History

Course Content

The subject content for A-Level History is divided into four components:

• Unit 1: British period study and enquiry
• Unit 2: Non-British period study 
• Unit 3: Thematic study and historical interpretations
• Unit 4: Topic based essay (NEA)

Unit 1: Britain 1930–1997 
1 hour 30 minute paper; 50 marks; 25% of total A Level.
(Enquiry topic: Churchill 1930–1951) 
This enquiry topic covers Churchill’s views on the events leading to WW2, his time as war Prime Minister and his role as an international diplomat during and after WW2. Your period study focuses on the British governments of 1951-97, commencing with the 13-year domination of the Conservative party (1951-64), the period of intermittent Labour and Conservative governments in the 1960s and 1970s, Conservative dominance 1979-1997 and concluding with a study of British foreign policy 1951-1997. 

This unit will build on previous learning at KS3 where we covered the concepts of the British Empire, the events of WW2, the government of Thatcher and the historical skills of source analysis and essay writing. Our GCSE course on Power and the People directly links to Unit 1 at A Level as the study of British politics is explored. It should be noted that external candidates will be given help to ensure there are no significant knowledge gaps before we begin the course and there is no expectation that students will need to have studied our GCSE course.

Unit 2: The French Revolution and the rule of Napoleon 1774–1815 
1 hour paper; 30 marks; 15% of total A Level.
You will study the causes of the Revolution of 1789, the Revolution of 1789, the events from 1789 to the constitution of the Directory 1795 and the rise of Napoleon in 1799.  
You will also investigate Napoleon’s early career through to 1807 then the decline and fall of Napoleon 1807-1815.

This unit builds on a short enquiry in Year 8, but for all of our students the concepts of causation, historical significance and change over time will have been addressed in multiple enquiries in KS3 and at GCSE. Much of the substantive content of Unit 2 is new to all students.

Unit 3 Y319: Civil Rights in the USA 1865–1992 
2 hour 30 minute paper; 80 marks; 40% of total A Level Assessment of units in this unit group is in two parts: the historical interpretations depth study and the thematic essay, and thus the question paper has two parts

• Section A: Thematic study: This theme focuses on the nature and development of civil rights for key sectors of society in the USA from 1865 to 1992. Students should understand the similarities and differences in aims and methods between individuals and groups who campaigned for greater equality and opportunity, as well as those who attempted to maintain prejudice and racial discrimination. Inevitably, within a study of each defined social group, it will be necessary to study the role of government institutions and key events which shaped development, the reasons for resistance to change and the significance of improvements. Students will study the following:
  African Americans
  Trade Union and Labour Rights
  Native American Indians
  Women
• Section B: Depth Studies: As part of this course students must develop the ability to analyse and evaluate the ways in which aspects of this period of American history have been interpreted in debates between historians. Students will study and investigate interpretations about the following:
  Civil rights in the ‘Gilded Age’ c.1875–c.1895
  The New Deal and civil rights
  Malcolm X and Black Power

This depth study unit draws upon work from Year 9 where students were introduced to the long-term narrative of Civil Rights for African Americans and upon the Year 11 unit on the Expansion and Consolidation of America in 19^th century. This will be invaluable for students beginning Unit 3 and we will work to ensure students joining from different schools will have support to catch up on this foundational knowledge.

Unit 4: Topic based essay (NEA)
An independent piece of research coursework (called the NEA) on either Winston Churchill of Napoleon Bonaparte. Students will complete a 3000–4000 word essay on an aspect of The French Revolution or Napoleon. This is an internally-assessed unit that is standardised by OCR. You will be expected to independently select an essay title that will be approved by OCR. Non-exam assessment; 40 marks; 20% of total A Level

Unit 4 builds directly on work completed across Year 12. In Unit 1 and Unit 2, students learn how to develop a line of sustained and supported argument across a formal essay. Unit 4 will be completed towards the end of Year 12 and written at the start of Year 13 so directly builds upon skills already developed. Students must use content from Unit 2 for the substance of their NEA.