Shelley College: History

Head of Department: Mr D Miller

History at Shelley College is a popular subject and there is a wide range of areas which you can study, as you can choose between two separate History A-levels. History seeks to develop a range of analytical skills and allows you to explore a wide range of interesting and challenging topics at GCSE and A-Level from the Medieval to the Modern period.

The History Department at Shelley College wants to encourage students to have enthusiasm for appreciating and studying the past. In history you have the chance to ask questions and react to your own interpretations as well as others interpretations on key turning points in local, national and international history.

The History Department runs revision and coursework support sessions to further student's learning. In addition, various educational visits are organised. In past years these have included trips to London, France, Belgium, Russia and Italy.

The Department has five experienced, highly qualified and enthusiastic teachers.
Mr Miller; Mr Dempster; Miss Lovelady; Mr Wilson and Mrs Simms (currently on Maternity leave)
Our aim is to deliver the course in an innovative, enjoyable and effective manner which will lead students reaching their full potential.

Key Stage 3
Students follow a varied course in year 9 which deals with the following topics: Slavery, the Edwardian Age, the First World War, The Age of America, the Assassination of JFK, Great Scientists, Children’s experiences of WW2 and the Industrial Revolution.

The History department seeks to build on transferable skills such as literacy, thinking skills, analysis, chronology, use of ICT technologies, debate and discussion to ensure that students understand the relevance of History to their education in the 21st Century.

Subject specific skills such as extended writing, source skills, research and presentation skills, judgements and conclusions are all tested throughout the units to ensure that students are able to demonstrate a breadth of historical skills needed for further GCSE and A-level study.

Key Stage 4
Modern Word Edexcel
Unit 1: Peace and War. This is assessed by a 1 hour 15 minute exam in the January of Year 11.
The key themes will be: The Peace Settlement after WW1, Causes of WW2 and what happened in the Cold War 1943-56.

Unit 2: Germany 1918-39. This is assessed by a 1hour 15 minute exam during January in Year 10. The key themes will be: Post WW1 Germany, The Rise of Hitler and Hitler’s Germany.

Unit 3: UK and the Transformation British Society. This is assessed by a source exam of 1 hour and 15 minutes in the summer of Year 11. The key themes will be: The Depression, how the people of Britain were affected by WW2, and how the war changed society.

Unit 4: Government and Protest in the USA. A controlled piece of coursework to be completed in the Summer of Year 10. Students will be allowed 2 hours 30 minutes under exam conditions to complete the work.
The key themes will be: The roaring 20s, the Depression, President Roosevelt and the New Deal.

OCR History
Unit 1: The Vietnam War. This is assessed by a piece of coursework, 1500 words due in June of Year 11. The key themes will be- Causes of the War, USA and Vietcong tactics, weapons and effects, protests and long term impact of the war and the parallels to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Unit 2: Medieval History- Power and Control. This is assessed by an open book exam, which involves planning and then writing up an essay in May of Year 10. The key themes will be: King John, Edward I, Henry V and Owain Glyndwr and how effective they were.

Unit 3: Huddersfield a den of radicalism? This is a teacher assessed unit based on the marketing of History. This is due in January of Year 11. The key themes will be, Chartism, suffragettes, food riots, WW1 and the Luddites. Students will have to produce a marketing plan and materials.

Unit 4: The People of the American Plains. This is assessed by a piece of coursework based on two questions. One a source based question and the other an essay based question. This is due in January of Year 10. The Key themes will be, Diversity of the Plains Indians, relationship with settlers, why the settlers and Indians come into conflict.

Key Stage 5:
There are two possible routes through History A-level at Shelley. Both routes test the same skills, but focus on different historical periods and topics.

Societies in Change
Unit 1: During the AS course students begin by looking at The Wars of the Roses and Henry VII. This fascinating topic deals with a period which is rather forgotten in schools and colleges and has lots of local dimensions which the students can investigate. The exam is essay based and is taken in January.

Unit 2: The second of the AS units on the ‘change’ option is on Poverty during the 19th Century. Students study the causes and changes which were made throughout this period which reformed the workhouses, where real-life ‘Oliver Twists’ would have spent their days. This exam is based around the use and interpretation of primary and secondary sources and is take in June.

Unit 3: In year 13 students look in detail at the French Revolution. The events in France and Europe in this period has shaped the modern world and looks at some of the most recognisable names in History such as Louis XVI, Robespierre and Napoleon Bonaparte. This unit studies an extended period of history from 1786-1830 in depth. The exam is in June of year 13 and has both essay and source based questions.

Unit 4: The other year 13 unit on the ‘change’ course is a piece of coursework based on the changes to Crime and Punishment in Britain 1830-1965. Students are taught an initial background on the topic and are given scope to chose and research their own aspect of crime and punishment in this period using both primary and secondary source material. The coursework unit is submitted in January of year 13. 

Societies in Conflict
Unit 1: During the AS course students begin by looking at Russia under the Tsars 1881-1917 and move on to looking at Stalin’s Russia 1924-1953. This topic deals with some of the key events of the 20th Century and shows how quickly states can adapt to change. The exam is essay based and is taken in January.

Unit 2: The second of the AS units on the ‘conflict’ option is on the Changing Nature of Warfare 1854-1929. Students study the causes and changes which were made to society, medicine and government throughout this period due to the wars starting from the Crimea through the First World War. This exam is based around the use and interpretation of primary and secondary sources and is take in June.

Unit 3: In year 13 students look in detail at Britain and the Challenge of Fascism 1925-1960. The events that surrounded the end of the First World War are investigated from both a British and international perspective and follow on to look at the rise of the Fascist dictatorships in Italy and Germany in the 1920s and 1930s and Britain’s attempt at appeasement. The unit continues through a study of the Second World War and the impact this had on Britain during and after the conflict up to 1960. This unit studies an extended period of history from 1925-1960 in depth. The exam is in June of year 13 and has both essay and source based questions.

Unit 4: The other year 13 unit on the ‘conflict’ course is a piece of coursework based on the Changing Role of Women 1850-1950. Students are taught an initial background on the topic and are given scope to chose and research their own aspect of the changes and challenges to women’s lives both socially and politically in this period using both primary and secondary source material. The coursework unit is submitted in January of year 13.