Welcome to the History Department

"A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history"     Mahatma Gandhi 

Why study history?

History is an amazingly diverse and rich subject to study. There are topics to suit the tastes of everyone- from rebellion and violence in the Tudor period to the life of a child in 1930s Germany. It also gives you a sense of where we are in the world and how we got here. As a department we also believe history is one of the most exciting subjects to study; the past is so full of interesting stories it is often hard to for us to stop talking about it!

As well as a rich range of knowledge, history also provides you with a number of vital skills. The ability to identify key information within a text, critically evaluate the value of evidence and to construct a well written argument are very useful skills that will help you enter a variety of different careers. History students go into a wide range of professions such as law, banking, accountancy, journalism and teaching.

Famous history graduates include:

• Gordon Brown (Edinburgh University)- former Prime Minister
• Steve Carell (Denison University)- actor and comedian
• Simon Mayo (University of Warwick)- Radio DJ
• Al Murray (University of Oxford)- comedian
• Anita Roddick (Bath University)- founder of the Body Shop
• Jonathan Ross (University College London)- entertainer
• Shakira (University of California, Los Angeles)- singer

History beyond the classroom

There are many ways to extend yourself in history. You could visit a historical site or museum. Maybe you could visit a famous place, such as the Tower of London, and see how it has changed over time. Older students may wish to attend free lectures that are sometimes put on locally. TV documentaries are also a very good way of finding out more about the past.

Across all year groups, a selection of relevant wider reading can be found in the school library.