Sydney Smith School

GCSE History 2008

History is about people—real people, whose lives were sometimes exciting, often frightening and never dull. History is about learning of past mistakes in this country and in the world, hopefully learning how to avoid them in your lifetime. History is finding out about how and why we have the freedoms we all enjoy.

History helps with many professions and jobs. The Fire and Police services need to study evidence and find the correct answers. Nursing has a compulsory unit on the History of Medicine. History helps with work in the tourist industry, travel reps are often asked about places that are of interest within countries being visited. In Journalism, history teaches you how to avoid biased, one sided accounts of events. In fact history helps in any job where communicating your ideas, experience and opinions are asked for.

What will you study:

Medicine through time
Germany 1919-1939
The troubles of Northern Ireland and the IRA
Local History—High Street which includes a field trip

What will you learn:

You will learn how to interpret and evaluate pieces of historical information, think independently and make balanced judgements.

Assessments:

Progress in each examination area of study will be tested through source work and extended writing both as tests and homework. Year 10 examinations and Year 11 mock GCSE. Examinations are the main ways of assessment during the course. Written work has high priority throughout the course.

Coursework:

5 pieces of coursework - 25%

Examination:

At the end of the course there are 2 examinations, one on Medicine and the other on Germany 1919 - 1939.

The History GCSE has one level of entry:

Grades A*- G

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