TBGS students

Torquay Boys Grammar School

Torquay Boys Grammar School

History

Department Members:

Miss J Stevens                                Head of History and Politics
Mrs E Browne     Lead Tutor for Sixth Form Girls
Miss S Butler  History and Politics Teacher
Mr D Hore   Head of Davys House
Mr A Kosmaczewski   Head of Sixth Form
Dr S Lee    Assistant Headmaster

History

Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9)

Pupils at TBGS are given the opportunity to study a range of topics, which span approximately 2,000 years of world History. Each year pupils will study ‘big questions’ within a theme (see below for examples), which allows them to draw together change and continuity across time as well as develop an understanding of chronology. They will learn through a range of active approaches, such as group research work, debating, roleplay/re-enactment and presentations.

                   Year                                                 Theme                     Examples of questions covered  

7

Rulers and Ruled

Who had more power: The Church or the King?

Comparing the reigns of King John and Mary I: do they deserve their poor reputations in History?

The Counter-reformation in England: did ordinary people question Henry’s decision to break from Rome?

Elizabethan England: a ‘Golden Age’?

 

8

Growth of Parliament and Democracy in the UK

The Magna Carta: should we remember it today?

Was Cromwell a King without a crown?

Fear of the mob: Why did the French Revolution keep some Victorians awake at night?

Comparison: what tactics did men and women use to gain the vote?

The British Empire: An Empire to be proud of?

 

9

Conflict and Cooperation in the 20th century

What caused the First World War

Was the Versailles Treaty fair?

Was appeasement a spineless policy that caused a second world war?

How and why did the Holocaust happen?

How do you fight a ‘cold’ war?

 

Key Stage 4 (GCSE)

Why study GCSE History?

“The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there.”

L. P. Hartley

Firstly, you should study History because it is fascinating! GCSE History gives you the opportunity to explore the past and formulate your own opinions. Why did the Romans punish some criminals by sewing them into a sack with a rooster, a snake, a dog and a monkey? How did Hitler manage to convince enough of the population of Germany to vote for the Nazi Party? Why did the mighty American Army have so much trouble fighting the Vietcong? Is terrorism new, and is there anything our Government can realistically do to protect us from it today?

“History teaches everything, including the future.”

Lamartine

In addition, History helps you to develop high level skills that are highly valued in many high profile careers. For example, the ability to read quickly and effectively and process large amounts of  information, the ability to think deeply about a subject, the ability to use evidence to come to a judgement and the ability to develop cogent arguments and communicate clearly.

What would I study?

The GCSE offered at TBGS is ‘History B’, examined by the board Edexcel. It involves four units of study, which are each worth 25% of the final grade awarded. To find out more about each topic, please click on the links below:

 

Development Study: Crime and Punishment

Source Study: Protest in the 20th century

Controlled Assessment: Vietnam

Depth Study: Germany 1919-1945