History

Pupils will begin the year with a study of the historical skills that they will then utilise throughout their study of the subject. This includes the role of the historian, source analysis, evaluation, interpretation, chronology, knowledge and understanding, communication and organisation.

This will then introduce pupils to elements of the Middle Ages, concentrating on the Norman Conquest at the Battle of Hastings, before exploring the influence of the Normans in Wales.

In Year 8 pupils will be studying Britain 1500-1900. They will consider the political, economic, cultural, social and religious changes that took place, starting with the Wars of the Roses. They will also study life in England and Wales under the Tudors and Stuarts, including the Reformation and the Civil War.

Pupils will complete a study of the impact of the Industrial and Agricultural Revolutions, including the growth of the British Empire the development of the transatlantic slave trade.

Assessment will be through regular homework tasks and a written core task every half-term.

In Year 9 pupils will complete a study of the Industrial and Agricultural Revolutions, considering the causes and effect of technological developments.

In the second half of the year pupils will also study the Twentieth Century. They will consider the political, economic, cultural, social and religious changes that took place in Britain during this time. This will include the study of the First and Second World Wars as well as other significant international events and individuals.

Assessments will include one presentation and a number of extended writing tasks.

Pupils opting for History in Year 10 will start with Unit 1 – Helmstedt Germany in transition, 1919-1947. Papers for Unit 1 will focus mainly on the evaluation of historical sources and interpretations of the past. They will then complete Unit 2 – Austerity, Affluence and Discontent in the United Kingdom, 1951-1979. Papers for Unit 2 will focus mainly on key features and key concepts of history.

Unit 3 (Controlled Assessment) constitutes 25% of the total marks and will be undertaken at the beginning of Year 11, when pupils will complete two pieces of work on different aspects of the Great Depression. Unit 4 is an outline study of America 1929-2000.

All external examinations will be sat in the summer of Year 11. There will be three exam papers in total, each constituting 25% of the total marks.

Students who choose to follow History in year 12 and 13 will be able to gain the AS Level in one year and the full A Level in two years.

Students are expected to read widely, prepare for class discussion and complete assigned tasks on a regular basis. There will be opportunities for students to use a varied range of resources, including the internet, video clips and a wide selection of historical sources to support their study and learning.

AS Level. In year 12 you will study two units:

HY1 – Period Study. Aspects of the History of Wales and England, c. 1603-1715.

HY2 – In-Depth Study. The Crisis of the American Republic, c. 1848-1877.

A Level. In year 13 you will study a further two units.

HY3 – A historical investigation arising from the In-Depth Study. This unit is assessed internally. It is centre-set, teacher marked and externally moderated. The assignment produced must be between three and four thousand words, focussing on a specific historical problem or issue arising from the in-depth study.

HY4 – In Depth Study.

General topic 1: Abraham Lincoln and the Crisis of the Union, c. 1848-1865.

General topic 2: Reconstruction, c. 1863-1877.

General topic 1: England’s relations with Ireland, Scotland and Wales, c. 1603-1649.

General topic 2: James II, the Glorious Revolution and party politics, 1685-1715

Outline theme 1: Crime, Disorder and Protest, c. 1603-1715.

Outline theme 2: England’s changing relations with foreign powers, c. 1603-1715.