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A broad and interesting sweep of History is taught at Merchiston by a young, enthusiastic and well-qualified department. Topics range from the Romans to the collapse of the Soviet Union. History is a compulsory subject from I Form through to IV Form. Most pupils carry on with the subject at GCSE and it is a very healthy subject at Sixth Form level. As well as History, members of the department also teach A Level Government and Politics and Higher Modern Studies. I-IV Forms
Lower School History covers the period from the Romans to the English Civil War. In teaching I-III Forms, we look to introduce boys to basic historical techniques whilst at the same time making the subject accessible and enjoyable.
In I Form pupils study the Romans investigating topics such as Roman life and keys figures in Roman History such as Julius Caesar.
In II Form boys look at Scottish history with a particular concentration on the Wars of Independence on which they complete a project. We also take them to Stirling where they visit Stirling Castle, the Wallace Monument and the Bannockburn Heritage Centre. (Obviously not such a popular Shell & V FormsBoys taking History at GCSE study the OCR Modern World Syllabus. This offers them an exciting range of 20th Century European and World History. Topics covered include the peace settlements of 1919, Weimar and Nazi Germany and the origins and development of the Cold War including the Berlin Blockade, Cuba and the final collapse of the Soviet Union. As part of this syllabus pupils complete two pieces of coursework. This involves considering Roosevelt and America in the 1930s and the Russian Revolution. 25% of the final mark at GCSE is based on coursework. Sixth Form CoursesThe department offers a variety of courses in the sixth form. These will change again with the introduction of the new A Level specifications, but they will still follow our philosophy of studying periods and aspects of History that are unfamiliar and challenging. The department is keen to develop boys’ analytical and research skills, not least through the Personal Study in the U6. An A Level Government & Politics course is also offered. All pupils in the Sixth Form benefit from an extensive programme of visiting speakers including academics and politicians. Both A Level History and Government and Politics candidates can attend the department's reading trip to Glasgow University. History A Level course Syllabus: AQA Areas of Study British History: Early Tudors OR C20th British Non-British History: C19th Russia OR C20th USA Upper VI (A2) Government & Politics A Level course Syllabus: Edexcel Areas of Study UK Constitution and institutions Liberalism, Conservatism and Socialism Other ideological traditions Ideology in the UK |
visit for our pupils from South of the Border!)
III Form: centres around the Tudors and Stuarts. Boys are taken from the deposition of Richard III through Henry VIII and the Reformation to the English Civil War and the execution of Charles I. They visit York in the Summer Term.
IV Form: Foundations are laid for GCSE History with pupils studying World Wars I and II. For WWI, they consider topics such as life in the trenches and new technology, whilst for WWII, they look at topics such as the causes foe the Second World War and the Blitz. In the early Spring the department runs a trip to the Battlefields of the First World War, in particular Ypres and the Somme.
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