A Level History

It is difficult to avoid the impact of History in our modern world. We are living with the consequences of past events every day. A good historical education is essential to understand your world! Employers and universities know that students of History have developed a number of skills that can be applied to any situation.

Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it – Winston Churchill

Career Opportunities:

History has a huge amount of transferable skills which can be used in a wide range of interesting, stimulating and challenging careers.

• Legal profession
• Journalism / Media
• Research
• Police
• Teaching
• Advertising / Marketing

The research, analytical and presentational skills you learn in History are precisely the skills you need to operate in the world of work.

Exam Board: OCR

Pupils will study four Units, 1 and 2 in the first year and 3 and 4 in the second year:

Unit 1: The Early Stuarts and the Origins of the Civil War 1603–1660

Pupils will study the stability of the monarchy during the reigns of James I and Charles I; including their relationship with Parliament, foreign policy and religious disputes between Catholics and Protestants and the causes and nature of rebellion and unrest. You will complete an enquiry topic: The Execution of Charles I and the Interregnum 1646–1660. Here you will study why the King was executed, how England was ruled and governed without a monarchy and the re-establishment of the monarchy.

Unit 2: International relations 1890-1941

You will study the causes of the First World War and why it lasted so long before Germany was defeated. You will assess the aims, the terms and the immediate impact of the Paris peace settlement. You will determine the success of international diplomacy in resolving disputes in the 1920s. You will also study the reasons for the outbreak of War in Europe in 1939 as well as the reasons for war in Asia to 1941.

Unit 3: Russia and its Rulers 1855–1964

This theme focuses on the nature of Russian government and its impact on the Russian people and society. Candidates should understand the similarities and differences between the autocratic rule of the tsars to 1917 and the subsequent Communist dictatorship to 1964.

Unit 4: Independent Historical Investigation

This is a coursework unit, a 3500 to 4000 word essay. Students have a free choice of what they wish to study. In our experience many students have been very successful with the following: