Humanities - History

Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
George Santayana

History is alive and all around us – a living, breathing subject. In the History Department we see it as our role to engage pupils with the past in order that they may fully understand the present and thus help shape the future. In our lessons we take a thematic approach enabling students to have the opportunity to learn about the past in Britain and the wider world from the Roman times to the present day.

We encourage active participation in lessons through debates, role-plays and hot-seating.  We look at key turning points in History such as the Battle of Hastings and the First and Second World Wars. We learn about the diversity of human experience and changing beliefs and ideas through the study of topics such as witch-hunts and slavery.  We also believe in the importance of developing an inquisitive mind. Our students learn to ask important questions about the past and also to investigate historical questions such as ‘Why was Jack the Ripper never caught?’  History is a highly regarded discipline. Through the study of the subject, students learn essential skills such as problem solving and independent thinking, essential skills in a rapidly changing world.