History

History combines the excitement of exploration and discovery, involving the investigation of pivotal periods of change which have shaped the world we find ourselves in today. History is about research and enquiry, forming arguments and reaching balanced judgements based on evidence.

Year 9

Pupils begin their historical studies at Monkton by taking a broad thematic sweep of the key events and changes of the 20th Century. Themes include conflict, power and ordinary life, as well as an in-depth study on Monkton’s contribution to WWI that culminates in a WWI battlefields trip. 

What will I learn?

The aims of the course are that the pupils will gain an understanding of change over time and the significance of historical interpretation, and that enjoyment of this wonderful subject will be nurtured. 

GCSE Years 10 and 11

The IGCSE concentrates on Twentieth-Century World History and focuses on crucial events that have shaped our world today. We examine the rise and fall of the dictatorship in Germany, the emergence of and relationship between the Superpowers, life in East Germany, and conflict in the Middle East. Through a range of activities and an investigative approach to learning, pupils will be taught to analyse and interpret information, construct balanced arguments and arrive at informed judgements. In the Summer Term of Year 10, there is an opportunity to visit Berlin, a city that often found itself at the centre of many of the momentous events during the Twentieth Century.

What will I learn?

The syllabus itself is broken down into three parts: 

• Two depth studies: Development of Dictatorship in Germany, 1918-45 followed by Superpower Relations and the Cold War, 1943-72 
• One investigation topic: East Germany, 1958-90 
• One breadth study in change: The Middle East: conflict, crisis and change, 1917–2012

How is the course structured and assessed?

The course is assessed by two examination papers, each lasting 1 hour 30 minutes.

A Level Years 12 and 13

What do I need before starting this course? 

It is preferable to have at least a Grade 6 at History but every year candidates achieve top grades even if they have not followed the GCSE course. By far the most important criteria is an enquiring mind and a strong interest in the periods being studied. 

What will I learn? 

We study topics from the Medieval and Modern periods of British, European and US history. This allows for a rich and varied study of history at this level, which is different from most topics undertaken at GCSE level and thus gives our historians a broader base of historical understanding. The Crusades unit allows for a fascinating insight into a crucial period of history that still has much relevance today in the Middle East and western world. This is complemented by the unit on the Angevin Empire, which provides much European context, and at the same time it allows the pupils to gain an in-depth understanding of the nature and extent of change in government, society and the church in the period. Our final unit addresses Civil Rights and Race Relations in the USA. This allows for both a breadth and in-depth study of the change in the rights and treatment of black Americans, and resistance to this change, from the abolition of slavery, under the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, to the inauguration of the first black American president, Barack Obama. This topic continues to have great significance today in the US and wider world, as demonstrated by the events surrounding the death of George Floyd in May 2020 and the Back Lives Matter movement, and as such it forms a key part of the History A Level syllabus. 

How is this course assessed?

Pupils will study four separate units over two academic years. In Year 12 we study the Crusades 1095-1204, which contains an in depth study of historical interpretations on the Fourth Crusade, and the Angevin Empire in the reign of Henry II 1154-1189.  In Year 13 the pupils look at Civil Rights and Race Relations 1850-2009 and will complete coursework; the latter is made up of in-depth research and an individual essay of 3,000-4,000 words.