Why study this course?
History is a challenging, interesting and rewarding subject to study at GCSE. It is a qualification that is valued by employers, colleges and universities alike. Through the study of the past, students will develop the skills of independent enquiry, communication, interpretation and learn the value of reasoned argument.
What will I learn?
Students will follow the Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History which covers a wide range of topics and time periods. We will study the following units:-
| Thematic Study: Medicine in Britain c1250 to present | Historic Environment: The British Sector of the Western Front: injuries, treatment and the trenches |
| British Depth Study: The Reigns of King Richard I and King John, 1189-1216 | Modern Depth Study: Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918-1939 |
| Period Study The American West, c 1835—c1895 | |
The Thematic Study requires students to understand change and continuity across a long sweep of history: students will study ideas about the causes of disease and illness and how approaches to prevention and treatment changed over time. The Historic Environment unit examines the relationship between a place and historical events and developments. Students will study The Trench system, the conditions of the trenches and the impact it had on medical organisation, treatment, experimentation and the nature of the injuries. This unit also develops students ability to analyse, evaluate and use contemporary sources. The Depth Studies requires students to understand the complexity of the society studied and the interplay of different aspects within it, i.e. social, cultural and political. Students will study the nature of 12th Century Kingship, the Crusades and Magna Carta. The impact of world war one on Germany, Hitler’s rise to power, Nazi control and dictatorship and Life in Nazi Germany. The Period Study requires students to understand the narrative of key developments and the issues associated with them, students will study the culture and beliefs of the Plain Indians, the reasons for migration and settlement, the development of ranching and the work of cowboys, Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid, the Battle of Little Big Horn and the Wounded Knee Massacre.
How will I be assessed?
Students will sit three final exams at the end of the course in Year 11.
Where can this course lead to after Key Stage 4?
History at GCSE equips young people with a wide range of practical skills for the world of work, or for further study. Popular careers with a history background include: Law, Journalism, Politics, Business, Entertainment etc. Most importantly, ‘historians are regarded as having had an education that trains their minds to assemble, organise and present facts and opinions and this is a very useful quality in many walks of life and careers, history is an excellent preparation for very many other jobs’.
Source: ‘Which Subject, Which Career? Book’.
To find out more information:
For more information, please contact Kate Lee, klee@wreake.bepschools.org
or visit The Exam Boards Website https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/history-2016.html