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History
Historians are dangerous people. They are capable of upsetting everything.”
Nikita Khrushchev
Philosophy of the department
We believe that an enquiry and evidence-based study of the past stimulates our natural curiosity. History helps us to resist the simplistic and the superficial, and to always ask pertinent questions to further understand the world around us. Through this process history makes us more informed citizens, better able to shape our futures and to make sense of our world, whether from a personal, local, national or international perspective. Without learning from history we are all doomed to make the same mistakes! Above all, History helps to makes us more articulate, more literate and more interesting!
What we expect from our students
We strongly believe that teaching and learning is a partnership, and we expect our students to be persistent in the face of challenge, to take a pride in their work and to accept advice and constructive criticism in order to grow as historians. We expect our students to be curious and have a thirst to find out more, the best history students are the ones who always ask questions!
Your teachers work hard to produce lessons with a range of different types of activities from role plays and debates, to creating news reports and board games, to writing exam questions and practising essay writing technique. We expect our students to work just as hard to complete their best possible work, whatever form it might take. We want our students to take risks and encourage them to work together in order to achieve their potential.
A good historian considers all possible sides to a debate, weighing up the evidence before reaching a conclusion and supporting it with either sources or factual knowledge. We encourage all our students to try and understand why people hold differing views and have produced different interpretations of the past, whether this is historians, politicians or other members of the class. We expect our students to develop opinions and seek to understand the opinions and actions of others. Finally, we expect all our students to live up to the LPGS expectations by always giving 100% to everything they do.
Your teachers are there to help you become effective independent learners, to develop existing strengths and overcome (or disguise!) your weaknesses - we all have them. Your teachers are very experienced and have very good knowledge of the subject and of the skills required to do well at history, from the outsight they will also have a good understanding of your potential and they will work with you to make sure you achieve this. If it sometimes seems that they are always asking you to do more, it’s because they know that you can do it! Perhaps most importantly your teachers love history, they are proud of what they know but they always want to know even more. One of the best things about teaching history is that you always get to learn more history!
Contact name: Ms E ALLEN
Key Stage 3
Our Key Stage 3 curriculum is based on the use of enquiry questions within lessons and across a series of lessons so that students can engage with the past and reach their own conclusions. At a glance the curriculum provides students with an understanding of the history of Britain and the World from the Middle Ages until the present day. We are currently in the process of updating the curriculum, however below is what each year group are studying this year:
| Autumn | Spring | Summer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 7 |
The Middle Ages
|
Complete the Middle Ages
The Tudors
|
The Tudors and Stuarts
|
| Year 8 |
The Industrial Revolution
|
The Empire
|
The Fight for Female Suffrage
|
| Year 9 |
World War One
|
The Inter War Years
World War Two
|
The Holocaust
|
Key Stage 4: GCSE History
Year 10 and Year 11 are studying the new AQA Specification and we are completing the following topics. There are two exams which are worth 50% of the total grade each, and four topics which are worth 25% of the total grade each
| Paper 1: Understanding the Modern World | |
|---|---|
| America, 1920 - 1973: Opportunity and Inequality (25%) |
Conflict and Tension, 1918-1939(25%) |
|
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| Paper 2: Shaping the Nation | |
| Britain: Health & the people: c1000 - present day (25%) | Elizabeth England, c1568-1603 (25%) |
|
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Key Stage 5: A Level History
Description of Course
The Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in History consists of three externally examined papers and coursework. The course is linear and all assessment happens at the end of the A-Level in Year 13.
Year 12: Papers 1 and 2
Papers 1 and 2 are united by the common theme (or Route F): Searching for Rights and Freedom in the Twentieth Century.
Paper 1, Option 1F: In search of the American Dream: the USA, 1917–96
The topics studied are:
- The changing political environment, 1917-80
- The quest for civil rights, 1917-80
- Society and culture in change, 1917-80
- The changing quality of life, 1917-80
- What impact did the Reagan presidency (1981-89) have on the USA in the years 1981-96?
The exam is comprised of:
- One essay on a depth topic (up to ten years)
- One essay on a breadth theme (at least a third of the time period)
- One essay examining two different historical interpretations of Reagan.
Paper 2, Option 2F.2: South Africa, 1948–94: from apartheid state to ‘rainbow nation’.
The topics studied are:
- The response to apartheid, c1948-59
- Radicalisation of resistance and consolidation of National Party Power, 1960-1968
- Redefining resistance and challenges to National Party Power, 1968-83
- The end of apartheid and the creation of the ‘rainbow nation, 1984-1994
The exam is comprised of:
- One source question using two sources
- One essay on a depth topic
Year 13: Paper 3 and Coursework
Paper 3, Option 36.1: Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780-1928
This option comprises two parts: the Aspects in breadth focus on long-term changes and contextualise the Aspects in depth , which focus in detail on key episodes.
The topics studied are:
Depth Topics:
- Radical reformers, c1790-1819
- Chartism, c1838-1850
- Contagious Diseases Act and the campaign for their repeal, 1862-1886
- The Women’s Social and Political Union, 1903-1914
- Trade union militancy, 1917-1927
Breadth Topics
- Reform of parliament
- Changing influences in parliament: the impact of parliamentary reform
The exam is comprised of:
- One source question based on two sources
- One essay on a depth topic (up to ten years)
- One essay on a breadth theme
Coursework - Interpretations of the Russian Revolution
For the coursework students write one extended essay which compares different interpretations written by historians about the Russian Revolution. They complete a short content based course which starts with the reign of Nicholas II and examines the build up and reasons for the Russian Revolution. This is followed by a skills based course, which examines historiography and the different skills in comparing and evaluating interpretations. Finally students write their essay where they compare three accounts and explain the similarities and differences, the reasons for these similarities and differences and their opinion of the interpretations. The two coursework questions are:
- How far do you agree that the October Revolution of 1917 was a ‘coup d'état’ rather than a popular uprising?
- How far do you agree that Lenin was the main reason for the success of the October Revolution of 1917?
Skills Required
A historian needs to enquire beyond the obvious and the superficial. You will need to think, to listen, to read and, above all, to write analytically. You should have a grade 6 or higher in GCSE English Language. A willingness to interpret historical information, and the ability then to express your findings, whether in discussion, or in writing, are required. You should be able to analyse and to evaluate historical sources and interpretations.
Entry Qualifications
Grade 6 or above in GCSE History or in a related Humanities subject is required as well as English. Please be aware that this is a minimum requirement.
Method of Assessment
| Method | Nature of Assessment | Weighting | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 |
Written Examination |
|
30% |
| Unit 2 | Written Examination |
|
20% |
| Unit 3 | Written Examination |
|
30% |
| Unit 4 | Coursework |
|
20% |
Educational Progression and Career Opportunities
Success in History, at all levels, indicates an ability to present an argument (written or verbal) and to consider all the implications of complex issues. Such abilities are the foundation for any career which provides its own additional, specialist training. This explains why those with history qualifications are found not only in the more obvious areas of history teaching, archives and museum administration, but also, in greater numbers than ever, in the law, computing, the financial services, advertising, marketing, publishing, politics and so on. Any History qualification enhances employability and makes you more interesting too!
