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12/09/25

Please see the sport enrichment and clubs being run this term at HAO. There is a mix of lunchtime and after-school activities that students are welcome to attended. We are hoping to expand our propgramme and offer more clubs in the near future and will keep you updated

12/09/25

Get Involved!

12/09/25

The start of term is well and truly underway with all year groups having now completed their first full week back. It has been great to welcome our new Y7 cohort and some new faces to our staff team this September.

03/09/25

- A quick reminder of our upcoming Open Events at HAO this September for both Y7 and Y12. shorturl.at/XzULx

21/08/25

Mr Carey said: “This is another fantastic set of GCSE results for HAO, reflecting the tremendous efforts of both our students and the staff who have supported them... we are excited to see all that they go on to achieve in their futures.”

21/08/25

A massive congratulation to our 2025 Y11 cohort who received their results today. HAO saw another fantastic set of results, with an increase from last year in the number of students achieving a 5 or above in both Maths and English. shorturl.at/Yhyyi 

19/08/25

With GCSE Results day this week, don't forget you can also directly enrol into our amazing Sixth Form! Wishing all students on Thursday the best of luck!

19/08/25

Mr Carey said: "Congratulations to all our students on their very well-deserved results which reflect the unwavering commitment of students and staff to academic excellence... I am so pleased that so many are now able to take up places on their university courses of choice".

19/08/25

On Thursday 14th August 2025, the HAO Y13 students celebrated a well deserved set of Results! Congratulations to all! shorturl.at/0aTzO

15/08/25

- HAO Open Events

31/07/25

Whilst the Careers Team supported Y10 in uncovering a range of diverse career pathways. Each event provided a valuable opportunity to connect with industry professionals, discover different career fields, and gain insight into the skills and qualifications needed for success.

31/07/25

As we relax into the second week of the summer break, we reflect on the last week of term. Thank you to the PE department for organising a fantastic HAO Sports Day on the last day of term. It was a brilliant way to wrap up the year!

27/07/25

As we look at our displays for the new academic year, we found this lovely acknowledgment from those that did the mini marathon, as part of the onsite contribution this year.

17/07/25

🌞 Even in this warmer season -  with our shirt sleeve order helping all to feel a little cooler in the heat - our incredible staff and  students have been busy sorting generous donations. Keep an eye out for a notice going out tomorrow on how to collect items from the school

17/07/25

We’d also like to extend our deepest thanks to  for their generous donation of hygiene products for our students. Your kindness and support are truly appreciated!  

17/07/25

Congratulations to Jackson! We are excited and proud to announce that Jackson has officially signed his professional contract with Wycombe FC. He will continue to complete his CTECH Sport Diploma in this next academic year at HAO.  

17/07/25

- HAO Open Events for both Y7 and Y12.

11/07/25

Taking in the language, culture and their fair share of the French cuisine (yummy), students and staff had a brilliant few day taking in the sites, with wonderful staff like Mr Koubaa, Ms Austin, Ms Gatton and Mr Conboy.

11/07/25

This week has been a great week for some, who had the chance to explore France for a few days. Though the journey back was a late one - it was a great trip!

08/07/25

- HAO Open Events

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Back to Subjects

History

What is the intention of our KS3 curriculum?

At Harris Academy Orpington our vision is clearly communicated to our students.  ‘We want you to know stories of the past, explore scholarship and examine sources of Britain and the wider world. You will be curious and critical of the diverse and changing world around you and the impact you can make upon it’.

The history curriculum at Harris Academy Orpington will:

  • Increase knowledge of historical periods, people, trends and events - both to develop and retain a rich knowledge of the past
  • Increase disciplinary knowledge by engaging students with latest scholarship, historical sources as well as varied and changing interpretations of the past
  • Ensure that knowledge is retained through a planned curriculum, chronologically sequenced and driven by historical enquiries
  • Ensure students are able to communicate their understanding of the complex past using subject specific language to enable them to construct written and verbal responses
  • Ensure that the curriculum we deliver gives students the opportunity to study an overarching narrative of British history in relation to the local, national and wider world
  • Interweave diverse histories which speak to our student’s own identities and gives them a greater sense of place and belonging within the world they live in

Through doing this, students will gain ownership of their skills and understanding of the discipline of history and its importance in every individual’s life.  

How will this be implemented?

We teach all topics through historical enquiries focused around a second-order concept, such as ‘historical significance’. These explore local, national and world histories, putting an emphasis on the discipline of history and the complexities of the past. We strive to make our curriculum diverse and representative of all protected characteristics. Additionally, students celebrate, commemorate and participate in history beyond the curriculum with our KS5 fellowship programme, termly competitions, educational visits, assemblies and national awareness days.

The topics covered at KS3, KS4 and KS5 are as follows:

History Curriculum 24 25

 

How will we judge the impact of the curriculum?

As a department, we judge the impact our history curriculum has on all students through our Monitoring, Evaluation and Review (MER) process for the department. This process has been designed to maintain the consistency of quality teaching and the effectiveness of the history curriculum using summative and formative assessment, lesson drop-ins, book looks and discussions with students. This helps to further develop the history curriculum in the long-term.

Additionally, the impact of the history curriculum is judged through Federation-wide summative assessments twice a year. This means that students’ progress can be analysed, in relation to thousands of other history students across London. This helps inform conversations around curriculum and ongoing professional development of the department. We use varied styles of formative assessment throughout our lessons and at the end of each historical enquiry.

Students receive feedback in line with Harris Academy Orpington’s feedback and marking policy. Within history, we ensure students receive constructive feedback on their substantive and disciplinary knowledge. Students are given opportunity within lesson time to discuss their feedback with their teacher, redraft their work and therefore improve.