Wilmslow High School

History

The History Team consists of five full time and 2 part time specialists who are committed to making History both fun and accessible to all pupils. We believe that all pupils must be given the opportunity to achieve their maximum potential. Teaching is in mixed ability classes with the emphasis on both skills and content. We recognise the importance of stimulating and maintaining pupils' interests through a variety of teaching and learning styles that encourages them to be well-motivated and enthusiastic participants in their History lessons. Resources and tasks are differentiated according to ability. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 receive two fifty minute periods of History a week, pupils in Years 10 to 11 receive three fifty minute periods and Advanced Level groups receive six.

The History Team moved into new accommodation in September 2004 which consists of five well resourced rooms and an office. ICT resources include interactive whiteboards, digital projectors and pupil laptops.

At Key Stage 3 pupils study a wide range of historical periods including:

• The Roman Empire
• Medieval Realms
• Britain 1500-1750
• Britain 1750-1900
• Black Peoples of the Americas
• The Twentieth Century World

At Key Stage 4 History is a popular choice and we follow the AQA Modern World Specification B syllabus that includes:

• Nazi Germany
• USA between the wars
• World War One
• Coursework assignments on Vietnam and evacuees in World War Two

We offer a choice of AS and A2 courses with groups either following a Sixteenth or Nineteenth Century British and European course with AQA. Examination results are well above the national average at all Key Stages.

The History Team believes strongly in the provision of educational visits. Each year a visit to the World War One battlefields of Belgium and France is organised for Year 10 pupils. All pupils in Year 8 visit Quarry Bank Mill to study working conditions for children during the Industrial Revolution and Year 7 pupils have the opportunity to take part in an LEA gifted and talented visit to Hadrian's Wall. We are currently developing a 'rich task' programme that focuses on several units of work including a 'Wilmslow at War' project, board games on the Atlantic Slave Trade and a local History project that is started in our feeder Primary Schools and completed upon arrival at Wilmslow High School.