Humanities
Geography
Geography opens up a planet of peoples and societies, economies, cultures and the environment. Literally. In our constantly changing world, a foundation in the principles of geography, both human and physical, is increasingly important.
With our popular curriculum that covers crime, climate change, globalisation and hazards, we create thinking geographers at Key Stage 3, who enrich their knowledge and delve deeper into this all-encompassing subject at GCSE and A Level. Higher up the school, students study and discuss the issues of coastal management, river flooding, world conflicts and development.
Our extensive school grounds mean we can deliver contemporary education in a beautiful environment, tapping into the excellent fieldwork resource on our doorstep. We even have an on-site orienteering course.
We run at least one annual field trip for each year group: caving on the Mendips, visiting Europe’s largest quarry, exploring coastal protection on the south coast or undertaking a river study in the Quantocks. Our residential courses allow students to explore and develop their fieldwork and team-working skills.
History
History is a flourishing subject at Collegiate which takes students on a journey through British and world history.
We follow the National Curriculum in Years 7 – 9 starting with the Norman Conquest in 1066 and covering a wide range of medieval topics including everyday life in villages & towns, medieval warfare, the crusades and the Tudors.
In Year 8 students study the Stuarts and the Industrial Revolution. They undertake a depth study of the transatlantic Slave Trade with a focus on Edward Colston’s role as a slave trader, before studying the British Empire and its impact on modern Britain.
In Year 9 we focus on the Twentieth Century World with a depth study on the Holocaust.
At GCSE students study the AQA course with particular focus on the development of medicine & healthcare, Elizabethan England and twentieth century international history.
The AQA A Level course includes a depth study of the development of modern Britain and the changes which have taken place in politics, society and Britain's position in the world. A breadth study focuses on the development of modern day United States with key debates on the constitution and civil rights. In addition to this students complete an historical investigation on a particular debate covering a 100 year period. In recent years we have organised trips to historical sites, castles, museums, Krakow and Auschwitz, and Berlin. Every summer, Sixth Form historians apply for McWhatter’s History Prize that encourages young historians to travel in their pursuit of history. Independent historical travel fits perfectly with our History ethos of informed-debate, independent study and enthusiastic curiosity about the past.
Religious Studies and Philosophy
The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates claimed, ‘The unexamined life is not worth living’. At Collgiate , we aim to ensure that all students examine the lives they are living and encourage them to develop reflection as a life-long habit.
Our religious studies curriculum inspires open, respectful discussion about religious traditions and philosophical ideas.
In Year 7 we focus on a comparative study of religions and consider the core beliefs, teachings and values of Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Christianity.
In Year 8 we conclude our comparative study of religion with an exploration of Islam and Judaism. We then tackle the ethical issue of human rights, learning about their origins and those who have fought to protect them. We also consider the need to continue to defend and uphold human rights because vast inequalities still exist. During this unit we learn about the achievements of key human rights activists/champions including Anne Frank, Martin Niemoller, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcom X and Maria Gomez.
In Year 9 we consider and evaluate a range of ethical and philosophical debates. These include the challenges to creationism, issues of stewardship, attitudes toward animal testing, abortion, euthanasia and beliefs about life after death.
The GCSE course includes the evaluation of a range of religious, philosophical and ethical ideas. At Collegiate we focus on Christianity and Buddhism as our chosen religions and consider humanist and atheist perspectives for comparison.
At A Level we focus on the philosophy of religion and consider arguments for God’s existence and the challenges to them. We also study ethical theories such as utilitarianism, Kantian ethics and Virtue ethics and use these to consider ethical issues such as cloning.
