"Academic standards are above average." OFSTED

History Department

Introduction

There are two modern history rooms well resourced with reference books, DVDs and interactive whiteboards. The Department’s highly experienced teachers make the subject interesting and enjoyable and many of our Sixth Form students go on to study History at university

The Department has organised numerous extra-curricular and enrichment activities including visits to Hampton Court Palace, as well as a cross-curricular trip to Berlin with the German department. At Sixth Form level, students are given the opportunity to attend conferences to hear the views of leading historians on their related A Level topics.

Key Stage 3

Year 7

Students start by getting to grips with the skills of History eg understanding the work of archaeologists through an artefacts handling session, and then go on to the Middle Ages and the Tudors.

Year 8

The English Civil War is covered along with the history of the Black peoples of the Americas in and the Industrial Revolution.

Year 9

Students study the history of the 20th century, covering themes of warfare, social change and sporting developments.

GCSE

GCSE History (AQA Board)

Paper 1 - International Relations 1919 – 1955.

• Treaty of Versailles
• League of Nations
• Hitler's Foreign Policy
• Cold War 1945-55.

Paper 2

• The Boom Years - USA 1920's
• The New Deal - USA 1930's
• Hitler's Germany, 1933-39

Controlled Assessment on an aspect of:-

• First World War
• Second World War

Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced Level

AS/A2 History Year 12 and 13 (AQA Board)

Course Aims

The course offers students the opportunity to study History in breadth as well as in depth, to develop expertise in a variety of skills and to acquire and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the periods studied.

Entry Requirements

• Enjoyment of history.
• Grade B in history at GCSE is desirable.
• Ability to present a reasoned argument.
• An interest in reading widely.
• Familiarity with different types of source material.
• Preparedness to argue and discuss issues.
• Interest in interpretation and analysis.
• Readiness to work independently.

Course Content

AS History (Year 12)

3.1 Unit 1: Change and Consolidation

Unit 1: The Crusading Movement and the Latin East, 1095–1204 HIS1A

How did the motives for the Crusades and the success of the movement change during this period?

• The First Crusade and the creation of the crusader states in Outremer, 1095–c1140
• The Second Crusade and its impact, c1140–c1180
• The Third Crusade and the crisis of Outremer, c1180–1192
• The Fourth Crusade and its consequences, 1192–1204

Benito Mussolini and Fascist blackshirts
during the March on Rome in 1922

3.2 Unit 2: Historical Issues: Periods of Change

Unit 2: A New Roman Empire? Mussolini’s Italy, 1922–1945 HIS2K

• Establishing the Fascist Regime, 1922–1929
• The Corporate State
• Fascist Ideology and Social Change
• Foreign Policy, 1923–1939
• War and the fall of Mussolini, 1940–1945

A2 History (Year 13)

3.3 Unit 3: The State and the People: Change and Continuity

Unit 3: The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007

• The Post-War Consensus? 1951–1964
• The End of Consensus, 1964–1975
• The ‘Thatcher Revolution’, 1975–1990
• Conservative Decline and the Rise of ‘New Labour’, 1990–2007

 

3.4 Unit 4: Historical Enquiry

Currently

The Historical Enquiry is based on an investigation into the expansion and impact of the vote in the UK from the late 18th century to the early 20th century.

Issues that are considered include why the vote was extended; the specific reform Acts; the influences on why the vote was extended; the significance of different factors; why expanding the vote was important; and an overall assessment of the vote has been extended.

Amongst the skills the historical enquiry tests are students’ ability to write an extended essay, analyse key themes over a longer period, and research both first-hand sources and a selection of works from different historians.

For academic year 2011 – 12  

Unit 4 content is likely to change to a coursework paper which will consider the changing relations between Kings and their Arch-bishops of Canterbury, from 1066- 1215. This will cover William the Conqueror, the murder of Thomas Becket and King John.

 

‘A’ Level Combinations

‘A’ level history combines well with arts orientated subjects like English, and French: as well as Humanities like Economics, Law and Politics but has also combined well with sciences, ICT and Business Studies.

Career and Higher Education Opportunities

As well as leading directly to a history course at university, ‘A’ level history is also helpful for those thinking of a career in law, management, advertising, publishing, journalism, librarianship, TV/radio programme research and the Civil Service.