National 5 History

History will help you to develop a variety of skills, showing you how to research accurate and relevant information, how to use it properly, and explain what has happened in the past, as well as why and how these events have occurred.

These skills will be useful in many careers such as journalism, law, solicitor, TV researcher, architecture, police force, accountancy, teacher and many more, making a History qualification very valuable.

The National History courses involve pupils studying the causes and consequences of change over the last 200 years. The purpose of it is to provide learners with insights into their own lives and the society in which they live. By examining the past, they discover their heritage as members of a community, country and wider world.

Pupils will study three units:

1. Scottish History: The Great War and the effects on Scotland

This unit requires pupils to study the experiences of Scottish soldiers in the trenches on the Western Front and will build on prior learning from S3. The effects of the war on people in Scotland will be examined with a focus on domestic changes. Subsequent changes to the Scottish economy and industry are also examined.

2. European and World History: Civil Rights in the USA, 1918-68

The problems facing black Americans at the beginning of the twentieth century are identified and evaluated. The civil rights campaigns are studied and progress assessed before an overall decision is reached on the relative improvement made to the lives of black Americans by 1970.

3. British History: The Slave Trade

Pupils will learn about the reasons for the slave trade and experiences of those involved in a wide range of roles. The effects of the slave trade on individuals and countries as well as the impact on Scotland will also be studied. The abolition of the Slave Trade was a major issue in British History and the arguments for and against it will be made allowing for a discussion of contemporary turning points.

In addition to demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the course content, pupils will be assessed on their historical skills. National level skills of evaluating and comparing sources have been taught during S3 together with ‘explain’ and ‘describe’ type questions. Pupils will build on these skills throughout the year in preparation for the unit assessments and final exam.

National 5

The exam will assess knowledge and skills and is worth 80% of the total mark for this course. Pupils will answer questions from all three units in this exam within 2hours 20 minutes. In addition, pupils must research a historical topic and complete a piece of coursework on this. This Assignment essay will be written up in exam conditions in one hour and will be worth 20% of the overall mark.

National 4

Three unit assessments must be completed at N4 level together with an Added Value investigation in order to achieve this award. The Added Value topic is chosen by the candidate and completed within class time. Pupils will also have the option to attempt National 5 unit assessments to progress as far as they can in this subject.

National 3

Pupils must complete three unit assessments at this level in order to achieve a N3 course award.