History

Our aim is to encourage our students’ very genuine enthusiasm for History.

We help our students to develop the skills they will need in the wider world.  The department is strong in terms of both numbers and examination results and currently consists of three teachers.  A key emphasis of the department is that students have individual time to discuss work with their teacher.

History is a popular subject with three classes per year group for GCSE and two classes per year group at A-Level. At GCSE students study the OCR SHP course on ‘Crime & Punishment through Time’ and also the ‘Germany 1933-1945’ depth study. In addition to this we study modules on both the Normans and the Making of America. 

At A-Level our students study a mixture of modern and early modern components focused on Russia, the Cold War and the Tudors.

The School operates a two year Key Stage 3 system and our students study elements from British and International history over the past 1000 years.  In Year 7 they focus on the period 1066 -1750 and in Year 8 follow this up with study of the modern period.

As an addition to classroom learning we provide other opportunities for the most enthusiastic.  Within the last year students have been involved in the Holocaust Memorial initiative, the First World War commemorations, and Peterhouse and Parliament essay competitions for Sixth Formers and those further down the School respectively.

Students preparing for university interviews for History are given help and advice regarding preparation and reading. A significant number of our students go on to study history or history related subjects at university each year. We use the OCR SHP course for GCSE which is a widely taken up option with the students and indeed nationally. 

History is a popular option in the Sixth Form, studied by around 30% of the students.  We use the AQA modules and the general pattern is for each set to be taught European History by one teacher and English History by another. 

There has been a longstanding tradition of students applying for external prizes such as the Vellacott Essay prize. 

Sixth Form teaching has become very flexible and individual tuition for Oxbridge has been given in lunchtime and after school sessions.