Mrs V Snee
Head of Humanities
Miss K Addlesee
2 i/c Humanities
Ms C Bailey
Miss H Ewan
Teacher of Geography
Miss L Bakunowicz
Teacher of History
Head of Engagement
Mr P Roe
Teacher of History
Head of Sixth Form
Mrs N Taylor
Teacher of Humanities
Mr M Snee
Head of Mathematics
This department joins a collection of subjects, and is based on the top floor of West Block. The main subjects are Geography, History and Ethics & Religion.
2015 A-Level Results
- 100% A* - B
- 100% A* - E
- 50% A* - C
- 100% A* - E
- 75% A* - C
2015 GCSE Results
100% A* - C or equiv
At Lincoln Castle Academy we believe that the aims of a geography education include:
- Developing in young people a knowledge and understanding of the place they live in, of other people and places and of how people and places inter-relate and interconnect.
- Developing the skills needed to carry out geographical study, for example map work and fieldwork.
- Stimulating an interest in and encouraging an appreciation of, the world around us.
- Developing concern for the world around us and an ability and willingness to take positive action, both locally and globally.
Learning History at Lincoln Castle Academy isn’t just about knowing dates and facts. We hope that you will find the study of History fun and exciting. You will develop skills which you can use in other subject areas as well as later on in life. All of us in the History Department believe strongly there has never been a more important time to study History – a subject that is not only academically challenging but crucial for an understanding of one another and of the world we live in. We are committed to passing on our love of the subject, in the courses we teach and through our extra-curricular activities. History requires and encourages a range of skills, both general and subject-specific.
We aim to develop all of the following in our teaching:
- The ability to evaluate a range of evidence of different kinds, and to use it to structure arguments and to reach balanced conclusions.
- The awareness that different historians have interpreted the past differently, and of the existence of different types of historical sources, and of the problems they pose
- The understanding of our common heritage and of the present-day world through a study of events, developments and ideas that have gone before
- The love of History, the awareness of its existence outside the classroom, of the opportunity it provides for leisure and of its value in helping us to understand one another
- The ability to understand the factors that influenced the behaviour of people from different times and places
Ethics & Religion
Ethics, Religion and Philosophy at Lincoln Castle Academy is staffed by two specialist teachers. The department provides compulsory RE at Key Stages 3 and 4 in line with the Lincolnshire Agreed Syllabus.
In addition to this the department also offers GCSE Philosophy and Ethics, AS/A2 Religious Studies, Ethics with Islam and AS/A2 Philosophy.
We have seven classrooms, including two which have extensive ICT Facilities.
Key Stage 3
The modules are taught as follows:
- It's Geography
- Mapping & Making Connections
- London: Your Capital City
- Let's Go Shopping!
- Oi Brazil!
- Coffee Time!
- Tourism: Good or Bad?
- Our Warming Planet
- Off To The USA
- Exploring Britain
- Where Should We Get Our Energy?
Topics studied include:
- The Roman Empire
- Medieval Britain 1066 - 1500
- Britain 1500 - 1750
- Native Americans
- Britain 1750 - 1900
- The 20th Century, including the Holocaust and Northern Ireland conflict
At KS 3 pupils receive one 50-minute lesson of Ethics and Religion per week and they are taught in mixed ability groups. Pupils are taught a series of units in each year which touch upon all six major religions, although major learning opportunities focus on Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and Hinduism. Pupils are formally assessed once every half term.
Activities are designed to look at Assessment Target 1 (Learning from Religion) and Assessment Target 2 (Learning about Religion) in equal measure. These assessments are marked according to common mark schemes and are awarded levels based on the Agreed Syllabus, which are then recorded for tracking and monitoring purposes.
Key Stage 4
Students opting to study Geography at GCSE level follow the OCR Specification A. This is a lively and innovative specification which was developed in association with The Geographical Association.
Students study in and out of the classroom, following these modules:
- Extreme Environments: the challenge of living in a desert or polar environment.
- Similarities and Differences: a comparison of a location in the UK with one abroad.
- Issues in Our Fast Changing World: these include global climate change; trade, aid and superpowers; the challenge of planning.
- You as a Global Citizen: the impact of our decisions as a consumer.
Students opting to study Countryside and Environment gain a BTEC qualification. It is a course suitable for students with a keen interest in environmental matters and that are thinking of pursuing a career connected with the countryside. The modules studied depend on students’ needs and interests. They may include:
- Countryside & Environmental Industry & Organisations
- Countryside Access & Recreations
- Urban Habitat Conservation
In Year 9 you will have the choice of continuing to study History at GCSE.
It is important when you are making up your mind to think carefully about what History can offer you. By taking History at GCSE you are improving a number of skills that you may not have considered. You will improve your group co-operation, communication and writing skills. You will learn how to put an argument together and how to give a balanced view of an issue. All these skills are very important to employers and universities.
