The History Department

History at Key Stage 5

Exam board: OCR

Why study History?

Apart from being interesting, History is very useful. Employers and Higher Education institutions who see you have a
qualification in History know certain things about you. They know that: you can understand how people tick, what motivates them, what they think and feel; you are able to gather and read different kinds of information; you are able to look carefully at this information and check it for bias and propaganda; you can read graphs, maps and other diagrams; you are able to communicate clearly and have learned to express yourself verbally and on paper.
Two students will get the opportunity to participate in the “Lessons for Auschwitz” course, run by the Holocaust
Educational Trust. There are three parts to this course: a conference in London, a day trip to Auschwitz and an opportunity to feedback about the experience.

The History A Level is made up of two AS units (From Pitt to Peel and The Unification of Italy) and two A2 units (Russian Revolutions and Civil Rights in the USA). Assessment will be two AS examinations at the end of Year 12, A2 coursework to be completed during the spring term of Year 13 on Russian Revolutions and a final A2 examination on Civil Rights at the end of Year 13.

AS Units

From Pitt to Peel 1783-1846

• Why did Pitt the Younger dominate politics 1783-93 and how successfully did he face the challenge of the French Revolution 1789-1801?
• How and why was Lord Liverpool able to survive the radical challenges of 1812-22?
• How Liberal were the Tory governments of 1822-30?
• Why was the Great Reform Act passed in 1832?
• How effective was Peel as a political leader to 1841?
• How successful was Peel’s ministry of 1841-46?

The Unification of Italy 1815-70

• How far did the experiences of 1815 to 1847 create support for Italian unity?
• Why did the revolutions of 1848-49 in Italy fail to unite Italy?
• How important to the unification of Italy were the contributions of the Italian states (especially Piedmont and its aims) and of individuals (Cavour, Garibaldi, Mazzini and Victor Emmanuael)?
• How important in the process of unification were foreign help and foreign circumstances?

A2 Units

Russian Revolutions 1894-1924

• Why was there a revolution in 1905 and why did the Tsar survive?
• Why were there revolutions in 1917 and why were the Bolsheviks successful eventually?
• Why were Lenin and the Bolsheviks able to maintain themselves in power up to 1924?
• To what extent was Lenin a dictator who took and held power by force?

Civil Rights in the USA 1865-1992

• African Americans
• Trade Union and Labour Rights
• Native Americans
• Women

Method of assessment

Both AS units carry equal weighting and both have exams of 90 minutes. In the exam on ‘From Pitt to Peel’, candidates are required to write two essays froma choice of three. In the exam on ‘The Unification of Italy’, candidates are required to test an assertion against a collection of sources. The ‘Russian Revolutions’ unit carries 40% of the A2 grade and candidates are required to write two extended essays of approximately 2000 words each. The ‘Civil Rights in the USA’ unit carries 60% of the A2 grade and candidates are examined over 2 hours and
are required to write two essays from a choice of three.

Future prospects

A History qualification is very highly regarded and exploitable in a hugely diverse range of careers too large to specify here! However, it is expected or demanded in e.g. broadcasting, theatre and cinema, journalism, conservation and planning, archaeology, cartography, restoration, landscape and environmental careers, tourism, publishing, the art and antique sector and architecture.

It is actively sought by such services as legal, financial, civil, diplomatic, armed, political, economic, the police services, and careers in intelligence, research, public relations, and advertising.