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.
Courses of study at this stage include:
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 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:
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.
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.