In addition to the skills that you will develop, studying History at GCSE is fun and interesting. These include modern topics such as the two world wars. You will also study a diverse range of topics such as Nazi Germany and Communist Russia. There are many reasons to choose History at GCSE and we hope that you will consider this very interesting and rewarding subject.
This course allows students to study periods of history and their significance. Sources of evidence are used to reach conclusions and develop understanding of how the past has been represented.
Students will study Modern World History (AQA Syllabus B).
Students can gain a GCSE at grade A*-G.
This includes the following areas of study:
- Peace to war 1900-49
- In depth study of Britain in the First World War
- Governments in action focusing on Russia & Germany
- Coursework focusing on Britain & the Second World War
- 2 written examinations which together equal 75% of the overall assessment
- 2 pieces of written coursework which together equal 25% of the overall assessment.
All pupils at Key Stage 4 receive one lesson of Ethics and Religion per week. All pupils in the year group are entered for one of the following qualifications:
- Asdan - Certificate of Personal Effectiveness
- OCR (B) GCSE Short Course
- OCE (B) GCSE Full Course (taught over 2 periods per week as an accelerated GCSE)
As part of the GCSE course, students study the following topics:
- The Nature of God
- The Nature of Belief
- Death and the Afterlife
- Good and Evil
- Religion and Equality
- Religion and Medical Ethics
- Religion and Peace and Justice
- Religion and Human Relationships
Students studying the full GCSE course cover all eight topics over the two years; those studying the short course study four of the eight over the two years.
Key Stage 5
This A-Level Geography course gives you a strong foundation for understanding the two main themes of the subject: human geography and physical geography. Between them, they are what makes our planet tick.
Human geography deals with how people and the environment interact and the way we both exist. It also looks at how people and groups move and live in the world around us. For example, you will learn about articles you see in the papers and on the news everyday, including issues of sustainability.
Physical geography on the other hand, is all about the scientific aspects of our world, with an emphasis on how we can manage them.
Unit 1 Physical and Human Geography
This is a two hour written examination with structured short and extended questions (35% of A-Level).
Unit 2 Geographical Skills
This is a 1 hour written examination based on a resource booklet and the student's own fieldwork (15% of A-Level).
Unit 3 Contemporary Geographical Issues
This is a 2 hour 30 minutes written examination (30% of A-Level). As well as an essay, there are short and extended questions.
Unit 4 Geographical Issue Evaluation
This is a 1 hour 30 minutes written examination with questions based on a pre-released Information Booklet that the student will have studied (20% of A-Level).
In Year 12 students will focus on the Historical concepts of Change and Consolidation and Periods of Change.
Students will study English and European History 1483 - 1564.
The A2 course focuses on the State and the people:
Change and Continuity. Students will be given the opportunity of studying Elizabethan Britain. They will also be required to carry out a Historical Enquiry on a topic of their choice.
In the Summer term of 2011 we also worked with Colin McFarlane and other celebrities on a celebrity-led mentoring project that aimed to use cultural history to empower young people.
Religion is a major part of everyday life, whether you are religious or not. This makes it a really interesting and complex subject. Many of the things in our world today have a direct link to religious thinking. When we look at moral philosophy much of the thinking is from great religious thinkers. Looking at the ideas helps us understand more of the world we live in.
By studying ‘AS/A2’ Religious studies, you will develop your debating skills, improve your research skills and deepen your knowledge of different religious and moral ideas. You are required to answer questions by extended written answers and so will develop essay writing skills. You will also learn that there are many differences within religious groups and quite often there is no right or wrong answer.
For both ‘AS’ and ‘A2’ courses there is no course work but there is an examination in June consisting of one written paper for Religious Ethics and one written paper for Islam.
These written papers are for ‘AS’ 1 hour and for ‘A2’ 1½ hours long.
AS (Year 12)
AS Units Islam
- The background and origins of the religion
- The life of the Prophet Muhammad
- Beliefs about Allah and human relationships
- The Qur'an; A study of Surahs 1 and 96
- The Five Pillars of Islam
- Worship and the Mosque.
AS Units Religious Ethics
- What is ethics?
- Moral Absolutism and Moral Relativism
- Natural Moral Law
- Religious Ethics
- Medical Ethics
- War and Peace
A2 (Year 13)
A2 Units Islam
- The essential Articles of Belief
- A study of Surah 4
- The Qur'an, Sunnah and Shari'ah as bases for Muslim life
- The Ummah and its implications for Muslim ethics
- The first four Khalifas and the spread of Islam
- Origins and beliefs of Sunni and Shi'a Islam
- Origins and beliefs of Sufi Islam
- The practice of Islam in the Western World
- Religious Ethics Meta-Ethics
- Virtue Ethics
- Free Will and Determinism
- Environmental and Business Ethics
- Sexual Ethics
Our Ethos and Values
At Lincoln Castle Academy, we value:
Hard work, perseverance and academic excellence
The development of character, compassion and responsible citizenship
Ourselves, each other and boundless ambition