History

History is all about the study of the past and how it has shaped the present. We investigate how people lived their lives in the past, and discover how a historian would undertake an investigation into an historical event.

We also study some of the key men and women who have helped to shape History, and investigate the causes and significance of key historical events.

History Department

Year 6 Transition

During our Year 6 Transition History lessons we will be investigating how historians gather and use evidence of the past by making time capsules of the student’s lives.

Key Stage 3

History is delivered in Years 7, 8 and 9 at Key Stage 3.

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

Assessment: All Key Stage 3 year groups are regularly assessed each term in order to gauge progress. In History, this assessment usually takes the form of an extended piece of writing. There is a final assessment at the end of each year in KS3.  This will cover all of the content and skills that we have covered over the year.

Key Stage 4

Studying History is optional, and students have selected to carry on with their studies from Key Stage 3. The focus of a History GCSE is to examine the range of factors that cause events and changes to occur, and to consider how historians use evidence to achieve this.

All KS4 students are following the new History specification, for which the first exams will be held in Summer 2018. The Specification details are Edxcel History GCSE (9-1) 1HI0. The weighting of the topics in this new exam are as follows:

• Y10 Course: The American West – 20%;
• Y10 Course: Anglo Saxon and Norman England c1060-1088 – 20%;
• Y10/ Y11 Course: Medicine in Britain c1250-present, including WWI medicine – 30%;
• Y11 Course: The USA 1954-75: Conflict Home and Aboard– 30%.

The examining body: All of these courses are formally assessed by the exam board in 3 exams at the end of Year 11. Medicine and USA 1954-75 are examined in separate exams, whilst a single exam covers both the American West and Norman England. There is no coursework or controlled assessment for new History GCSE.

Assessment: Both Year 10 and Year 11 students are regularly assessed each term using exam questions and extended writing pieces.

Key Stage 5

Studying History is optional and Years Twelve and Thirteen will complete their academy based studies.

The examining body: History follows the EdExcel specification 8HI01 for AS and 9HI01 for the full A Level.

AS History: Students would complete two topics in Year 12 (see table below). They would be examined on both topics at the end of Year 12.
A Level History: Students need to study four topics across Years 12 and 13 (see table below). They would sit exams on the first 3 topics at the end of Year 13. The final unit, Arab-Israeli Conflict, is coursework.

The weighting of the topics in the exam are as follows:

Assessment: Students will be assessed throughout their Key Stage Five studies with exam questions and extended pieces of writing.
Key Coursework Deadlines: Year Thirteen coursework is on the Arab Israeli Conflict and students will be working on this through-out Year Thirteen. The final deadline for Year Thirteen coursework is likely to be in March. This will be confirmed to students at the earliest opportunity.