Course Overview
History is about more than simply memorising dates and the deeds of famous figures. History is a chronicle of human behaviour - a real-life drama full of villains and heroes, the mighty and the meek. It examines the circumstances that moved its players to transform people and places (for better and for worse), and it holds the answers to how and why our lives are fashioned they way they are today - from our language, fashion and technology to our sports, political systems and religious practices.
Our aim is to give pupils an awareness of their background as a young citizen of the 21st century. Our approaches are varied but
are rooted in the story of history, secure factual knowledge and a respect for evidence. We also encourage a questioning mind, the
forming of opinions and a willingness to listen to others.
FAQs
What are the aims of the course?
The course aims to build on skills and knowledge obtained during Key Stage 3. The course further develops understanding of cause and effect, change, reliability and bias and the ability to pursue an argument in a historical context – i.e. why things happen, what results from them, what people say about them and what you think about them.
What coursework will I have to complete?
Students will undertake 1 piece of controlled assessment that is done in lessons. The focus of this will be analysing sources and a site visit to assess whether castles changed over time
What is involved with the examination?
2 papers – Paper I: 2 hours long and Paper II: 1½ hours long – worth in total 75% of the final mark
What topics will I study?
An overview study of the development of Medicine through time and an in depth study of Nazi Germany, 1919-45.
What skills will I develop?
You will further develop your thinking skills by analysing sources as well as your ability to understand cause and effect, to justify your decisions and opinions, to follow your own research.
What examination will I take?
OCR SHP History
What independent study will I have to undertake?
Background reading for the coursework, watching relevant films and TV programmes, using IT e.g. the Internet to widen knowledge.
What career opportunities could the course help to give me?
History is useful for anyone looking for a career involving communication, thinking and decision making e.g., journalism, tourism, police, social service, teaching, computing, law.
What are the special features of the course?
The examination papers require an understanding of analysis skills to achieve the highest grades although basic literacy skills will help achieve a GCSE grade.
Key Skills for History
You need to develop your skills relating to sources and their value to a historian.
You need to be able to assess for yourself how useful a source is in relation to the topic you are studying. The words listed below must be part of your vocabulary and need to be used whenever you are asked to use evidence to support your ideas.
Biased | Reliable | Unreliable | Useful
GCSE
The United States of America 1910-1929
This unit focuses in depth on the development of the United States during the period 1910-1929. Candidates will be required to consider, through the study of selected key issues and the appropriate use of a range of historical sources, the main problems and challenges facing the American people; the changing nature of the American economy, the main features of American culture and society and the role played by America in foreign affairs.
Candidates will also be required to consider the extent of the profound political, social, economic, religious and cultural change in America during this period.
Germany 1919-1945
German Foreign Policy 1933-39 (Ppt)
This unit focuses in depth on the selected themes and issues relating to the history of Germany in the period 1919-1945. Candidates will be required to consider, through the study of selected key issues and the use of an appropriate range of historical sources, the political and economic problems which faced the Weimer Republic and how they were dealt with, the reasons why and how Hitler gained power initially, and subsequently consolidated that power, the ways the Nazis affected the lives of the people of Germany up to 1939 and how Germany and its peoples were affected by the Second World War.
Candidates will also be required to consider the extent of the profound political, social, economic, religious and cultural change during the period brought about by the weakness of Weimar and subsequent rise and fall of Hitler and the Nazi Party.
The United States of America 1929 - 1990
This unit focuses in outline on the development of the United States in the period 1929 - 1990. Pupils will be required to consider in outline, through the study of some major themes, the events and personalities which have shaped the internal development of the United States, together with the study of relationships with other powers. Pupils will be required to examine the major political, social,economic and cultural perspectives which have contributed to the development of the United States.
Assessment opportunities:
All pupils will be assessed at the end of each unit. Each assessment should be taken seriously as they should give an indication of how well they have understood each topic.
The History Staff
Mr S. O'Connor
Head of History
Miss C Warren
Teacher of History and Mentor
Mr D Summerfield
Teacher of History
Light Hall School 2010.
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