History

Course summary

Why study History? • Firstly, it is interesting! If you do not have at least some curiosity about the past and why things happened the way they did, then you probably won’t be reading this. • this course intends to provide a contrast to the predominantly modern history which makes up most GCSEs. It is a mixture of British and European, traditional and modern history, and should provide a varied and stimulating course enhanced by trips abroad: in recent years the department has visited Moscow, St Petersburg, Washington and New York. • Lessons involve discussing your research, making presentations, and arguing your point in debates. Smaller classes mean there is much more opportunity for class discussion at A Level the the subject is largely class discussion-based. • Ultimately you will have to demonstrate your understanding by writing essays and answering source-based questions. The study of History develops ‘transferable skills’. This means that someone with A Level History can read a piece of information, analyse it, pick out the important points, assess whether it is biased or not, put together a written report and argue their case using the available evidence. These skills are highly prized in any number of professions, most notably law, but also business, journalism, the media, the civil service, advertising and many others. History is considered to be an academically rigorous subject and is respected by university admissions tutors and employers alike.