Story Of Our land

The Story of Our Land is a course specially designed and written for the Third Form in Brighton College. The course tells the story of Britain from the beginning of time until the end of the Georgian era and in doing so combines history, geography, philosophy and religion. It centres on a chronological narrative that explores the changing geo-political landscape of our island. The aim is for pupils to gain a coherent narrative of the past which has shaped the world they inhabit and an appreciation of how different subjects link together.

Integrated along the SOOL journey are study skills, designed to prepare the pupils for the years ahead and to help them become independent learners. This includes mind mapping, critical debate, public speaking, revising and essay writing, and we also consider what thinking feels like and study the difference between comprehension and analysis, evaluation and synthesis.

The Lower Third (Year 7)

The Lower Third begins with the questions of the nature of evidence, truth and faithand then moves through the chronology of world to Celtic Britain.  We first look at Settlement and why the Celts chose to live where they did.  We then delve into the Roman invasion and its legacy for Britain before turning to Pompeii and how Volcanoes and Earthquakes shape the world.  The religious context of the Roman world is then considered as we seek to understand Judaism and the spread of Christianity back to England with Iona and Lindisfarne.  After the fall of the Roman Empire, we explore the legend of King Arthur and the person of King Alfred in the context of Anglo-Saxon Britain and the Viking raids, until the Norman Conquest in 1066.  In the new Norman world we allow ourselves to be impressed by the achievements of the Angevin Empire and awed by the power of medieval Christianity by focusing on the clashing personalities of Henry II and Thomas Beckett.  From there we explore the crusades and the rise of Islam, finishing the year with the legend of Robin Hood and Magna Carta and beginning to think about the origins of democracy and parliaments. As we look at the main monotheist religions we also ask questions about the afterlife and what this means to different faiths.

The Upper Third (Year 8)

The Upper Third begins by looking at how our island came to be the island we know today, being born out of fire, ice and gold.  We then delve into the Thirteenth Century and the horror of the Black Death ending with the Peasants' Revolt.  We focus next on England's relationships with Ireland, Wales and Scotland in Conquest and Conflict, before moving to understand the Wars of the Roses with the mystery of the Princes in the Tower.  The complex world of the Reformation allows us to focus on different types of Christianity and what belief and toleration means. We navigate both what happened in England and Europe and how the Tudors changed Britain's religious landscape.  We finish the period by looking at Cromwell and Charles I, before investigating how our history has been shaped by its geography and the coastal invasions it has encouraged.  The importance of our coast line is examined in depth with both physical processes and human use considered in our local area.  In the last section the course focuses on the Georgian period and looking at the growth of Brighton.  We then finally move to ask, 'what is Britain', by looking at the multi-cultural make up of Britain now and issues of immigration both past and present.

Trips

The course is supplemented by a wide variety of trips.  In the Lower Third they visit: the Jurassic Coast, a Celtic hill-fort, Jewish Synagogue, a Christian Church, Sutton Hoo and Hastings.  In the Upper Third they visit: a priory effected by the Black Death, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Birling Gap, Brighton Pavilion and Sikh and Hindu Temples.