Curriculum > Departments > History
Subject Outline
Try to imagine a world in which nobody has a memory which goes back more than 10
minutes - life would get very confusing! Our memories help us and go a long way to
explaining our behaviour. History is really a collection of the memories of our society and
all mankind. The study of history involves making sense of these past memories and
experiences - local, national and international - so that we can come to sensible decisions
in the present.
Here at Thomas Adams we firmly believe that history can be fun (yes, fun!) and that we
also need to develop good study skills and history skills which will be useful for all pupils in
their time at school and later life.
We obviously follow the National Curriculum guidelines and as such students will follow a
course which includes aspects of local, national, European and world history:
Year 7: |
The Roman Empire
The Medieval Realm (Britain 1066-1450) including castles and cathedrals |
Year 8: |
The Italian Renaissance
The Making of the United Kingdom [Britain 1500-1700]
Black Peoples of America |
Year 9: |
Expansion, Trade and Industry
[Britain 1700-1900]
Twentieth Century Conflict |
After Year 7 students are setted on ability so that even while covering the same topics
they can explore issues in different depths and we can support individual weaknesses and
encourage individual strengths.
At the end of Year 9 pupils can opt to do History at GCSE and over 100 pupils in Years 10
and 11 have decided to do just that. We study the OCR School History Project course
which includes:
Paper 1: |
Questions on 'Medicine Through Time' and the 'American West' |
Paper 2: |
An evidence handling paper - based on an issue in Medicine. |
Coursework: |
Castles 1066-1500 - including a visit to Stokesay Castle.
Zaire - the roots of the recent conflict. |
This is a demanding and interesting course which enables the students to continue to
develop their history skills while moving from Surgery in the Middle Ages to organ donor
operations and from the Life of the Plains Indians to General Custer! (Energetic stuff, I
assure you!)
At Adams College we offer a thriving and successful 'A' level course.
Examination results in the subject, at all levels, are very good and getting even better!!
We wish to encourage students to explore and take in information from as wide a variety
of sources as possible and to stimulate a real enthusiasm for history. This year the
department has organised trips to Styal Mill and Stokesay Castle. We have also organised
Year 8 trips to Florence, Venice or Rome for a week to look at evidence of the Italian
Renaissance. For the real enthusiasts, not only is there a thriving History Club held every
day, but also a Modelling Club run on a weekly basis.
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