History
Contents
The Curriculum
In Lower School, History essentially revolves around the two World Wars, padded out by small side-topics like the Tudors (Year 8) and the Vikings and Romans (Year 7). By GCSE, you're faced by the monster topic of "Medicine and Public Health Through Time", as well as Germany 1919-45 accompanied previously by Coursework about Quarry Bank Mill and The Troubles, which have now been turned into essay components in the exam.
GCSE - Medicine and Public Health Through Time
This monster of a GCSE topic is composed of everything that has ever happened with Medicine from Pre-history to the development of the NHS. Each year, you are set one sub topic which is guaranteed to come up in your exam, as well as having to do another medicinal component (it could be anything, sadly) and a public health component (usually either the Romans or the Liberal reforms in the early 20th century). It is an absolutely crazy thing to have to revise for, but coming out of it with a good grade is one of the most satisfactory exam results.
A-Level
At AS, everyone studies "A Sixties Social Revolution? 1959-75" (taught by Mr Williamson, Mrs Stanley or Miss Appleton, as well as a course in either Russian (taught by Mr Grehan or Mr Elkington) or American History (Mrs Grehan). Following the exams, you are given the option to switch your specialism (Russian or American), with the added option of German History (Taught by Mr Elkington, who moves from Russian) for your A2 studies, where in British, you study "The Making of Modern Britain 1951-2007". You will also have to write the huge 3,500 word essay known as the Personal Study, beginning at the start of Year 13, and being handed in just before Easter.
Teachers
The Fab Five until 2010 were Mr Williamson (Head of Department), Mrs Hudson, Mr Grehan, Mrs Stanley and Mrs Grehan. As Mrs Hudson has departed, she has been replaced by Miss Appleton, and whilst Mrs Grehan was on maternity leave, she was replaced by Mr Flemming, who has since stayed on.
The Simpsons
Mrs Hudson always brought in a freshly-recorded copy of the Simpsons to peruse in the last lesson of term, as well as having notorious end-of-year parties that everyone else wants to gatecrash...
