Senior Phase in the Humanities

As a faculty, we are confident that we challenge pupils to think independently and equip them with the intellectual and emotional resources to participate in decision making processes that affect them and the wider society of which they are part.

Humanities subjects contribute directly and effectively to all areas of literacy development and provide pupils with high quality learning experiences that enable them to develop their listening, talking, reading and writing skills. The importance of clarifying and defining concepts is regularly reinforced for pupils and through their studies in Humanities pupils learn to interrogate the meaning of words and use relevant terminology with precision. Definitions are displayed on learning walls and glossaries are used across the faculty to support pupils' language acquisition and understanding of key terms. Humanities classes are concept rich learning environments and pupils benefit from the incremental use of more complex vocabulary as they progress from the BGE into the Senior Phase.

In the Senior Phase, teachers employ a range of pedagogical approaches to support pupils in their essay and extended response writing and pupils benefit from the expertise of staff in this area, honing and refining their skills as they progress through national courses. Among those techniques that prove most effective in improving the quality of pupil written work at this level are writing frames, concept maps, glossaries, model answers, and peer marking. Faculty staff are aware that the quality of feedback pupils receive directly impacts on pupils' intellectual development. Formative assessment is used effectively by Humanities staff to support pupils in this regard.

Geography Senior Phase                     History Senior Phase                    Modern Studies Senior Phase                     RMPS Senior Phase