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History and Sociology

Key Stage 3

In Year 7 students start with an introductory unit ‘What is History?’  In this unit students are encouraged to develop their investigative skills and use a range of source to solve ‘historical mysteries.’  Students really enjoy a C.S.I based lesson which focuses on Tolland Man.  This unit is taught using a range of active learning techniques with the focus on students teaching each other to enable them to become independent learners.
Students then embark on a study of Medieval Britain, the unit begins with an examination of The Norman Conquest, before moving on to study life in Medieval Britain and the nature and distribution of power in medieval society.  Topics will include, homes, diet, entertainments, religion, health and medicine and crime and punishment in this period.  Within these topic students will examine the significance of the following events, the Black Death, the Murder of Thomas Beckett, the Peasants’ Revolt. 
The highlight of the year is the annual castle building competition, where students have to design and build their own scale model of a medieval castle.  The Castle is judged by members of the History Department from Warwick University; first prize is kindly donated by Warwick Castle. Great fun is had by all.

Students in Year 8 study the units Crown, Parliament and People; Empire and Trade and Black Peoples of the Americas.  In the unit Crown, Parliament and People, students study the establishment of the Tudor and Stuart dynasties and the English Civil War.  In the unit Empire and Trade, students study the development of the British Empire and the development of trade during the industrial revolution.  In their final unit Black Peoples of the Americas students look in depth at slavery and are expected to complete a slave diary.  Students will then look at life in the Americas and the changes that occurred after slavery was abolished.
A key assessment for Year 8 is the Autobiography of an American Slave which recounts the experiences of a slave from their life in Africa to their eventual freedom following emancipation.  Students are encouraged to develop their historical empathy skills and their literacy skills as they are required to use the historical facts and personalise them.

In Year 9 students study the unit Europe United and Divided.  Students will study in depth the causes and events of world war one and two.  They will also complete a research project on Life in Britain during the 2nd World War.  This will require students to examine and evaluate a range of sources concerning from contemporary newspapers and artefacts to books in the library and video footage. Students will then complete a detailed study of the Holocaust using a range of primary sources.  We work closely with Holocaust Educational Trust in completing this study.  Amy Graves, a member of the history department, is a trained educator for the Holocaust Educational Trust.
A range of teaching strategies and activities are used across the key stage.

Key stage 4

In the Autumn and Spring Term of Year 10 students study Medicine and Health Through Time.  This covers a wide time frame from prehistoric medicine to the present day.  In the summer term students begin to prepare for their controlled assessment which focuses on the Conflict in Northern Ireland.
In the autumn term of year 11 students complete their controlled assessment on an aspect of the Conflict in Northern Ireland.   In the spring and summer terms they complete a study in depth on Germany 1918-19.
History is a very popular subject at G.C.S.E and a number of our students continue to study History in the Sixth Form.  The History Department run an extensive range of support programmes for all students studying G.C.S.E History.  These include:-
• Intensive weekend revision sessions.
• An extensive revision pack.
• Exam skills workshop with a Principal Examiner for G.C.S.E History.
• Year 12 mentoring sessions, these are small group session run after school by a Year 12 History student and focus on helping Year 11 students to improve their exam technique.
• G.C.S.E. History parent information evenings.
• Regular information regarding revision tips and exam preparation are sent to students and parents throughout the exam season.

AS and A2

The programme for AS and A2 history focuses on Individual Rights and Power Relationships, which is divided into four units, two at AS level and two at A2 level

AS Level

he programme for A/S and A2 history focuses on Individual Rights and Power Relationships, which is divided into four units, two at A/S level and two at A2 level
A/S Level
Unit One focuses on, A world Divided:-Communism and Democracy in the C20th.  Students will study two options, Pursuing Life and Liberty, Equality in the U.S.A 1945-1968, where students will examine:-
• The social and economic position of black citizens in the USA in the 1940’s and early 1950’s.
• The role of Martin Luther King and peaceful protest.
• Black power and the use of violence.
• The extent to which equality had been achieved by 1968.
In the second option Ideology, Conflict and Retreat: the U.S.A in Asia 1950-73 students will examine:-
• The causes, course and consequences of the Korean War.
• The ideological struggle in S.E. Asia in the early 1950’s.
• The growing U.S participation in Vietnam under Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson.
• The Nixon Presidency and the withdrawal of U.S forces 1969-73.

Unit 2 focuses on Early Modern British History :- Crown and Authority.  Students will study one option, Henry VIII :- Authority, Nation and Religion, 1509-40, where they will examine:-
• Henry VIII’s quest for international influence.
• The structure of Tudor Government.
• Henry’s changing relations with the Catholic Church.

Which are fortunate enough to have close links with Warwick University which has enabled us to invite outside speakers into school to talk to A/S students about their area of expertise.
Every year two Year 12 students are selected to take part in the ‘Letters from Auschwitz’ project which is run by the Holocaust Educational Trust.  This involves the students taking part in orientation sessions at Aston University before embarking on a one day visit to Auschwitz.

A2 Level

Unit 3 focuses on War and Peace :- C20th International Relations.  Students will study one option , A World Divided :- Super power relations, 1944-90; where they will examine:-
• The post Stalin thaw in relations
• The arms race 1949-1963
• Sino-Soviet relations 1949-76
• Détente 1969-1980.

Unit 4 Historical Enquiry is a unit of coursework.  In this unit students will investigate key aspects of the option Germany United and Divided 1890-1991.  The period covers 100 years to enable students to develop an understanding of the process of change over the period.  Students will examine issues relating to both long and short term causes and consequences of change, which include:-
• Germany’s involvement in the First World War.
• The rise and fall of Nazism in Germany
• The partition of Germany
• The re-uniting of Germany in 1991.
The History department runs a range of support programmes for all A/S and A2 students.  These include:-
• Holiday revision sessions at Easter for A/S students and May half-term for A2 students.
• Exam skills workshops with a Principal Examiner.
• Lectures delivered by specialist Historians from Warwick University.
• An extensive revision pack.
• Parent information meetings.
History students in action
All A-Level History students are expected to take an active part in the History department, this involves students taking part in a range of different activities and projects.  These include:-
• Helping to deliver History projects in local primary schools.
• Working as teaching assistants in KS3 History lessons.
• Mentoring Year 11 History students to improve their exam technique.
• Running activities at the Year 6 Open Evening.
• Planning, preparing and delivering a ‘Tudor Day’ experience for Year 4 students.  This involved Year 12 students delivering six different workshops for Year 4 students on various aspects of Tudor life.  There was also a guest appearance by Henry VIII.