“History is all around us and we strongly encourage students to watch current documentaries, read history of whatever period and to see as many historical sites as possible. From school, in the last two years, we have explored castles and travelled as far as Belgium, France, Cuba, Prague and Poland in search of the remains of the past.”
Mrs. Elaine Duffy, Head of History
Key Stage 3
What will the subject be like?
Lively, varied and full of activity! The range of events, the myriad activities and the style of teaching ensure that pupils are stimulated, challenged and interested in equal measure!
Lessons per week
History is taught to Upper Third and Lower Fourth pupils in three periods per week.
What will be studied?
In the Upper Third we study Medieval Britain from 1066 to1400.
Our course begins with the events of 1066 and the Norman Conquest of England. This is a lively topic that encourages discussion and debate enabling excellent interaction between students in the early weeks of the year.
Our students have the opportunity to study political, religious, economic and social history. The scheme of work includes a study of castles, monasteries, the church, life in a medieval village, Henry II and Thomas Becket, Islam and the Crusades, King John and the Magna Carta, the beginning of Parliament, the Black Death and the Peasants Revolt.
History in the Lower Fourth follows the Making of the United Kingdom 1500-1750 and the French Revolution.
The first topic involves a study of the Tudor and Stuart monarchies. As this is a period of religious upheaval we focus on the Reformation and its impact. Topics include: Henry VIII and the Divorce issue, the reigns of Edward VI and Mary I, Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots, the Spanish Armada and Poverty in Tudor England. Our study of the Stuarts includes the Gunpowder Plot, the Civil War, Oliver Cromwell and the formation of the United Kingdom.
As a comparative study students have the opportunity to study the Ancien Regime, the French Revolution and Napoleon in the summer term.
Homework
A variety of tasks will be set, from research, extended writing and diagrams to empathetic and source work. In addition, every student in the lower and middle school will be given a project or research assignment to complete during the academic year. This accounts for 20% of the overall examination mark.
GCSE
Why should I study GCSE History?
If you enjoy arguing History is for you.
We study the greatest conflicts of opinion ever and see how different people have come to very different views about matters such as:
- Was it necessary to for 60,000 British troops to die on the first day of the Somme?
- Could Germany’s problems be solved by electing Adolf Hitler to power in 1933?
- Was Stalin right to kill so many Russians? Was it the only way to modernise the USSR?
- Why did the world nearly destroy itself in the Cuban missile crisis?
- Understanding the world you live in.
Winston Churchill once said, “The further we can see back into the past the further we can see into the future.”
By understanding History we can see how current events occur and have better informed opinions on them eg the current clash of civilisation between Islam and the West and recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan all have long historical roots.
What skills will I gain and what use is History?
The skills that you will gain will be useful to you regardless of what subjects you go on to study at A Level. They include: discussion and debate, evaluation of source material and presentation of arguments, knowledge of the world, and literacy.
Historians are highly prized in the job market because they can absorb a great deal of information, analyse it and present clear and coherent opinions.
These skills are relevant to a wide spectrum of careers eg journalists, lawyers, civil service, foreign office, managers, bankers – even teachers!
What topics will I study?
Paper 1:
- The rise and fall of the communist state in Russia, 1928-91.
Stalin’s take over of the Communist Party and his brutal regime in Russia. The struggle against the Nazi’s in which 20 million Russians died. - Superpower relations since 1945 and the Cold War.
Cuba, Castro, JFK, the Berlin Wall, Vietnam War.
Paper 2:
- The First World War and its consequences.
Gruesome trench warfare and the major battles including the Somme, Ypres and Gallipoli. - Nazi Germany, 1933 – 1945.
The rise to power of Adolf Hitler and the terrifying state and war that he created.
How will I be assessed?
Coursework:
There are two pieces of coursework on the Home Fronts in WW1 and WW2 to be completed in the two years. Each is max. 1500 words in length. These make up 25% of your marks hence improving your chances of a top grade!
Exams:
There are two exams at the end of the two years. Paper 1 is worth 45% and is two hours long. Paper 2 is 1 ¾ hour Depth Study using sources and is worth 30%.
What about visits and fieldwork?
Every two years there is a very moving trip to the battlefields of Flanders, the Somme, Ypres and the famous Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate. Other visits that relate to the course will have gone to Cuba, Prague and Poland and many more will follow in years to come.
AS and A Level
Introduction
History is all about change and we have fully embraced all the exciting options available with the new AS and A-level specifications. A variety of choice and new student centred assessment are the keys to our courses post 16.
If you enjoy: debate, argument, problem solving, presenting your interpretation of views and events, discovering the views of others, working on your own but supported by specialist teaching – then you would enjoy the further study of History to AS or A level. Many students simply choose History because they find it both challenging and interesting. There are currently nearly 50 students studying the subject in the Lower Sixth.
What use is History?
At AS level: History offers a practical application of literary skills that will demonstrate to universities and potential employers a capacity to organise arguments, assess evidence and debate effectively.
