IGCSE History

IGCSE History at HHIS is a two-year course that tackles some of the most significant issues of the modern world. The course is designed to be engaging, interesting and relevant and the emphasis is on both historical knowledge and on the skills required for historical research.

Through studying Cambridge IGCSE History at HHIS, students will gain a greater understanding of the world around them by reflecting on the past. The course encourages learners to raise questions and to develop and deploy historical skills, knowledge and understanding in order to provide historical explanations. Students will explore history from a diversity of perspectives, including social, economic, cultural and political. They will explore historical concepts, appreciate historical evidence and gain a greater understanding of international issues and inter-relationships.


Course Content

Students will develop an understanding of the nature of cause and effect, continuity and change, similarity and difference, and find out how to use and understand historical evidence as part of their studies. The content of the IGCSE History course centres around the twentieth century and, specifically, international relations after the end of World War One. Students will focus on seven key questions over the course of the two year study programme:

  1. Were the peace treaties of 1919–23 fair?

  2. To what extent was the League of Nations a success?

  3. Why had international peace collapsed by 1939?

  4. Who was to blame for the Cold War?

  5. How effectively did the United States contain the spread of Communism?

  6. How secure was the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe, 1948–c.1989?

  7. Why did events in the Gulf matter, c.1970–2000?

In addition, students will look at one area of twentieth-century history in greater depth.


Assessment

At the end of Year 11, students will complete three assessment components.

  • Paper 1 (2 hours): Students answer two questions from the seven key areas and one question from their depth study. This component is worth 40% of the overall grade.

  • Paper 2 (2 hours): Students answer six source-based questions on one prescribed topic taken from the seven key areas. This component is worth 33% of the overall grade.

  • Paper 4 (1 hour): Students answer one question on their depth study. This component is worth 27% of the overall grade.