History

Hymers has a lively History Department dedicated to bringing the highest quality of teaching to this exciting subject. We aim to offer a varied curriculum of study from Year 7 through to A level so that students have a wide range of study options in the subject.

All students study History in Years 7 to 9. The course shadows Key Stage 3 of the National Curriculum, where students study a wide range of topics including; Medieval realms, the Reformation, the Tudors, Slavery and the Twentieth Century World.

History is a popular option both at GCSE and AS/A level. For GCSE, students are prepared for OCR’s Schools History Project. The options undertaken for examination are the History of Medicine and the American West. Students also complete a coursework study on Northern Ireland.

At AS/A level, students may choose from either a Modern option or a Tudor option of study, both covered by Edexcel.
A level History students take part in various study days together with visits related to their courses. A programme of visiting speakers is also being developed.

The Department is based in a suite of adjoining classrooms in the main building. Staff and students have access to a learning resources area as well as ICT resources and computer suites for additional learning and teaching.

The Department organises a number of Field Studies during the year, both within the UK, for example to London and Warwick, as well as further afield to Madrid and Ireland. Every other year trips are also proposed to America, often including tours to Arizona as a tie-in with GCSE SHP or to Washington DC.
Our overall aims are to encourage students to:

• develop their interest in and enthusiasm for history and an understanding of its value and significance
• acquire an understanding of different identities within society and an appreciation of social, cultural, religious and ethnic diversity
• build on their understanding of the past through experiencing a broad and balanced course of study
• improve as effective and independent learners and as critical and reflective thinkers with curious and enquiring minds
• develop the ability to ask relevant and significant questions about the past and to research them
• acquire an understanding of the nature of historical interpretation
• develop their use and understanding of historical terms, concepts and skills
• make links and draw comparisons within and/or across different periods and aspects of the past
• organise and communicate their historical knowledge and understanding in different ways, arguing a case and reaching substantiated judgements