HISTORY
Aims The course aims to produce thoughtful , inquisitive and well-informed students with powers of critical analysis . These are essential to understanding and interpreting the modern world in terms of relationships between countries , the difficulties of maintaining and developing peace and the impact of this on the development of music , literature and living conditions .
Skills The study of history enables students to develop the ability to communicate ideas fluently , clearly and confidently , verbally and in writing . Students will be able to critically analyse texts , information and argument to offer informed and reasoned arguments in order to make nuanced judgements . Conducting research using different types of tools and sources , gathering , sifting , interpreting , analysing and organising information is essential to developing in-depth historical knowledge . Students develop an open-minded approach to the potential usefulness of different perspectives and to the insights that may be offered by the use of different disciplines ; the willingness to adopt , where appropriate , a multi-disciplinary approach to historical problem-solving .
Content The course is designed to give an understanding of the main events of 20th and early 21st Century world history and to develop the written skills of analysis , explanation and evaluation .
The main topics on international relations will include , the formation and collapse of the League of Nations , the causes of the Second World War , and the formation and role of the United Nations until 2011 including their role in disputes in areas such as Korea , Palestine and Mozambique and the impact of agencies such as the WHO and UNICEF .
There will be in-depth studies on the USA 1919-41 and the civil rights movement in the USA 1945-74 as well as South Africa 1948-94 , ensuring an understanding of how the political , economic and social changes in these periods impacted the culture of a country and the wider world for generations .
Enrichment Beyond GCSE , as well as helping to produce thoughtful , well-informed , critical students , the IGCSE course is an excellent preparation for the study of IB History , whether students wish to study the Medieval or the 19th and 20th Century options .
There is a study trip to Washington , Philadelphia and New York for Year 10 students ; this complements the work on the US depth study as well as US involvement in WW1 , WW2 and the Cold War .
Our Middle School History Society discusses and develops issues raised as part of the taught curriculum looking at content and concepts that place the course in a wider historical timeline .
38 THE MIDDLE SCHOOL | AT SEVENOAKS