History
Aims and Philosophy
History is a flourishing subject at Plymouth College.
We encourage all age groups within the school to share our
fascination and love for the past. History is a rigorous
academic subject but is also intrinsically interesting and
great fun to study. At Plymouth College, students gain not
only an understanding of the past but also the skills they need to
explore and develop their own ideas. They learn to question,
challenge, research, discuss, explore, criticise, argue,
understand, explain . . . and pass exams. That is why
historians are in such high demand in the job market.
History at Plymouth College
Years 7 - 9 We study a modified
version of the National Curriculum following chronologically from
the Norman Conquest to the Second World War. We use a range
of teaching and learning strategies from debates to extended
writing, from drama to IT activities and from group work to
independent research assignments. Students also have the
opportunity to explore beyond Plymouth with the Year 7 Castle trip
(pictured right) and the Year 8 Civil War Re-enactment Day.
GCSE - Over half the year group chooses History
as one of their GCSE options. We follow the OCR Modern World
History syllabus with topics including the Cold War, Nazi Germany
and a British Depth Study. Students complete one piece of
coursework in Year 11 and take part in the Hitler on Trial activity
day in the build up to the exams. We also offer the opportunity to
take part in the Battlefields Trip to the trenches and monuments to
the First World War in north-west Europe.
AS and A2 History - History can be combined
with any subject in the sixth form, and normally attracts about 20
students. We study two modules at AS level, focusing on the
Crusades and the Tudors, both of which are examined in the summer
term. At A2 level, we study the Russian Revolutions for the
coursework paper and then US Civil Rights for examination in the
summer. We offer an AS Tudor History trip to London each
year. Results are impressively above the school average. Many
students go on to study History or a related subject at
university.
International Baccalaureate - Students may
study either Standard or Higher Level IB History. This is an
exciting opportunity with a coursework assignment completed at the
start of the Upper Sixth and further exams in the summer term of
the Upper Sixth. We currently study The Arab-Israeli Conflict
1945-1979, Causes, Practices & Effects of Wars and The Origins
and Development of Authoritarian and Single Party States, along
with a Higher Level study of Modern Europe. The Department often
mentors students through their Extended Essays.
AS Politics - We offer the Edexcel Government
& Politics course to Upper Sixth students, to complement their
A2 studies. The course focuses on examining the British political
system with studies of the constitution, the prime minister, the
judiciary, the electoral system, political parties and pressure
groups. Students must have an interest in current political affairs
and be prepared to follow the news and media debate. The course is
examined through two exams, one in January and one in the
summer.
Resources - The Department is well
equipped with a suite of teaching rooms, Interactive Whiteboards, a
large DVD collection and an extensive Sixth Form Library including
over 1000 books.
Beyond Plymouth College - History is a highly
respected subject at university and beyond. It can lead
directly into careers in law, journalism, business, politics,
management, the military and any area where the ability to analyse
and communicate is essential.