History & Politics
The core aim of the History & Politics curriculum is to spark and nurture a burning curiosity with the past through historical and political studies. We aim to equip pupils with the skills essential to historical studies. Emphasis is placed on essay structure, debate, research and forensic analysis of source material. Our students are critical, inquisitive and passionate and also recognise that historians rarely agree and that part of the fun of their studies is in clashing different interpretations together and deciding which scholars are the most compelling.
Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9)
The Key Stage 3 curriculum is designed to cover a broad range of topics from across the world and through time. In addition to honing their study skills and critical thinking, topics are chosen to promote a deeper understanding of different times and places.
Topics covered include:
- Who held power in England between 1066 - 1381?
- Why did people believe that religion was so important in the Medieval Period?
- How have Islam and Christianity clashed, and what impact has this had on today’s world?
- How and why have political rights evolved from 1642 - present day?
- Revolutionary ideas in France, America, and Russia
- The British Empire: How did it develop? What impact did it have in the 19th century? What impact has it had on the modern world?
- How and why did WW1 change the world?
- How and why did WW2 change the world?
- When was India most free?
- The Holocaust
- How did people campaign for Civil Rights in the USA?
Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11 GCSE)
Students study the Pearson (9-1) History Specification at GCSE. Through rigorous and challenging material and lessons, students aspire to achieve high standards and produce high-quality written work - most notably through frequent collaborative work. The ultimate aim is for students to develop a burning curiosity to investigate and interrogate the events of the past, recognising that History is much more than just a collection of facts and dates. It is a subject that demands relentless investigation and questioning and will equip students with the skills they need to flourish at GCSE, A Level and beyond.
Topics studied include:
- Migrants in Britain, c.800 - present
- Superpower Relations and the Cold War, 1941-1999
- The reigns of Richard I and King John, (1189-1216)
- Weimar & Nazi Germany, 1918-1939
Key Stage 5 (Years 12- 13 A Level) - History
Students are required to have gained at least a grade 6 in History GCSE to be eligible to take this course at A Level
Students follow the AQA course at A Level. The course is both rigorous and demanding and will certainly position students perfectly should they wish to pursue an academic path by applying to university. Students studying History at A Level gain a richer understanding of the past through political, social, economic and cultural perspectives. In tandem with this, A Level historians develop their expertise in higher order questioning, analysis of evidence and interpretations and constructing confident, cogent and insightful arguments and judgements.
The course is comprised of two examined units and a piece of coursework (NEA):
Students will be taught by two teachers throughout the course.
Students are encouraged to attend external lectures, workshops and theatre productions to support their studies.
Areas of study are as follows:
- The Tudors: England 1485-1603 (Breadth Study - 40%
- America: A Nation Divided, c.1845-1877 (Depth Study) - 40%
- Russia, 1855-1991 (Historical Investigation) - 20% (one 4,500 essay marked by teachers and moderated by AQA)
Key Stage 5 (Years 12-13 A Level) - Politics
Students are required to have gained at least a grade 6 in a humanity (Geography, History or RS) GCSE to be eligible to take this course at A Level
Students follow the Edexcel Politics course which is 100% exam based. This two-year course aims to develop students’ awareness of both the UK and US political systems as well
as investigating some major ideologies. A visit to Washington, D.C. is run by the History & Politics department every two years (next scheduled for October 2025) to enhance students’ understanding of how Congress and the Supreme Court operates. On our last visit, we even got to watch a vote take place in the Senate! Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to develop their capacity for critical thinking, to see relationships between different aspects of the subject and relate the theory of the course to the current political scene in the UK and the United States. An understanding of the theories and motives which underpin political decision making and the ability to argue a case coherently will also be important elements.
The course will also introduce students to a number of political ideologies, and further their understanding of how these belief systems have shaped - and continue to shape - political institutions, political discourse, and political actions on both sides of the Atlantic. A keen interest in current affairs will be essential for success however we welcome students who currently have zero political awareness with open arms providing that they are hungry to acquire new knowledge.
Areas of study are as follows:
- UK Politics including the histories of the major political parties and electoral systems
- UK Government - a look at how the constitution and parliament actually work
- Government and Politics of the USA - the impact of the US constitution and electoral systems which will be compared and contrasted with the UK system of government.
- Ideologies - the study of Conservatism, Liberalist, Socialism and Anarchism
A Level Politics Specification
Co-curricular activities
- History Society
- Model United Nations
- Year 9 visit to the Battlefields
- GCSE visits to Berlin and Krakow
- Y11 visit to the National Archives
- History & Politics visit to the USA (runs every two years)
- A Level visit to the Chalke History Festival
- Politics visit to POLECON