What we are trying to achieve with students
In History we strive to develop pupils’ awareness of the world around them and understanding of why things are the way they are today. We want our pupils to be critical thinkers and be able to express their views orally and on paper. Most importantly, we want to develop a genuine enthusiasm for learning about the past.
The courses we run
Key Stage 3
History is taught once a week at Key Stage 3 in mixed ability groups for Year 7 and 8 before being set in Year 9. Students are examined via formative assessments and are familiar with skills and NC Level criteria. In Year 7 students start their studies with an introduction to the core Skills in History, before covering a thematic overview on the Lives of Everyday People in the last 1000 years and a depth study on the Roman Empire. In Year 8 students examine the Norman Conquest, before moving on to the Tudors and Stuarts. The final unit looks at the growth of the British Empire and its role in the Slave Trade. In Year 9 students study the fundamental events of the 20th century including World War One and World War Two, culminating with an examination of the Holocaust.
Key Stage 4
History is a popular subject at GCSE. There are currently eight groups in Year 10 and 11, all of whom follow the AQA Modern World syllabus. The course begins by studying Britain in the First and Second World War. This is a Coursework piece sat in Year 10 and is worth 25% of their overall grade. Unit 1, International Relations 1919-63, looks at Hitler’s Foreign Policy and the development of the Cold War, whilst Unit 2 is a depth study into USA 1919-41 and the Vietnam War. Both these units are examined by two papers sat at the end of Year 11.
Key Stage 5
History has become an increasingly popular subject at A-Level. We currently have 28 students in Year 12 and 32 in Year 13, taught in two groups in each year and all of whom follow the AQA syllabus. In the first year, students study two units each worth 50% of their A/S grade - HS1H: Tsarist Russia 1855-1917, looking at the collapse of the Romanov dynasty and the rise of Bolshevism, along with HIS2N: The Holocaust, Hitler and the German People. At A2, students focus on HIS3M: The Making of Modern Britain 1945-1997, this represents 30% of their final grade. In addition to this students currently complete a coursework piece on HIS4X: From Communism to Capitalism; A study of Russia 1894-1999
Gifted and Talented Students
A Subject Specialist historian can be defined as a student who has high academic ability (working at a NC Level which is above average for their age group – top 5% in base line test) complemented by an interest in the subject which drives their passion for discovery. As such, a G and T historian COULD exhibit the following attributes:
Items of particular interest
Key Stage 3
- Year 7 Hampton Court Trip
- Year 9 Battlefields trip to Ypres, Belgium
- G&T History Club – ‘Who do you think you are?’
- BBC writing competition
Key Stage 4
- Imperial War Museum Trip
- Women in Wartime Lecture
- Evacuation Lecture
Key Stage 5
- Visiting Lecturers from Royal Holloway
- University Lecture series at Imperial War Museum
- Eton Summer School
- Holocaust Educational Trust Visit
Please click on the images below for an enlarged photo
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