GCSE
GCSE Specification and Curriculum Overview
Why study History?
History is a dynamic, engaging and exciting subject to study. At its heart, history is about understanding people: the decisions they took, the problems they faced, the challenges they overcame. Anyone who is interested in people should be interested in history! Beyond this, the GCSE in History gives students a better ability to understand the world in which we live today. Furthermore, the study of history develops vital skills such as: the ability to evaluate and argue; to communicate effectively; and to make informed, critical judgements based on the evidence. All of these skills are transferable and in demand in the complex, modern world.
The GCSE syllabus offers a fascinating mixture of periods, cultures and questions. Students will study two units. One focuses on understanding the modern world and will look in detail at key aspects of European and world history in the 20th century. The other unit focuses on the History of the UK. Students will complete a study of change over time, exploring the way in which medicine and public health has developed in Britain. Lessons are engaging and stimulating: the department takes full advantage of the three years dedicated to the course to offer students the chance to undertake exciting projects such as producing their own newspapers and analysing films about the topics studied!
Year 9
Building on from their studies of the Holocaust in Year 8, our Year 9 students begin the year studying genocide, prior to learning about women’s suffrage, which is in keeping with the theme of Human rights and protest (explored in Year 8). They will also study The USA, 1918-1933 (Boom and bust), in order to provide vital global context to their study of Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and dictatorship at GCSE. Indeed, the rationale behind the pre-GCSE course programme is to prepare students for the wide-ranging chronological and intellectual demands of the GCSE and to further develop a good set of historical skills.
In the second half of the spring term our students will commence their study of the GCSE syllabus proper and begin by studying the way in which medicine and public health has developed in Britain over the course of 1000 years. Beginning with medieval medicine, the course proceeds to look at changes brought about by the Renaissance, the revolutionary impacts of the Germ Theory and improved surgery, and finally modern medicine and the issues of healthcare in the 21st century.
The newly established WW1 battlefields trip is also set to return in 2024. Organised in conjunction with the English Department, this is set to be a real highlight for many years to come and it will be open to the entirety of Year 9, not just those who opted to study GCSE History.
Year 10
In Year 10 students will focus on two further GCSE examination topics. The first of these sees an investigation into Germany’s history from 1890-1945. The nature of German democracy, the impact of the First World War and the creation of the Weimar Republic will all be considered. The decline of Germany’s democratic government and the rise to power of Hitler and the Nazi party will also be explored in detail. The second Year 10 topic is a thematic study of conflict and tension between East and West from 1945 to 1972, examining the causes and progress of the Cold War. A residential trip to Berlin in support of the Germany and Cold War elements of the course will be offered in the May half term holiday of Year 10.
Year 11
In Year 11 students will complete their final GCSE topic, travelling back to the sixteenth century to learn about Elizabethan England. The challenges of the final 35 years of Elizabeth’s reign will be under examination, including the threat posed by the Spanish Armada and religious change. This will be fascinating in its own right but will also provide a fantastic foundation for A level History, whereby our students study the Tudor period in its entirety.
(Sep 2023)