History
In WeST schools we are committed to providing high quality history lessons which inspire children to achieve. We believe in bringing history to life for our students and making it enjoyable and accessible to all. Our key aim is to cultivate a life-long love of the subject among our students by carrying out historical investigations that develop their understanding of past events and the different ways that they have been interpreted. We strongly believe that it is a relevant and fascinating subject that helps learners understand the society in which they live. We will provide a broad and balanced curriculum which is underpinned by the National Curriculum and up to date historical research.
Key Stage 3 (Year 7-9)
History at KS3 aims to give students a general grounding in British history from 1066 to the present day. Key skills, such as interrogating evidence, understanding different interpretations of history and developing arguments are also developed. We use the KS3 National Curriculum as the basis for our studies, although are not constrained by it.
Links to useful websites
Key Stage 4 (Year 10-11)
The new reformed GCSE gives students both a broad-brush overview of British and European history from 1066-present, as well as more focused studies of specific areas of history.
Exam information: 3 exams
Paper 1: Medicine Through Time: 1250- present (30% exam)
Paper 2: Elizabethan England: 1558-1588 and The American west: 1835-1895 (40% exam)
Paper 3: Weimar and Nazi Germany: 1918-1939 (30% exam)
Exam board: Edexcel GCSE History.
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/history-2016.html
Links to useful websites:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/zw4bv4j
Key Stage 5 (Year 12 -13)
History A Level provides students with cultural awareness and an understanding of how to learn from the successes and mistakes of the past. History equips students with skills that are not confined to the study of the past. Skills of analysis are invaluable in many jobs; the ability to analyse and prioritise information is vital to decision-making.
Exam information: 2 exams and 1 piece of coursework
Paper 1: The Tudors, 1485-1603 (40% exam)
Paper 2: Revolution and dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953 (40% exam)
Paper 3: NEA, student choice (20% coursework)
Exam board: AQA History
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/history/as-and-a-level
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/history/as-and-a-level/history-7041-7042/specification-at-a-glance