Our A-Level course follows the theme of society and outsiders. Students will study history across a period of 500 years with at least 20% being made up of specifically British History and 20% of the course focusing on the history of a country outside of Great Britain. The year 12 course will be modern in focus with Unit 1 offering a breath study of Britain from 1918-1997, including a study of the controversy surrounding the governments of Margaret Thatcher. Students will explore welfare, the economy and immigration. Unit 2 will focus in depth on the USA from 1955 to 1997 and will include social, economic and political themes including protest, race relations and the creation of the Democrat/Republican divide. The Year 13 examined course will focus on the early modern period and examine Witch hunting in the 16th and 17th centuries. This will provide an opportunity to examine how ideas changed over time and the impact they had on society. The coursework element has a focus on historical controversy. Students explore different historian’s interpretations for the reasons for the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. Courses will contain a mix of political, economic, social and an increasing quantity of cultural history to give a rounded view of the periods under consideration and to tap into the style of history that is currently being studied in universities.

Throughout the course we use a variety of teaching methods including the study of documents and sources, group investigations and individual study. Learning also takes place through discussion, presentations, note taking, debate and research – in short, all sorts of methods that help you actively engage with History.

Please refer to our entry requirements document.

History is a very popular A level at South Wilts and many use it as a stepping stone to further studies at University. The department values its excellent staff and the hard work which takes place. Universities regard History as a rigorous, academic subject to study at A Level, and so a good History grade is very well received. Because of the high level of reading and writing skills demanded and cultivated, the course could lead to a whole host of career path choices, such as: the Civil Service, management and accountancy, the Law, teaching and research, to name but a few.