History
History is a fascinating subject in which we study people's lives, their hopes and their fears. Many of the events that we study are dramatic and exciting – it is not surprising that History is a popular subject. School trips bring the subject to life and History enables pupils to learn more about the past and come to a better understanding of the present.
Our girls have achieved excellent examination results at both GCSE and A Level.
100% of girls achieved grades A* - C for their GCSE in History (2010)
69% of girls achieved a grade A* or A
100% achieved grades A* - E in A Level History (2010)
56% of girls achieved a grade A
A number of our students have chosen to continue their study of History at universities such as Oxford, Durham and Warwick. Historians can often go on to very successful careers in media and publishing, law, the museum sector or business.
In Year 7 the girls study medieval times including the Norman Conquest, the Black Death and the Peasants' Revolt.
Our Year 8 syllabus traces the political, religious and social developments of the 16th and 17th centuries, including Henry VIII's break with Rome and the English Civil War. Following this, we study the history of the Native Americans and look at the impact of the Europeans on their culture and lives.
The focus of study in Year 9 is The Victorian Era in which students carry out their own research project. The class also looks at the growth of the British Empire and find out why the slave trade began and how slavery was eventually abolished.
Fascinating FactsFascinating Facts
- It was not uncommon in England during the medieval period for animals to be put on trial accused of crimes for which they could be sentenced to death if they were found guilty.
- Prior to the introduction of surnames in England in 1066, everyone had just one name and surnames often included a nickname, it was only over time that people began to take the same name as their father.
- The famous Battle of Hastings actually took place at Senlac Hill – approximately 6 miles north-west of Hastings.
- Tea bags were invented accidentally. In 1904, Tea Merchant Thomas Sullivan decided to send tea samples to prospective customers in silk bags as opposed to a box as it was more cost effective – his potential buyers however mistakenly believed the bags were meant for dunking and was inundated with orders for “tea bags” – the rest as they say, is history!