intent

“Mathematics is not about numbers, equations, computations, or algorithms: it is about understanding”

At Lathom, it is our aim that students not only have fluency across topics, but that they can also solve problems through reasoning.  This will benefit students in their examination outcomes and in their future ‘life after Lathom’.  In addition, our objectives in the Mathematics department, are to ensure at both key stages, all students master:

• Mathematical knowledge and understanding
• Problem solving skills to apply in academic and universal life
• Investigative skills through discovery opportunities

The Mathematics Curriculum

“The only way to learn Mathematics is to do Mathematics”

Our curriculum is centred around mathematical knowledge, which serves as the foundation of our approach. We believe that empowerment comes from understanding and the ability to utilise our learnings in various contexts. A particular strength of our department is that all our full-time members of staff are Mathematical specialists who have the knowledge and pedagogy. which can further develop your students’ knowledge within our curriculum. The department has a dedicated academic mentor who can support to all students, while also fostering resilience in learners. Making errors is not perceived as a defeat, but rather as a precious chance for acquiring knowledge.

Curricula at both key stages is sequenced and mapped to develop Mathematics ability and understanding. Students will be given opportunities to reason, problem solve and discover real life applications. Students will also work with technology and expand their cultural capital. The Mathematics curriculum is developed at Key Stage 3 so that students can enter Key Stage 4 with the levels of proficiency required to enable them to reach their targets and beyond. Additionally, we aim to expand students’ mathematical knowledge through enrichment activities, enabling them to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for mathematics in a broader context.

In all aspects of teaching, across both key stages, learning will be embedded by all teachers using consistent pedagogy, feedback and assessments. All students are given appropriate activities and have opportunities to make their work better and learning will be embedded consistently by all teachers using the following pedagogy:

• Use activities appropriate for the teaching group
• Provide clear instructions for students
• Build in opportunities for students to respond
• Provide meaningful feedback
• Periodically check that students have progressed by using appropriate assessment strategies

Key Stage 3

Students in years 7, 8 and 9 will receive eight 60 minute lessons over a fortnight, with homework set weekly, as is the policy at Lathom. Students are taught in set groups and their progress is tracked and monitored in accordance with agreed school and department procedures. Students complete a baseline assessment once they have settled into Year 7 and, in Year 9, they also complete a unit on financial education to prepare them for ‘life after Lathom’. 

Key Stage 4

All students study GCSE Mathematics and the department follows the Edexcel syllabus. In Year 10, students have the opportunity to complete a statistical investigation and learn more about real-life application of data. Students complete three examinations at the end of Year 11, one non-calculator paper and two calculator papers.

Enrichment Opportunities

• Maths Enrichment Club
• Maths Homework Club
• STEM Club
• UKMT Challenge
• Opportunities to develop Mathematics outside of the classroom

How to Support your Child’s Learning

Homework is set weekly using MathsWatch, where you can support your child by helping them practise their maths skills at home and watch the instructional videos for extra support where this is required. 

Where to go

• Bletchley Park
• Bank of England Museum
• Woolsthorpe Manor
• The Winton Gallery Science Museum
• Kidzania
• Lego Robotics – Legoland
• Racecourses

What to watch

• The Imitation Game – In 1939, newly created British intelligence agency MI6 recruits Cambridge mathematics alumnus Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to crack Nazi codes, including Enigma — which cryptanalysts had thought unbreakable. Turing’s team, including Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley), analyse Enigma messages while he builds a machine to decipher them.
• Hidden Figures – Three brilliant African-American women at NASA — Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson — serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race and galvanized the world.
• The Story of Maths – The Story of Maths is a four-part British television series outlining aspects of the history of mathematics. Viewers are escorted through the subject’s history and geography and examine the development of key mathematical ideas.
• Hard Problems: The Road to the World’s Toughest Maths Contest – Representing the United States, six gifted high-school students travel to Slovenia to the world’s toughest maths competition.
• Dream Big: Engineering our World – Filmmaker Greg MacGillivray explores the human ingenuity behind engineering marvels — big and small — and reveals the heart that drives engineers to create better lives for people around the world.

What to read

• The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos – Deborah Heiligman
• Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci – Joseph D’Agnese
• Infinity and Me – Kate Hosford
• On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein – Jennifer Berne
• 50 Mathematical Ideas You Really Need to Know – Tony Crilly
• The Math Book – Clifford A Pickover
• Alex’s Adventures in Numberland – Alex Bellos
• The Monty Hall Problem: Beyond Closed Doors – Rob Deaves
• The Language of Mathematics – Frank Land
• The Music of the Primes – Marcus du Sautoy

Online

• BBC Bitesize
• NRich
• MathsWatch
• CorbettMaths
• JustMaths
• MathsGenie
• Maths Made Easy

Future Careers

Year 7 Curriculum Map

Year 8 Curriculum Map

Year 9 Curriculum Map

Year 10 Foundation Curriculum Map

Year 10 Higher Curriculum Map

Year 11 Foundation Curriculum Map

Year 11 Higher Curriculum Map

Humanities Department Intent

The Humanities Department at Lathom aims to develop students’ understanding of, and curiosity about, the world around them. The curriculum is designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills and vocabulary to investigate, analyse and interpret the modern world. Through their study of Geography, History, Religion and World Views and Citizenship students will learn about how our globalized world has been shaped and is continually changing. They will have the opportunity to explore enquiry questions, think critically and communicate effectively. 

