History

At GCSE, students study key developments and issues including topics on Wales and the wider world.

The Department follows the WJEC GCSE History course. Topics studied include the following:

Unit 1 – Depression, War and Recovery, 1930-1951. This unit is a study of key events including the causes of the Depression in the 1930s. It also includes a study of life in Britain during World War Two including the bombing of British cities and evacuation. Pupils will also study the effects of war on British society and the need for welfare reforms including the establishment of the NHS.

Unit 2 - Germany in Transition, 1919-1939. This option focuses in depth, on selected themes and issues relating to the history of Germany in this period. The impact of the First World War on the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Nazis will be considered. Key events during the Nazis’ time in power will also be studied in detail including the Nazis’ treatment of Jews and Hitler’s foreign policy and expansion over Europe.

Unit 3 - Changes in Crime and Punishment c. 1500 to the present day. This unit focuses thematically on the main trends in the history of crime and punishment between c.1500 to the present day. Focus will be on the main causes and nature of crime and how law and order has evolved to combat crime over time, from poverty as a cause from the 16th century onwards to the threat of terrorism in the 21st century. It also considers changing methods of combatting these crimes such as the creation of a police force and the abolition of the death penalty.

Unit 4 - Controlled Assessment This is a non-examined assessment to test key skills of source evaluation and the formation of different historical perspectives. These will be on aspects of either World War One and will be supported and completed during lessons.

Assessment of History

Unit 1 DWR: 25% of qualification. This will be sat in the Summer of Year 10.

Unit 2 Germany: 25% of qualification. This will be sat in the Summer of Year 10.

Unit 3 Crime and Punishment: 30% of qualification. This will be sat in the Summer of Year 11.

Unit 4 Coursework: 20% of qualification. This will be completed in class over the two years of study.

Further Study and Employment Opportunities

GCSE History also provides students with a basis for further study – History is offered at AS Level and A2 Level.

Although the study of history complements that of other Arts subjects it has been successfully combined with almost all subjects. It is a highly regarded academic discipline which provides a number of valuable transferable skills. It is associated particularly with the following professions: law, journalism, broadcasting, management, banking, publishing, librarianship, government and administration.