Humanities
The aim of the humanities curriculum at Parkside is to develop the boys’ understanding and appreciation of the world around them.
Humanities lessons are delivered with a cross-curricular approach that has the subjects’ core skills as a foundation; where the links between history, geography, philosophy and religion are explored. Many of the skills the boys learn in humanities, such as interpretation, debating, gathering and recording data, are transferable to other areas of the curriculum, supporting the boys’ progress in the core subjects. Curiosity and independent thought are actively encouraged through an open-ended approach to questioning; with an emphasis on reasoning and justification of opinion – exploring the cause and effect of events, decisions in history and changes to the environment, as examples. The topics studied each year can be summed up through, and naturally relate to the school motto: ‘Courage | Confidence | Character’.
In history, the boys learn about many different time periods from Ancient Egypt up to modern history in the 21st Century and how recent history has and will shape their futures. In geography, the subject is brought to life through practical fieldwork projects in every year group and the study of topics that affect the lives of our pupils, such as plastic pollution and climate change. The study of theology, philosophy and religion ensures that the boys develop an understanding of different religions and cultures around the world. The boys have the opportunity to extend their learning in humanities with many different trips from as nearby as Hampton Court Palace to travelling to the World War One Battlefields in Belgium. Teaching these concepts through ‘real life’ learning ensures the boys become inquisitive, independent, knowledgeable and responsible learners, well positioned to question their role in making a difference to their future world.
