Examination Board: AQA Specification A

THE SCHOOLS HISTORY PROJECT

This successful GCSE History course offers you the chance to study a variety of contrasting topics, which are assessed by coursework and by two examinations, which are taken by all students.
The papers are not tiered.

The course comprises four units of study.  The percentages of the final grade are shown in brackets.

Medicine and Public Health Through Time
Written Examination (37.5%)
This study in development traces changes in medicine from the earliest times to the present.  You will study medicine in prehistoric times, ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, the Plague, surgery before and after anaesthetics, among many other topics.  This unit builds on your existing knowledge, while introducing you to many new ideas.  It ties in well with Science.

The American West 1840 – 1895
Written Examination (37.5%)
This enquiry in depth looks at the myths and reality of life in the Wild West.  You will investigate these and other questions:

• Who were the Plains Indians?
• Why move West?
• How important were women in the settlement of the plains?
• The life of the cowboy: fact or fiction?
• How wild was ‘the Wild West’?
• General Custer: hero or villain?
• How did the railroad transform life in the West
• How was the West won or lost?

A Modern Work Study: Ireland
Coursework (12.5%)
A study of the Easter Rising of 1916, a highly significant moment in modern Irish history.  This assignment allows you to use your document skills.

History Around Us: Portsmouth 1930 – 1960
Coursework (12.5%)
This assignment gives you the chance to carry out a short piece of individual research on an aspect of local history.  Find out what Portsmouth was like before the Second World War, how it was damaged in the Blitz and how is was rebuilt after the War.

WHY STUDY HISTORY?
History is highly regarded by employers and universities and colleges.  It helps you to develop a wide range of skills, which are needed in almost any career.  These include writing skills, analysing data, ICT, research, decision making, analysis and understanding human behaviour.

History is useful for all kinds of jobs including journalism, law, police work, teaching, personnel work, the civil service, administration and retail work.  The course provides a useful background for medicine, nursing and other work in the health service.