History is part of the Humanities Faculty, working alongside Geography.
Our aims are to:
- Provide youngsters with a wide ranging experience of History, from the Romans to the Twentieth Century, based on the 5 key-aspects of chronology, knowledge, interpretation, enquiry and communication.
- Provide opportunity for the experience of active History, encouraging students to engage fully in their learning and become highly-skilled, independent Historians.
- Encourage students to become critical thinkers, forming and evaluating their own historical interpretations of the past.
- Develop an understanding of the skills involved in History and the benefits the subject brings to society, including its potential as a career option.
Accommodation and Resources:
History is based in its own 4 specialist classrooms, located together in the central part of the school, all of which are equipped with an interactive whiteboard. These boards are used to enhance both the teaching and learning experience, through the use of the internet, PowerPoint presentations, and subject-specific software to help engage students. The department also uses the school library for independent research and local history studies.
Key Stage 3
The Students are taught History for 2 x 50 minute lessons a week; this is in mixed ability groups in Year 7 and banding in Years 8 and 9. The Key Stage is divided into the following units:
| Year group |
Unit 1: |
Unit 2: |
Unit 3: |
Unit 4: |
| 7 |
What is History? |
Me and my world |
Italy |
North America |
| 8 |
Religious History |
Britain 1500-1750 |
Trade and exploration civil rights |
| 9 |
Life in Britain |
Conflict over time |
Holocaust |
Youth Culture |
Key Stage 4
History remains a popular option for GCSE. Students study GCSE Modern World, with depth studies on Nazi Germany and America.
Key Stage 5
At A-Level we offer the OCR History A syllabus, in Year 12 students study the Early Stuarts and the causes of the Civil War and Germany 1933-1963. In Year 13 student’s complete units on Oliver Cromwell and a thematic research study.
History recruits very well in our Sixth Form.
Extra-curricular Activities
All staff help run after-school sessions for both revision and coursework. In addition there is a weekly historical games club and occasional local-history research project.
In Year 10 students also have the opportunity to attend 2 Historical visits. The first one is a trip to the Imperial War Museum in London, and there is also residential trip exploring the battlefields of WW1.
In Year 11, students also visit the Cold War Exhibition at Cosford.