History

“A People without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”. – Marcus Garvey

We live in a dramatically changing world and the opportunity that the study of History provides to ground our understanding of the present in the context of the past, and thus to reach a more profound understanding of contemporary issues, is more important than ever. The A Level History course is designed both to engage and excite through the choice of material to be studied and also to encourage contemplation over issues that are immediate to us today.

Skills Required

The aim of the History Department is to present the study of the past in a manner that is both enjoyable and academically stimulating. Above all, A Level candidates must have a real interest in the study of different aspects of the past and a willingness to read both widely and deeply into a period. A generalised knowledge of a period is not sufficient to do well at A Level; you need to read so as to get into the minds, and to understand the motives, of those you are studying.

Course Overview

Students study three units for the linear History A Level. All students study the same topics.

1) A “depth study” of American History from 1945-1980.

This covers hugely interesting and meaningful topics such as the struggle for Civil Rights, the impact of the

Vietnam War and the effects of Watergate.

2) “A “breadth study” covering the history of the British

Empire from c. 1857-1967. This allows pupils to consider the motivating forces behind British imperialism, the impact of imperialism from the perspective both of the

British and those they governed and, finally, the story of decolonisation after 1945.

3) A piece of guided coursework, 4,500 words long, on either the French Revolution or Tudor Rebellions.

These topics have been deliberately chosen to appeal to, and matter to, our students. The British Empire topic has never been more relevant to the present day, given the current Black Lives Matter protests and the debate over the Empire that this has created, whilst the issues surrounding Civil Rights in the USA are of universal significance. In addition to this, the American topic fits in well with the US section of the Politics A Level. Outside of the syllabus, the department offers regular and structured preparation for the EPQ and Oxbridge entry. There is also a popular, pupil-directed Senior Historical Society, now known as the Coundley Historical Society, which meets every fortnight to hear presentations given both by members of the Sixth Form and external speakers. We also offer a very popular series of evening lectures on a range of topics, offered by leading university academics. To broaden pupil experience of different topic areas, we run a Sixth Form reading group for the most able A Level historians that meets every term to discuss a book on an issue not covered in the normal A Level themes. In addition, the department runs regular trips to places such as Canterbury, Hampton Court, and the Tower of London.

Methods of Assessment

The British Empire and American topics are assessed by 2.5-hour exams at the end of the course. The coursework unit is introduced in the summer term of the Lower Sixth and is completed by the Spring half term, with a series of guidance seminars and one-to-one tutorials being offered.