Humanities
Introduction
A high-quality Humanities education at St Aldhelm's Academy aims to ignite students' curiosity and fascination with the world and its people, fostering a lifelong interest in learning. By teaching subjects such as Geography, History, Religious Studies, and Spanish, we equip students with essential knowledge about diverse cultures, environments, and historical events, while encouraging them to ask perceptive questions and think critically about the world around them.
In Humanities, students develop valuable skills, including the ability to:
- Write concise reports
- Handle and interpret data
- Ask insightful questions and seek answers
- Make informed decisions on current issues
- Analyze complex material
- Think creatively and independently
- Organize themselves effectively
Through this, Humanities students become:
- Strong communicators
- Spatially and socially aware
- Environmentally and economically conscious
- Effective problem solvers
- Good team players
- Well-rounded, flexible thinkers
Students in Humanities are continuously assessed throughout the year through projects, assessment questions, and group work. Written feedback is provided and acted upon during DIRT tasks (Dedicated Improvement Reflection Time), ensuring students use the feedback to improve their progress. At Key Stage 4, Pre-public Examinations (PPEs) provide essential experience of exam conditions and help identify gaps in knowledge ahead of final GCSE exams.
Students are supported in their revision through a range of resources, including knowledge organizers, targeted revision classes (both in lessons and after school), and access to revision guides. Homework is assigned and monitored in line with the Academy’s homework policy, varying from worksheets and craft projects to independent research, revision tasks, and examination-style questions for Key Stage 4 students.