Year 9
Students study British, European and world history from 1700 to the end of the 19th century. Topics covered include:
- Britain at the start of the 18th century;
- Life in Gin Age London;
- Smuggling;
- The Slave Trade;
- A comparison between village and town life;
- Crime and Punishment in 18th century Britain and an in depth study of the career of a famous criminal;
- The French Revolution;
- The growth of the British Empire;
- An investigation of what it was like to fight and work in Nelson’s Navy and participate in the Battle of Trafalgar;
- Life as a British Soldier and the Battle of Waterloo; the Zulu wars; a local study:
- The Jacobites and the Battle of Culloden.
As part of this topic students re-enact part of Bonnie Prince Charlie‘s invasion of 1745 and visit Culloden battlefield with an 18th century guide! They also tour Fort George and witness the medical treatment given to injured and dying soldiers. Emphasis in the teaching is placed upon the development of the historical skills required for GCSE History courses and on stimulating an interest in the subject. History is taught using a varied range of techniques including a regular use of video, multimedia titles and presentation graphics.
Years 10 & 11
History: Modern World Syllabus B [OCR] : 1937
Gordonstoun follows the OCR History Syllabus B. This is a two-year course dealing with the modern world. In Year 10 the course begins with a detailed study of the First World War and the peace treaties which followed. Topics examined include:
- trench warfare
- the use of gas and tanks
- the war in the air
- shell shock, injuries, mutinies, conscientious objectors and the use of the white feather
- German and British use of propaganda
Students then investigate:
- the League of Nations
- the causes of World War II including a study of Hitler's foreign policy
- Japanese aggression in the Far East
In the Summer Term we study Hitler's rise to power and the Third Reich. This involves looking at:
- life in the Third Reich for women and young people
- the Hitler Youth and the Swing Kids
- the SA, the Night of the Long Knives and the SS
- Jewish policy
- education and propaganda
- economic policy
In Year 11 the Cold War may be studied. This includes:
- an investigation of the tension between the USA and the USSR, the Cuban missile crisis and American involvement in the Vietnam War;
- the Berlin Wall;
- Gorbachev and the collapse of the Soviet control over Eastern Europe.
Students also investigate Britain 1906-18, concentrating on the Suffragettes, the liberal reforms and life in Britain during the First World War.
The course is taught using a varied range of techniques including a regular use of video, multimedia titles and presentation graphics.
Candidates must attempt two examination papers (70% of the final mark) and produce two coursework assignments worth 30%. The coursework is completed in the Spring Term of Year 11, the deadline for which is the start of the next term. The topics for the coursework are the gangsters and illegal drinking clubs during the Prohibition period in 1920s’ America and the Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The final grading of the papers does not involve taking either a Higher or Foundation paper. All students sit the same papers and receive a grade, ranging from A* to G.
Sixth Form
History [OCR]: 3835; 7835
The aim of the course is to prepare students for the Oxford and Cambridge A-level General Certificate of Education in history. The syllabus is designed to develop students' interest in historical events, their critical and writing skills and a wide knowledge of 19th and 20th century issues. Students will study a range of topics chosen from:
- English history 1789-1918
- European History 1789-1939
- The Third Reich 1933-39
- British foreign and imperial policies 1846-1902
- the relationship between Britain and Germany 1933-39
- international relations between Britain, Germany, Italy, the USSR, Japan and the USA 1919-1939
- the development of warfare 1789-1918
Candidates will sit examinations in all these topics but have the option either to complete a 2,500 coursework thesis, chosen from a list compiled by the examination board, or to sit an examination on the topic chosen by themselves.
Candidates should normally have passed the GCSE or Standard grade History examination or equivalent.
This is a modular course with examinations in January, May and June and at the end of the two years. This A-level is a valuable qualifying subject for a range of university courses such as history, law, journalism, PPE, politics, business studies, archaeology and classics.