History Department

History lessons in all year groups contain a lot of discussion where everyone is expected to take part. We begin with detailed story telling as the basis of all good History and we develop the idea of History as telling stories from different points of view. We explain why key events are important and spend time thinking about what might happen next.

We examine written and picture sources from the past and think about what they can tell us. We ask questions such as, ‘Why is this source still useful even though some of the details might be wrong?’

There is a strong emphasis on detailed writing and explanation in assessed work.  At GCSE, History remains a subject that is welcomed by employers and colleges alike as a traditional subject that has retained high levels of expectation. The GCSE we offer is Modern World History. Topics range from Jack the Ripper to the Vietnam War, from the Cuban Missile Crisis to the First World War, and from the Cold War to the Civil Rights movement in the USA.