History

Why study History?

History makes you valuable - to universities and employers.  The bundle of skills, knowledge and attitudes that historical study delivers is highly attractive in both education and industry.

History makes sense of today's world.  It demands that you use your intelligence to make sense of the complex forces that have come together to create our local, national and global situations.

History transforms you into a researcher and writer who can organise and communicate ideas and arguments; who can talk confidently about the past, and who is ready to challenge their thinking and that of others.

History opens doors on the whole magnificent mess that is the human past.

Destinations for AHS students who studied this subject are on display outside the subject classrooms

AHS students can use Unifrog to explore how this subject might be used in life after A Levels

Entry Requirements

To study History at A Level, it is usual, but not essential, to have studied the subject at GCSE and have achieved a grade 6 or higher.  If you have not studied History, a 6 in another Humanity subject is required.

Special features of the course

• Specialist teachers provide in-depth and up-to-date learning through seminars based on critical reading and discussion

• Our materials are carefully selected to help you access some complex historical debates

• History lessons contain source analysis, essay planning, presentations, role-play and empathy work, close textual analysis, discussion and debate, pair-work, quizzes, problem-solving, research, question analysis, documentary and film, simulations, and many other learning opportunities  

• Until Covid interupted everything, we took an A Level History and Politics trip to Washington DC every two years.  American history is integral to this A Level and we will look for opportunities to run this trip in the future, subject to practical constraints and realistically affordable costs.

How is the course organised?

We follow the Pearson Edexcel specification. Find it here

Democracies in Change: Britain and the USA in the Twentieth Century: 

Paper 1: Britain Transformed, 1918-1997 

Paper 2: The USA 1955-92: Conformity and Challenge 

Paper 3: The Witch Craze in Britain, Europe and North America, c1580 - c1750 

Coursework: independently researched assignment on topic of student’s choice (with approval of Head of Dept). Can overlap with taught units.

Assessment

Paper 1 - Breadth Study with Interpretations. 2 hours 15 mins. 30% of overall assessment.

Paper 2 - Depth Study. 1 hour 30 mins. 20%.

Paper 3 - Themes in breadth with aspects in depth. 2 hours 15 mins. 30%.

Coursework: Maximum 4000-word essay with focus on interpretations. Marked by History team and externally moderated. 20%