history

To develop a curiosity about the past and make judgements about Britain’s past and that of the wider world, by asking questions, thinking critically and evaluating the evidence. It is great to be curious! Find facts and views from the past. Ask questions about the past. Find links between the past and life today.

GCSE History is a fascinating course, which offers students the opportunity to study a range of topics with a particular emphasis on 20th century History.

It also develops skills that will be useful for future careers. These skills include: careful factual research, interpreting different types of documents from cartoons to poems, to newspaper articles; constructing sensible and logical arguments. Ultimately, students will be able to make balanced judgements and weigh up different viewpoints to give their own interpretation of events in the past. A love of reading and writing is essential to get the most from the course the exam board is Edexcel and all marks toward the final grade is exam based.

• Unit 1: Thematic study
  • Medicine in Britain, c1250-present
  • Historic environment: The British sector of the Western Front, 1914-1918: injuries, treatment & the trenches
• Unit 2: Period study superpower relations & the Cold War 1941-1991
  • The origins of the Cold War, 1941-1958
  • Cold War Crises, 1958-1970
  • The end of the Cold War, 1970-1991
• Unit 2: Depth study Henry VIII & his ministers 1509-1540
  • Henry VIII & Wolsey, 1509-1529
  • Henry VIII & Cromwell, 1529-1540
  • The Reformation and its impact, 1529-1540
• Unit 3: Modern depth study the USA 1954-1975, conflict at home and abroad
  • The development of the civil rights movement, 1954-1960
  • Protest, progress & radicalisation, 1960-1975
  • US involvement in the Vietnam War, 1954-1975
  • Reactions to, and the end of, US involvement in Vietnam, 1964-1975

For A-Level, the exam board is OCR and there are 3 exams and 1 piece of coursework

Entry Requirements

It is a two year course and the content below is flexible in terms of other historical topics that can be studied depending on the students opting for it.

Students should have a Grade 6 or above in GCSE History or if you have not taken GCSE History then a Grade 6 or above in GCSE English Language or GCSE English Literature is advisable.

• Unit 1 (25% of grade): British period study & enquiry Britain 1900-1951, England & a new century 1900-1918
  • Political issues 1900-1914
  • Social issues 1900-1918
  • Britain at war 1914-1918
  • British period study
  • Britain c.1918-1951
  • British politics 1918-1929
  • British domestic politics 1929-1939
  • Economic issues 1918-1939
  • Domestic politics 1940-1951
• Unit 2 (15% of grade): Non-British period study the Cold War in Asia 1945-1993
  • Western policies in Post War Asia, 1945-1979
  • The Korean War 1950-1953 & its impact up to 1977
  • Indochina 1945-1967
  • Wars in Vietnam & Cambodia, 1968-1993
• Unit 3 (40% of grade): Thematic study & historical interpretations, rebellion & disorder under the Tudors 1485-1603
  • Main causes of rebellion & disorder
  • The frequency & nature of disturbances
  • The impact of disturbances upon Tudor governments
  • The maintenance of political stability
  • Pilgrimage of Grace
  • The Western Rebellion
  • Tyrone’s Rebellion
• Unit 4 (20% of grade): Coursework
  • Topic based essay on a subject chosen by the student.
  • Length of essay must be between 3000-4000 words.