Junior House (Key Stage 2)

The History programme begins in J1 with studies of the Ancient World, focusing on Egypt, Greece and Rome. In J2 pupils study the Anglo Saxons and then move on to the Tudors. In J3 there is a study of Victorian Britain. J4 look at Britain from the 1920’s to the 1960’s. 

First, Second and Third-Forms (Key Stage 3)

Throughout the Key Stage 3 course, pupils are taught how to deal with sources and evidence, explain causation of events, interpret characters and major occurrences, argue relative significance of events and developments, identify continuity and change, and deal with diversity and culture in the UK and further.

First Form

In First Form pupils develop a chronological understanding of Medieval realms through to the Tudor Period; studying the interconnection of social historical areas such as the development of medieval towns and villages, political historical factors through the workings of Kings from William I to Henry VIII, economic aspects such as the impact of the Black Death, and religious history such as with the developments in the Medieval Church.

Second Form

Second Form begins with an examination of the reign of Mary I and Elizabeth I. It continues through the causes and events of the English Civil War to the Act of Union and the Jacobite risings of the 18th century; tracking changes and developments in politics, religious and monarchy throughout the period. Pupils then study the crucial events and implications of the French Revolution. Through this section of the course they bring a non-British centric perspective to their history and development a wider understanding of how crucial events can have far-reaching impacts.

Third Form

Third Form begins with the scrutiny of the agricultural and industrial revolution, extends this into its connections with political change and political characters in 19th century Britain, and leads to an exploration into the extensive area of the British Empire. With this understanding and contextual background of the 19th century pupils then immerse themselves in a detailed study of the causes and events of the First and Second World War; with a particular focus on the Holocaust.

Fourth and Fifth-Forms (Key Stage 4)

GCSE History

The GCSE course studied is Modern World History provided by the OCR examination board. The pupils are required to sit two examination papers comprising of essays and sources evaluation, as well as one piece of controlled coursework.

Firstly they are examined on core content material on International Relations, comprising of the study of the Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations and the Road to WWII. Secondly, they have a depth study on Germany consisting of an examination of the Weimar period and whether this Weimar Republic was doomed to failure from the start. They then look at Hitler’s rise to power and the Nazi State up to 1945. Finally, they study one source based paper on British History, with aspects on Liberal reforms between 1900-18, the suffragette movement and the Home Front in Britain during the First World War.

Controlled coursework focuses on the Cold War period from 1945 -89, and is completed in the classroom. It provides the pupils with the chance to show their knowledge and interpretation on key events of the Cold WAR, investigate and enquire into historical events independently and to use sources to create an argument.

Through the GCSE course: pupils will develop the ability to recall, select, organise and deploy knowledge of these periods and communicate it through detailed description, analysis and explanation them in their answers. They will be taught to use historical sources critically in their context, by comprehending, analysing, evaluating and interpreting them. And they will develop the ability to comprehend, analyse and evaluate, in relation to the historical context, how and why historical events, people, situations and changes have been interpreted and represented in different ways.

Sixth-Form

GCE ‘A’ Level ICT

There are three groups following OCR  A Level courses in History. There are four papers, two which comprise the AS level and two for the A2.

History 1 follows a source based paper on the Normans in England and a period study on Charles V. In the upper sixth they study Elizabeth I for their Historical Investigations and the Catholic reformation for the themes paper.

History 2 studies the French Revolution as the source based paper and British History from 1783 to 1846 as the essay paper. In the Upper Sixth they do a themes paper on the relationship between Britain and Ireland from 1798 to 1921. For the Investigations and Interpretations they study Britain in the Age of Margaret Thatcher.

History 3 studies Italian Unification as a source based paper. They also do the British History essay paper which is the Age of Pitt and Peel, 1783 to 1846. They do Ireland in the Upper Sixth for their themes paper and Thatcher as the Investigations and Evaluations paper.

Teaching Staff

Miss E Devaney (Head of Department of ICT) edevaney@los.ac