History Intent

“Study the past if you would define the future.” – Confucius

“We are not makers of history, we are made by history” – Martin Luther King Jr. American Civil Rights Activist 1929-1968 

History is the study of people and the world they lived in. The study of History allows students to develop an understanding of the complexity and diversity of human experience to help them make sense of the wider world they live in. Students will explore the process and challenges of change, the relationships between groups of people and how evidence can be found in a range of forms; and through this come to a more informed understanding of the word around us. Students need to engage with a range of topics from within British and world history that equip them with the character and culture they need to cope and thrive in life after Lathom.

The History Curriculum is underpinned by the following core principles:

• The curriculum offered to students will be accessible to all and provide all students with opportunities to be challenged, to think hard and to extend their learning
• Students should be equipped with the necessary analytical and evaluative skills to succeed in the modern world, therefore they should learn to question the provenance of evidence, opinions and interpretations, and learn to evaluate what these show them about different topics from different historical periods
• Students should be given access to a wide-ranging curriculum that covers significant elements in the history of Britain, Europe and the wider world. This will support prior learning at KS2 and provide them with a platform for further study at KS4
• Students will be taught about key historical concepts such as causation, significance, and change and continuity across a range of topics allowing them to build on their understanding across KS3
• Students will develop their vocabulary, reading and communication skills by practising the use of substantive concepts within the subject, such as parliament, democracy, empire and revolution

Key Stage 3

Students at KS3 receive four lessons a fortnight, and homework that is set is appropriate to support the learning that takes place in the classroom. 

Progress of students is monitored regularly through class and homework, and there are assessments completed at an appropriate stage in each unit of work.

Key Stage 4

Students can opt to study GCSE History. Students will follow Edexcel History, with four units which will be examined at the end of Year 11.

Currently the units studied are: Anglo-Saxon & Norman England, c.1060-1087; Crime & Punishment through time; Weimar & Nazi Germany 1920-1939 and Superpower Relations 1940 -1990.  

How to Support your Child’s Learning

You can support your child with their homework, and by asking questions about what they are studying in school. There are often historical documentaries, films and TV series which you could watch together and, in the case of film and TV series think about how much of the content is factual.

You could also listen to podcasts – there are an increasing number dedicated to History.

Where to visit locally

There are lots of opportunities in the local area to support your child’s historical understanding through visits to museums and places of interest.

• International Slavery Museum, Liverpool
  Learn about the stories of enslaved peoples, and the history of slavery around the world both in the past and contemporary slavery
• Imperial War Museum North at Salford Quays
  Learn about the impact of modern warfare, from WW1 to the current time, on people and societies
• People’s History Museum in Manchester
  The National Museum of Democracy: the exhibitions in this museum will help you to find out all about the history of working people and the ideas people have fought for
• Manchester Jewish Museum
  Find out about the history of the Jewish Community in Manchester, including experiences of the Holocaust
• Rufford Old Hall, Ormskirk
  A property that was originally built around 1530 by the Hesketh family, with 17th Century and 19th Century additions
• Quarry Bank Mill, Cheshire
  An industrial heritage site that includes a huge cotton mill that was part of Britain’s Industrial Revolution. You can see what the working machinery would have been like and visit the Apprentices House to see the living conditions of children working in a cotton mill
• Little Moreton Hall, Cheshire
  A fantastic example of a Tudor Manor House, with its own moat
• National Football Museum, Manchester
  England’s national museum of football, with exhibits about the history of the beautiful game and a Hall of Fame
• Erddig, Wrexham
  An ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ House with information on both the family that lived in the house and the servants that worked for them

What to watch

There are lots of opportunities to find out more about all of the topics we cover in school in documentaries on TV:

• History Channel
• Horrible Histories
• Historical documentaries on TV
• Netflix History 101
• Ted Ed videos 

There are a huge number of historical films available. Here are a few enjoyed recently by our teachers:

• Elizabeth, The Golden Age  – A fictionalised biographical film about Elizabeth I’s reign
• 1917 –  Set in the trenches of WW1 this film follows two British soldiers as they try to deliver a message.
• Dunkirk  –  A film re-telling the story of the evacuation of British soldiers from Dunkirk in WW2
• Darkest Hour –  A film that covers Churchill and his early role as Prime Minister in WW2
• Hidden Figures – A biographical film about three African-American women who played an important role in the early days of NASA

What to listen to

• Home school History podcast
• You’re Dead to Me podcast
• BBC History Extra podcasts

What to read

• Horrible Histories – a range of books that covers History from the Romans to the modern world
• BBC History Magazine
• A Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer
• The Norman Conquest by Marc Morris
• Black Tudors by Miranda Kauffman
• A Time Traveller’s Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer
• Liberty’s Dawn by Emma Griffin
• The Five by Hallie Rubenhold
• Black & British by David Olosuga
• Traveller’s in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Historical Fiction:

• The Good Thieves  by Katherine Rundell
• When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle
• The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliffe
• Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve
• Hell & High Water by Tanya Landman
• Carrie’s War by Nina Bawden
• Postcards from No Man’s Land by Aiden Chambers
• The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani

Useful Websites

• BBC – History: Ancient History in-depth   or BBC – History: British History in-depth
• BBC Bitesize History
• Spartacus History website 
• History Channel website: 
• Seneca learning

Potential Careers

The skills you develop through a study of History are useful for a wide range of career areas. Here are a few:

• Archaeology
• Law
• Politics
• Teaching
• Media / Journalism
• Editing / Writing
• Museum curator
• Research 

Curriculum Overview