History

Fourth Form (Years 7 and 8)

Lower 4 pupils study the Middle Ages. We begin by looking at the making of England and the invasions and migrations of Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans, before moving on to consider medieval Christianity and the turbulent relationship between Church and State. Further topics include the Plantagenet monarchs, the development of parliament, the Black Death, the Peasants’ Revolt, and the Crusades.


In Upper 4 pupils study the Early Modern period. We begin with the voyages of discovery and the conquest of the Aztec Empire, then move on to a study of the Italian Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution. We also focus on the English Reformation under the Tudors, the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and the Stuarts and the Civil Wars. Finally, pupils study the development of America to independence.

Fifth Form (Years 9, 10 and 11)

In Lower 5 pupils study the birth of the modern world and the growth and impact of British imperialism. This includes the transatlantic trade in enslaved people and the processes of both colonisation and decolonisation in Africa, India and elsewhere. Other topics include the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the struggle for the vote in Britain, including women’s suffrage. Finally pupils study the causes and events of the First World War.


In Middle 5 and Upper 5 we follow the Cambridge IGCSE specification. Pupils study International Relations from 1919 through the twentieth century, which includes the legacy of the First World War, the collapse of peace by 1939, and the causes, course and conclusion of the Cold War.


For our ‘depth study’ we focus on Germany from 1918 to 1945: the Weimar Republic, the rise of Hitler and the catastrophe of Nazi rule.


There are two written exams at the end of the course and pupils also complete one coursework essay on culture in Weimar Germany.

Sixth Form

We follow the AQA specification at A level. We currently run two different courses, each with two components (a British component and a non-British component):

  • Course A: Fragile Empires (The British Empire, 1857-1967 & The American Dream: Reality and Illusion, 1945-1980)
  • Course B: Rebels & Tyrants (Russia in the Age of Absolutism and Enlightenment, 1682-1796 & The English Revolution, 1625-1660)


Further details of the content of each component can be found at the AQA website.


N.B. Pupils can usually express a preference for one of the two courses, and we will try to accommodate this preference in so far as is possible. However, preferences cannot be guaranteed and will depend on the structure and limitations of the timetable and on the combination of the pupil’s other subjects.


In addition, pupils complete one coursework essay of c.4,000 words. Topics include:

  • The development of civil rights for African Americans in the USA, 1865-1970
  • The American West, 1776-1890
  • The witch craze in Early Modern Europe
  • The Crusades



History is seen by leading universities as a strong subject: it keeps options open and can lead to a very wide variety of degree courses. Many pupils choose to study History at undergraduate level and the department has helped many pupils to go on to study the subject at Oxford, Cambridge and other Russell Group universities.


A Level Summary Information
Share by: