Historia

“Thank you – I loved my time studying History. It was without a doubt my favourite hour of the week. During lessons, I felt that I learned so much, not just about history but about current affairs and life in general – it has definitely made me a better person.”

The Course

There has never been a more exciting time to study History at JCG. Whether it is how to respond to a global pandemic, understanding the tensions caused by radically different political beliefs or thinking about how to solve economic inequality and hardship; studying GCSE History affords young people an unrivalled perspective on the world around them.

In Year 10 you will study international conflict and tension in the period 1918-1939, enabling you to build on your studies in Year 9 and understand the origins of the Second World War, the Holocaust and the Occupation of Jersey. You will also study the major religious, social, cultural and political events of the reign of Elizabeth I; focusing on how strong women could overcome the extreme gender bias of their day.

In Year 11 you will study Germany in the first half of the 20th century which saw the development and collapse of democracy and the rise and fall of Nazism. This is a potent reminder of the dangers inherent in political extremism and why we must use our vote wisely. You will also study the development of medicine and health between 1250AD and the present day, with a focus on the causes, treatment and prevention of illness. This helps us to understand how we have reached current decisions on our responses to the coronavirus pandemic.

Over the two years you will be exposed to a wide-ranging and fascinating spectrum of historical events that will give you the grounding required to understand the truly diverse and awe-inspiring history that has created the world we live in today.

How are you Assessed?

Paper 1 [50%]

Section A: Germany, 1890-1945: Democracy and Dictatorship
Section B: Conflict and tension, 1918-1939
- 2hrs
- Section A - six compulsory questions (40 marks)
- Section B - four compulsory questions (40 marks)
- Plus 4 marks for spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology

Paper 2 [50%]

Section A: Britain: Health and the people
Section B: Elizabethan England, c1568-1603
- 2hrs
- Section A - four compulsory questions (40 marks)
- Section B - four compulsory questions (40 marks)
- Plus 4 marks for spelling, punctuation, grammar and specialist terminology

Trips, Opportunities, Progression

“History includes a phenomenal amount of transferable skills. The raw material after all is uniquely human beings. What a good History student is doing is coping with a lot of diverse human being centred information and interpreting it, and that’s what life throws at people, and what jobs throw at people.” Christopher Andrew, Professor of History, Cambridge University.

As a department, we aim to encourage enjoyment of the subject amongst all pupils and to develop a deep interest in the way in which it affects and shapes our daily lives. Through the study of History, students should develop appropriate skills of research, critical evaluation, analysis, discussion, explanation and the ability to organise ideas with both rigour and flexibility. We aim to promote attitudes and habits of scholarship through the development of lively debate in the classroom and effective independent study habits beyond it. We intend to offer a trip to Hampton Court and London as well as a visit to either Auschwitz or Berlin. Students who study History can expect to be well prepared for progression into a range of careers including Law, Medicine, Management, Education, Research and the Media.