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. In Year 9, we journey from Plato’s cave to Aquinas’ arguments for the existence of God. We end the year with a study of religious and secular ethical theories that we use to consider the question: ‘Is War ever right?’  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.