The Hanson History department is committed to History as a vital part of a child’s education; we feel that all members of our school community should be able to access our subject and benefit from a wider understanding of the past. 

I started as Head of History in September 2004, and my role is extremely enjoyable due to a lively department that comprises four full time and two part time members of staff.  Geographers also teach some key stage 3 History classes.  We live in the Social Science faculty along with Geography, R.S., Psychology and Sociology teachers.  We all have our own desks and are well served for computers in the office. 

At Key Stage 3 we follow the National Curriculum and History is set from Year 7.  There are three bands, each with four sets.   We try to make lower groups as small as possible.  The History department is lucky to have four excellent support assistants that are attached to Social Science and their knowledge of our subject is invaluable. 

History is a popular choice at GCSE, and we have 11 groups across Years 10 and 11 taking AQA Modern World History.  Our results have been consistently in line or better than the school average.  At the ‘A’ and ‘A*’ level History performs particularly well; we continually receive the highest number of the top grades in the school.  Several of our students received full marks in their History coursework and the AQA moderator praised our coursework as ‘excellent’.

This popularity is continued at ‘A’ level where we follow the Edexcel course.  We teach a diverse range of units to prepare as many students as possible for University entry.  In Year 12 we study the Russian Revolution, Civil Rights in the USA and Life in Nazi Germany.  When students progress to ‘A’ level they study Fascist Italy, Decline of the Liberals, and Representation and Democracy 1830-1931. 

To support the Curriculum, the History department runs a number of educational visits.  Over the last few years residentials have been run to Berlin and Auschwitz , the battlefields of France, and to stay on HMS Belfast in London.  There is a long running and very popular visit for sixth form historians and Politics students to Washington and New York at February half term.  Day trips have been taken to Skipton castle, the Salford Imperial War Museum, the Royal Armouries, the National Maritime Museum, and the Holocaust exhibition at the Imperial War Museum.  It has been proved time and again that these visits have enriched Hanson students’ learning.  Different aspects of childrens’ characters and skills can be developed with non-classroom based learning; we feel it is a shame that recent media coverage has made taking trips unpopular in some schools.

Jane Wearing

Head of History