Subject Head: Jim Speake
Contact: jspeake@farmors.gloucs.sch.uk
During their first three years at Farmor’s all students will study History for three periods each week. In Year 10 History becomes an option choice. History fires pupils' curiosity and imagination, moving and inspiring them with the dilemmas, choices and beliefs of people in the past. It helps pupils develop their own identities through an understanding of history at personal, local, national and international levels. It helps them to ask and answer questions of the present by engaging with the past.
Pupils develop a chronological overview that enables them to make connections within and across different periods and societies. As they develop their understanding of the nature of historical study, pupils ask and answer important questions, evaluate evidence, identify and analyse different interpretations of the past, and learn to substantiate any arguments and judgments they make.
7
What is History?
How did William win the Battle of Hastings and take control?
What were the qualities of a Medieval monarch?
What were the qualities of a Medieval monarch? Was it pleasant to be a Medieval peasant?
Was it pleasant to be a Medieval peasant?
How were Medieval Castles built?
What was Medieval Britain’s relationship to the wider world?
8
Why was there a reformation? What made Elizabeth a great monarch? Why did a Civil war break out?
How was the Civil War fought, who won and with what consequences?
Who’s who in the Renaissance?
What was the impact of the Industrial Revolution?
Did the British Empire do more harm than good?
Why did women achieve the vote?
9
Why did a terrorist act lead to WW1? How was WWI fought? (depth studies on Trenches, Haig and Tanks)?
How was WWI fought? (depth studies on Trenches, Haig and Tanks)? How did new systems of government compare – Fascism, Communism, Democracy?
Why did WWII start? What was the greatest turning point of WWII?
Why did the Americans drop the A bomb?
What was the Holocaust?
How was the Cold War fought?
Who killed JFK?
What happened on 9/11?
Specification: Edexcel GCSE History
History is a well-respected academic subject. Students will be learning from specialist teachers, a range of text books and a wealth of audio-visual material. Students will be engaged in analysing the causes and significance of historical events largely through written answers.
What should students expect to do during the course?
Study options will depend on the teacher and in some cases the quality of resources when published. The three examinations are a combination of source, factual and essay questions.
Paper 1: Thematic Study and Historic Environment
Crime and Punishment in Britain, c1000 – present and Whitechapel, c1870 –c1900: crime, policing and the inner city.
Paper 2: Period study and British depth study
Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–88 and Superpower Relations 1944-91
Paper 3: Modern depth study
Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39
Principally, students develop the ability to understand and analyse issues and events to a high level of competence. Other transferrable skills include:
History GCSE can lead onto History A level. Both are seen as being an excellent foundation for a career in the law, media or business.