Skip to content ↓

History

“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”

The History department here at Radnor House Twickenham seeks to stimulate academic interest in the subject so that pupils can learn more about their own history, the history and culture of this country and indeed of others around the world.

Studying History engages the mind and allows pupils to use the past to debate and discuss not only issues in the past, but also pertinent issues facing their generation in the future. Our subject encapsulates some of the biggest mechanisms within modern working society including industry, economics, citizenship and politics.

Moreover History involves the study of a range of societies with different religious beliefs in various geographical locations. Indeed it provides the context into which the majority of art, music and modern science can be placed. Thus the subject intertwines with many others, providing students with life-skills such as the ability to comprehend large swathes of written material and comprehend it under pressure.

As a department we function as a close team of five working with each pupil so that they achieve their potential and leave the school with the four key values of Radnor House.

Junior School History Curriculum - Key Stage 2

In the Junior school we begin to introduce our students to the skills required to be a Historian. Lessons are engaging and interactive, fusing writing tasks with interactive presentations.

In Year 5 the pupils study 'London through the ages'. The intention is to give them a chronological overview of some of the periods they will study later in their school career by looking at how London developed over time. The pupils also cover Romans through to the 18th Century. Year 6 have two key units of study which are 'Victorians' and 'The era of the Second World War'. Within both units we focus on how the lives of children were affected and then compare with their own experiences.

Senior School History Curriculum - Key Stage 3

The key aims of the department are aligned with that of the school. We try to foster the traits of courage, excellence, perseverance and respect in our pupils.

These traits stand them in good stead to become inquisitive and accurate historians, learning about the past so that the past can continue to shape the future. History teaches our Senior pupils invaluable reading and writing skills, allowing them to learn to process vast amounts of material. A skill that is crucial for the world of higher education and beyond.

In Year 7 we study the Medieval period in England. Starting with William the Conqueror and the battle of 1066, we span across the period looking at successive areas of interest including Thomas Becket, King John, the Black Death and the institution of the Medieval Church itself. In Year 8 we move on to look at the Tudor and Stewart period of English rule, focusing on key monarchs including Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Charles II. Laterally we look at the English Civil War before finally looking at the workings of the British Empire. In Year 9 we focus on World War One and Two looking at key elements of both wars including trench warfare, the home-front, appeasement and the Holocaust.

GCSE History - Key Stage 4

At GCSE we follow the Cambridge IGCSE syllabus.

In year 10, the first term we study: the Twentieth Century: international relations part 1: 1919-1939. In the second and third term we study the depth study: Germany 1918-1945.

In year 11 we study: the Twentieth Century: international relations part 2: 1945-2000. Moreover in the final term we undertake the coursework element.

A level History

In Sixth Form the aim for each Historian is to become a confident, independent learner. This will allow them to obtain the reading, writing and processing skills to succeed at A level History.

In the Sixth Form we follow the Pearson Edexcel course. The course spans three papers each with different subject material and there is also a personal coursework element of examination. The three topics that we study are Britain 1625-1701: Conflict, Revolution and Settlement, Russia in Revolution, 1894-1924 and finally Civil rights and race relations in the USA, 1850-2009.

Future Career Path

Studying History at A level is a perfect choice for most humanity-based degrees. Specific examples include: any type of History degree, Politics, English, Philosophy and Classical Studies. A History specific degree can lead to a multitude of careers but most specifically: Law, civil service, journalism, finance and teaching.

Paste in video URL and save page via the "Edit" tab at the top of the page