We believe this will prepare learners for their future lives.  The faculty is made up of five specialist teachers from across the Humanities, including Geography, History and Religious Education.

In Humanities we focus on developing successful, independent and lifelong learners through an emphasis on fostering research skills and learning skills.  

At Key Stage 3 the Humanities subjects are integrated, learners will study the Geographical, Historical and Religious aspects of issues and events that surround their lives. In Year 7 this includes the exploration of Britain as an Island and how it developed physically, culturally and thematically over time. In Year 8 learners investigate the theme of Violent Earth, this covers a variety of topics from natural hazards, to religious responses to natural disasters and human violence and genocide. All topics develop skills as learners ready to prepare them for life beyond Matthew Moss and exam technique to ensure they are GCSE ready. This development into GCSE learners is the focus of Year 9 curriculum. Through the theme of nuclear energy in Geography and Nuclear war in History, learners complete a bridging topic of GCSE style learning. This allows them to make informed choices between GCSE History and Geography ready to start the official GCSE course in the January of Year 9.

A History or Geography GCSE choice is compulsory for learners at Matthew Moss. Geography follows the AQA exam board specification and History follow the Edexcel exam board specification. Both courses are taught over a two and a half year period.

GCSE Geography - AQA  (9-1)

Paper 1:  Living with the Physical Environment - 1hr 30 mins | 35%

Section A - The challenges of natural hazards:
Tectonic hazards
Weather hazards
Climate change

Section B - The living world:
Ecosystems
Tropical rainforest
Cold environments

Section C - Physical Landscapes in the UK:
The physical diversity of the UK
Coastal landscapes
River landscapes

Paper2: Challenges in the Human Environment - 1hr 30mins | 35%

Section A - Urban issues and challenges:
The global pattern of urban change
Urban growth case study
Urban changes in the UK - case study
Sustainable development of urban areas

Section B - The changing economic world
Economic development and quality of life
Reducing the global development gap
Economic development for a case study
Economic change UK case study

Section C - The challenges of resource management:
Global resource management
Resources in the UK
Then one focus area from the following: Food; water or energy  

Paper 3: Geographical Applications - 1hr 15mins | 30%

Section A - Issue evaluation

Section B - Fieldwork and geographical enquiry

GCSE History - Edexcel (9-1)

Paper 1: Thematic Study and Historic Environment - 1hr 15 mins | 30%

Thematic study
Crime and punishment in Britain c1000- present

Historic environment
Whitechapel, c1870-c1900 crime, policing and the inner city

Paper2: Period study and British Depth Study - 1hr45mins | 40%

British Depth
Early Elizabethan England 1558-88

Period Study
Superpower relations and the Cold War 1941-91

Paper 3: Modern Depth Study - 1hr 20mins | 30%

Modern Depth Study
Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918-1939

GCSE Religious Studies - AQA (9-1)

Paper 1: The Study of Religions - Christianity : Beliefs, Teachings and Practices & Islam : Beliefs, Teachings and Practices

Assessment: 1 hour 45 mins exam (50% of GCSE)

Paper 2: Thematic Studies

Assessment: 1 hour 45 mins exam (50% of GCSE)