The History area of the Academy consists of three main teaching rooms.
Each History room is equipped with a digital data projector and computer with internet/intranet access. Students are able to access a wide variety of powerpoint and digital video material to assist them with their studies.
The History department has five full time and highly committed teachers. The department is lead by Mrs F Braithwaite who has a wealth of experience of both teaching and examining History at GCSE and A Level. Other members of staff in the department have additional responsibilities across the school and the team has a breadth of knowledge and experience in all aspects of History teaching. The History team have always been committed to offering out of school experiences for students and trips have been organized to the Belgium battlefields, London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Hadrian's Wall and the Thackray Medical Museum in Leeds. The GCSE students are taken on a field visit to Rievaulx Abbey as part of the preparation for their controlled assessments.
Course Outline/Overview
Key Stage 3
History is a compulsory course at Key Stage 3 (Years 7,8 and 9) and pupils are taught two 45 minute lessons per week. They are also expected to complete one piece of homework for History each week.
The topics covered in Key Stage 3 follow a chronological framework starting with the Roman Empire and finishing with Twentieth Century History with the main focus on the two world wars.
Year 7 Roman Empire and Medieval Realms
Year 8 Tudors and Stuarts and Industrial Revolution
Year 9 First World War, Nazi Germany and Second World War
Key Stage 4
GCSE History Syllabus: AQA Syllabus A
Topics covered are The History of Medicine and The American West with controlled assessments on Rievaulx Abbey.
The GCSE course is a linear course with students completing exams in both the History of Medicine and the American West at the end of Year 11. Controlled assessments are completed in the summer term of Year 10 after a field visit to Rievaulx Abbey. Exam results have been consistently good over the years with a large number of students achieving top grades.
Key Stage 5
We offer AQA A Level History. Modules covered at AS are Tsarist and Revolutionary Russia and Life in Nazi Germany. At A2 the taught module is The Triumph of Elizabeth and the personal study is on an aspect of life in nineteenth century Britain.
A Level History is a popular option at Key Stage 5 and many History students have gone on to study History at university. As at GCSE exam results have been good.