Humanities
In the Humanities department, we see every class, every day. In many schools, a teacher of History, Geography or Religion may only see a pupil once a week. That does not happen at Michaela. As a consequence, the relationships we forge and the learning we foster are exceptional.
The Humanities curriculum is designed to give our pupils the cultural literacy that is too often only the preserve of those that are privately educated. In history, our pupils learn about and develop a secure understanding of English, British and world history until the present day. Pupils study history chronologically, beginning with the early development of England under the Anglo-Saxons, through to the medieval world, the seismic changes of the Reformation, the Enlightenment and French Revolution and culminating with the conflicts and changes of the 21st century that continue to shape the world we live in today. This is complemented by their lessons in geography, which take our pupils on a tour of our Earth’s countries, continents and peoples before examining the geographical processes that continue to shape the world we live in. Lastly, in religion, we examine the most famous stories from the Judeo-Christian tradition before encountering the history, evolution and practices of the world’s major faiths. We firmly believe that every child has the right to the best that has been thought and said; we hope to foster a love of learning that stays with our pupils forever.
Look at some of our pupils’ work by clicking here please.
Mr Michael Taylor, Head of Humanities
“In the Humanities, we consider the great span of human achievement. Without an understanding of the three disciplines of history, geography and religion, we detach ourselves from the legacy of our forebears. Without this knowledge, we lose sight of our own identity. In history, we pass on the great stories and debates of English, British, European and world history to anchor our pupils to the society they live in, and we consider the great questions posed by historians about the past. In geography, we wish to give our pupils a sense of place and to think about how our environment shapes who we are and what we can do. In religion we learn about the great ideas and beliefs that shape the world we live in today. It is our wish to immerse our pupils in the knowledge that will enable them to take part in the great conversations of humanity.”