History
Course Outline
A-level History aims to build on the skills developed at Key Stage 3 and GCSE. It encourages the ability to organise data, understand different points of view, form opinions, present arguments, and undertake personal research; all valuable skills, both in employment and higher education.
Exam Board: OCR History A
Entry Requirements
Grade 5 GCSE History.
Programme of Study
Paper 1
Students build on work done at GCSE by studying England under the last Saxon king and the impact the Norman Conquest had on England, looking at the problems faced in England after the death of King Canute in 1035, and the consolidation of the Norman Conquest from 1066 through to the death of William the Conqueror’s successor, William Rufus in 1100 and the accession of Henry ɪ. It requires students to evaluate sources on William Rufus.
Paper 2
Students will build on Year 9 knowledge of dictators in their study of Russia from 1894-1941. Students will study the rule of the last Tsar of Russia and explain and analyse the 1917 Revolutions. They will also investigate the Bolshevik regime of Lenin that followed, along with how and why they won the civil war and compare Lenin with Stalin after studying how he maintained Communist rule in Russia.
Paper 3
This is on Civil Rights in the USA 1865-1992. There are two areas to this paper. The first is to analyse change and continuity in the Civil Rights movements of: African Americans, Women, Trade Unions and Native Americans. The second is to evaluate interpretations of History on the depth topics of: the Gilded Age, the New Deal, and Malcolm X and the Black Power movement.
Paper 4
This is an investigation chosen by the student. It is a topic–based essay that could be based on something that the student has found interesting in their previous studies and wants to investigate in more depth, or it could be something they’ve not studied in school but are fascinated by. It is around 3000-4000 words and must include the evaluation of a range of sources and interpretations to help students develop an understanding of how historians work. Students do not get examined on this topic. It is marked by Appleby staff and moderated by the exam board.
Progression Opportunities
History encourages the ability to organise data, understand different points of view, form opinions, present arguments and undertake personal research; all valuable skills both in employment and higher education. You do not need to go for a course or a job that is history-related; it’s the skills you acquire from studying history that impress employers. Typical jobs include: lawyers, detectives, archivists, journalists, insurance, banking, accountancy, and research assistants for the government.