At A level: History remains one of the most popular Arts A levels in the country and continues to be accepted by universities and employers as one of the most relevant courses, developing skills of debate, understanding of argument and applying literacy.
Increasingly history is combined with non-arts side subjects as well as the more traditional combinations. Indeed the mathematician or scientist will discover that there is great synergy between historical method and the scientific approach! For potential lawyers, the subject has relevance and benefit.
How will I be assessed?
- Units will be examined in June each year.
- You will have to complete 3 units for AS and a further 3 units for a full A level. These will be between 45 and 90 minutes each.
- Coursework will be worth 15% of the total A Level mark.
What is the course going to be like?
We aim to offer the widest range of choices allowing you to combine different periods of history or simply to choose the Modern period if you wish.
AS (or year 1 of the A Level course)
All students study 3 units of which one must be British History:
- British History
- Early Modern British History: The Mid-Tudor Crisis 1540-1558 / Church and State 1529-58.
- Modern British History: England in a New Century 1900-1918 / Liberals and Labour 1899-1918.
- European History
- Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, 1469-1520.
- Italian Unification, 1830-70.
- The Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany, 1919-1945.
- Mussolini, 1919 — 1945.
A2 History (or the rest of the A level)
Again, you select from a wide variety of options for 2 units + an Independent Investigation coursework unit:
- Theme Papers: these look at the broad sweep of history over a long time span.
- Tudor Rebellion and Disorder, 1485 — 1603.
- Russia. Tsars and Communists, 1855 — 1956.
- Britain and Ireland, 1798-1921.
- Historical Investigations: in depth studies of famous personalities.
- Elizabeth I
- Napoleon
- Lenin
The Independent Investigation coursework unit is an exciting opportunity for you to research and write about an area of history in depth.
You will enjoy the variety of two teachers in each year of the course.
What else do you do for Sixth Form?
We offer a range of optional and curriculum visits:
- History field trips to exciting locations like Cuba, Prague and the Battlefields.
- A History visit to Oxford.
- Relevant Sixth Form conferences are attended in Leeds and Manchester.
- Specialist teaching is offered on a 1-1 basis for Oxbridge candidates, and extra assistance for all with any further questions or study requirements.
CAMBRIDGE VISIT- Sunday 7th and Monday 8th March
ITINERARY
Sunday 7th March
- 7.30am Depart St Bede’s (from playground by minibus)
- 9.30am Break at Newark for breakfast
- 10.00am Leave Newark
- 11.30am Arrive at Cambridge
- Leave minibus at Garden House Hotel
- Lunch at University Centre, Mill Lane (cafeteria: modestly priced).
- Walking tour of Cambridge and the main colleges, to include Peterhouse, Clare, King’s, Trinity, St. John’s, Trinity Hall and Jesus.
- View the Quincentenary Library and other areas at Jesus College for an idea of college facilities.
- 3.30pm Meet with Dr. Martin Ruehl, Fellow in History at Sidney Sussex College. He will talk about history at Sidney Sussex and Cambridge.
- Collect bags from minibus and check in to hotel: accommodation in twin bedded rooms.
- 5.30pm Mass (Said) at Fisher House, the Catholic Chaplaincy.
- Return to hotel, use leisure facilities if desired (indoor pool, jacuzzi and gym).
- 8.00pm Dinner in hotel restaurant.
Monday 8th March
- Leisure facilities available before breakfast
- Breakfast in hotel restaurant
- 9.00am Tour of Sidgwick site where history and other arts faculty buildings may be found as well as the university library.
- Visit to King’s Chapel
- Rest of morning; free time to tour colleges, visit other parts of the university, explore the town. Mr Bartlett will be happy to initiate those interested into the mysteries of punting, which is an ideal way to see the best parts of Cambridge.
- 12.30pm Meet at Garden House to walk to..
- 1.00pm Selwyn College where we will meet Dr Mike Sewell, Tutor for Admissions (Arts) and Director of Studies in History.
- We will have lunch in hall first and then at 1.45pm meet in Room G1 with Dr. Sewell to discuss entry to Cambridge for arts subjects, admissions for history and the nature of the history tripos.
- 3.00pm Return to Garden House pick up bus and depart for Manchester.
- We will break for a meal en route to Manchester, aiming for a return for c. 8.30pm or earlier.
Other dates to be arranged:
Dr. Glynn Redworth from the University of Manchester has kindly agreed to talk to potential applicants for history at university about the process of applying and what factors should be considered. Dr. Redworth is a friend of the college who was educated at both Cambridge and Oxford and is a leading 16th /17th century historian. His discussion last year on the same subject was excellent and aided a number of decisions!
Visit of Mr Richard Partington, the charismatic Director for Admissions at Sidney Sussex Cambridge (and historian!) is currently being arranged.
Finally, Mrs. Norton’s husband who was a fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge and is Director of the history MA programme at Manchester University will be visiting us too.