History is a thriving and very popular A Level choice at Prince Henry’s, and builds on what is a very successful and enjoyable GCSE course. Over the past few years, the number of students attaining A or B grades at A Level has remained high, at between 50%-75%. This is a testimony to the hard work and efforts of PHGS History students and the interest they have shown in the subject over the years. A significant number of students go on to study History at a wide range of universities including, in recent years, St Catherine’s College Oxford, Homerton College Cambridge, St Andrews and Durham. The changes to the A Level specifications from 2008 onwards have given the History Department the opportunity to review the content of the course it offers. The reduced number of examinations in the new course specifications, and the opportunity to study wider historical periods are particularly welcome changes. The Department has built on some of the successful aspects of the old A Level specification whilst introducing a new course on British History that has served to broaden students’ historical understanding as well as building in a new and exciting dimension to their studies.
Name: History AS/A Level (OCR) Qualification title: History AS/A Level (OCR) Qualification type: GCE A/AS Level or equivalent Assessment AS Level History The AS course allows students to look at one British and one non-British study unit, which together constitute the AS-level. Both courses are assessed by public examinations. Unit 1 - Democracy and Dictatorship: Italy 1896-1943 Mussolini has been described as 'a vain, blundering boaster without ideas or aims'. Initially a Communist revolutionary, then the popular Duce of Italy, Mussolini would end his life strung upside down on a garage forecourt! The rise and fall of Mussolini in Italy is a central historical issue of the twentieth century. This unit looks in depth at the preconditions in Italy which allowed Fascism to thrive, the growth of the Fascist movement and the key themes of its time in power. The unit is assessed by way of a 90 minute, essay-based examination. Unit 2 – Churchill, 1920-1945 Churchill is such an important individual in British history and one that is surrounded by many controversies and historical debates. The AS students on the course will have to engage with a number of different contemporary views of this very great personality and will be required to examine contrasting evidence and opinions to make up their own minds about the man that was Winston Churchill. Students will be required to acquire knowledge of Churchill’s roles in government, his views on the British Empire and the impact that he had during World War Two. This understanding is then tested against an examination based on students’ evaluation of unseen sources. The unit is assessed by way of a 90 minute source-based examination. A2 Level History The A2 courses represent a step up in both the historical knowledge students need to acquire and the skills they will need to deploy to succeed. Independent study and discussion are key themes promoted by the Department in Year 13. Unit 3 – Russia and its Rulers, 1855-1964 Change and continuity in a society over a long period of time is an increasingly popular way in which to study History. This unit looks at Russian society – always intriguing in its differences to Western society and values – over one hundred years to allow students to identify and develop the similarities and differences between the rulers of both the Russian Empire and the USSR. They will acquire detailed knowledge of key Russian figures such as Tsar Nicholas II and Joseph Stalin as well as study the wider aspects of life in Russia. Assessment is by way of a two hour essay-based examination. Unit 4 – Nazi Germany 1933-45 (Coursework) The Third Reich fascinates many people, and its central role in 20th century history cannot and should not be underestimated. Students may have gained some knowledge of Hitler’s rise to power and the time of the Third Reich at GCSE and this unit will develop that knowledge to a sophisticated degree. They will be required to show a sophisticated understanding of the mechanics of the Nazi state and the extent to which Nazi policies such as the volksgemeinschaft were genuine attempts to create a new order rather than cynical propaganda. Assessment is by way of two pieces of coursework, set by the Department or the Board, marked by the Department and then moderated by the Board. Students have the option of setting their own topic and question for one of the two pieces if they wish. Awarding Oxford Cambridge & RSA Examinations Created 20151118 09:56:35 Updated 20151118 09:57:51
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