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History & Politics offer pupils an opportunity to better understand their past, their present and indeed, their future.

History & Politics

Department
History & Politics
Level
KS3, KS4, KS5
Head of Department
Mr B Waring
Members of Dept
C. J. Leathley, C. Woods, S. Gamble

Gallery

Gallery

Why study History & Politics?

History is a subject offered throughout Years 8 to 14, while Politics is offered only at A Level. We believe that both subjects provide pupils with the opportunity to better understand their past, present, and indeed, their future. These areas of study inform pupils about the social, political, economic, and military contexts that have existed (and still do exist) within the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, as well as other European states such as Germany and Russia, and global powers like the United States of America.

Moreover, both History and Politics equip pupils with a range of valuable skills, including fluent literacy, articulate communication, organizational skills, and the capacity to work effectively within groups.

The department believes in inclusivity and, therefore, establishes a wide diversity of resources and strategies designed to support pupils with a broad range of learning needs. This is one of the many reasons why the History and Politics Department is able to achieve outstanding results each year.

What History & Politics offers?

Key Stage 3

Courses of study at this stage include:

  • Medieval Britain and Ireland (e.g., The Norman Invasion of 1066; the Development of Castles; the Black Death; the Norman Invasion of Ireland)
  • 16th and 17th Century Britain and Ireland (e.g., The Reformation; the Tudor Age; the English Civil War)
  • World War One (Causes of WW1; the Battle of the Somme; Why did the Allies win the war?)
  • Ireland in the 19th and Early 20th Century (e.g., The Great Famine; the Growth of Nationalism; the Easter Rising)

Key Stage 4

History GCSE is offered to over 100 pupils at Key Stage 4, making it the most consistently popular optional subject at GCSE in the school.
The courses of study include:

  • The Development of the Nazi Dictatorship between 1933 and 1939
  • Germany at War 1939–1945
  • Northern Ireland and its Neighbours 1920–1949
  • International Relations 1945–2003

Key Stage 5

The department offers both History and Politics at A Level. History is delivered to two classes, and Politics to one class in any given year. As such, the History and Politics Department remains the most consistently popular department in terms of collective pupil numbers at Key Stage 5.
The courses of study for History include:

  • Germany 1918–1945
  • Russia 1917–1941
  • Ireland 1900–1925
  • Russian Foreign Policy and Western Response in the 20th Century
    The courses of study for Politics include:
  • Politics in Northern Ireland
  • Politics in the United Kingdom
  • Comparative Politics in the UK and USA
  • Power and Ideas (e.g., Feminism; Elitism; Pluralism; Marxism)

Exam Success

Exam success is consistently excellent, with over ¾ of GCSE pupils regularly achieving A*–B. At A Level, the department’s History cohort does very well, with the vast majority achieving A*–C at AS and A2. Similarly, in Politics, pupils secure outstanding results, with the vast majority achieving grades within the A*–C bracket.

Beyond the Classroom

The History and Politics Department is regularly involved in organising trips abroad. In recent years, pupils have travelled to Russia, America, Belgium, Northern France, and Germany. The department continues to liaise with other departments in an attempt to promote History and Politics.

The department also regularly welcomes visiting pupils to the school from as far afield as America, in an attempt to share learning and encourage discussion among pupils. Finally, the department works closely with co-curricular societies, such as the Debating Society, to arrange visits from key political figures and run school elections.