History
Staffing:Mr Kanter (Head of Department), Miss Brothers and Mrs Martin.
We are an innovative, forward thinking and like-minded department whose common goal is to bring history "alive" to all learners. We hope that through the study of the past that our students will have a greater understanding of today's world and its challenges.
The study of history provides students with the opportunity to not only acquire subject knowledge but to further their written and verbal skills of communication. This includes the analysis of various historical sources; and we encourage an analytical and critical approach.
Key Stage 3
The following scheme of learning applies with the current Y7 cohort. Y8 and 9 are following a variant of this model.
Year Seven:
- Induction Unit: What is History?
- Medieval Britain 1066-1485: Including the Norman Conquest, Henry II and Becket, King John, The Black Death, Peasants Revolt and Medieval town/village life.
- Tudor Britain 1485-1603: Including the Reformation, political and religious changes, up to and including Elizabeth I.
Year Eight:
- King versus Parliament: Stuart Britain 1603-1688. Including Charles I and Causes of the English Civil War, The outcome of the Civil Wars, Cromwell and the ‘Protectorate’, the Restoration of the monarchy.
- The causes and impact of the French Revolution, the development of Democracy in 19th century Britain, including ‘Votes for women’ and the Suffragettes.
- Local studies- Including ‘John Hutchinson’ and ‘Prestwich Asylum’: Changing approaches to mental health.
- The Growth of the British Empire/Slave Trade- Reasons for abolition.
Year Nine:
- 'How has the nature of warfare changed since 1900?' This unit focuses takes a comparative approach to the Two World Wars and more recent conflicts.
- ‘Why was the Holocaust so significant? This unit focuses on Jewish Life in Europe before 1933 and how the persecution of Jews and other minorities was intensified after 1933.
- Changing Britain since 1945, including decolonisation and social changes at home.
Key Stage 4
Both year groups follow the GCSE EdExcel Modern World History (A) specification. The current year ten are completing the LINEAR course. Each unit counts for 25% of the final GCSE grade.
Year Ten
- September - February of Year 10 – Students study Unit Three: USA: A Divided Union, 1945-70. This source based paper assesses McCarthyism, Civil Rights and Student Protest during this period.
- February - July of Year 10 – Students complete Unit Four which includes of three assessed pieces of Controlled Assessment on ‘Changes in British Society’, 1955-75.This focuses on aspects of social change and the impact of cultural change in the ‘Swinging Sixties’.
Year Eleven
- Units One and Two will be taught in unison. This includes the Causes of the First World War, the aftermath of the war, including the ‘Peace Settlements’. The course continues with Weimar democracy in Germany during the 1920s and the rise and dictatorship of Adolf Hitler in the 1930s. The course concludes with the International crises of the 1930s and the final causes of World War Two.
The current Year Ten will take three exams at the end of the two year course (May/June 2014)
NB: The current year eleven are completing the modular course with a different order of units studied.
Extra Curricular Activities
The department offers many opportunities to extend our students appreciation for the subject. Our History Club meets weekly and studies topics of interest. They often present their findings within the wider school context.
We have an excellent working relationship with Bury Museum and Archives, and this has presented many opportunities for our students to experience ‘hands on’ history. We organise an annual end of KS3 Holocaust Study Day, which includes the unique testimony of a Concentration/Death camp survivor.
In 2011 we were proud to host the ‘Anne Frank: A History for Today’ exhibition. This culminated in a joint parent/student learning experience at the exhibition. We would like to host this exhibition again in 2014, in order to educate the next generation of key stage three students.
We lead an annual Year Eleven visit to Berlin in conjunction with the Languages department. During the visit students visit various places of interest including Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, The Reichstag, Berlin Olympic Stadium and the Jewish Museum. This visit has proved to be very popular and enriching for our students.
Future Developments
We are very proud of our links with Bury Museum and Archives. Since 2007, we have worked together to produce original, archive based schemes of learning on 'Cotton Threads': Bury’s role in the Industrial Revolution and links to the Slave Trade. In 2008, we launched ‘Safety in Numbers’: A source based scheme on Prestwich Asylum. In 2010 we co-produced a new scheme on the 'Jericho Workhouse'. We intend to train students to help deliver sessions on these projects and other archive material to other schools.
In July 2013 we hope to offer the London Trip for Year nine students. This day includes a visit to the Imperial War Museum and Parliament, depending upon availability!
We plan to produce a booklet celebrating the History and heritage of Bury Church of England High School. This will involve students researching our school’s History, with staff support, and working as a team to produce this important production.
