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History

About the course:

The History A Level consists of three papers and an independently-written piece of coursework, the NEA (Non-Exam Assessment). The three papers you will study are:

  1. Modern Britain, 1931 – 1997 (including an in-depth study of Winston Churchill)
  2. The Crusades and the Crusader States, 1095 – 1191
  3. The Changing Nature of Warfare, 1789 – 1945

Your coursework can be about any historical issue that you are interested in! Recent students have focused on the Crusades, World War Two and the Cold War, but the choice is yours. Our choice of papers and topics is based on teacher specialism and student feedback over many years; we know that our students really enjoy studying A Level History at Mosslands.

History is about people, their ambitions, actions and responses to events. It is relevant to our lives as it has shaped the world we live in today. It is useful because it develops a range of analytical and communication skills that compliment a wide range of other subject choices from English, MFL, and Social Sciences. Top universities, in all subject areas, prefer students who have undergone the academic training provided by A Level History.


What is expected of you:

You will be expected to attend all lessons and complete all tasks on time. You will also be expected to read around the subjects you are studying. The department has an extensive library of books to borrow and we can point you to online resources (articles, videos, podcasts, etc). We want to you learn to read and study history for enjoyment, as well as for exams.


What it prepares you for:

Higher Education:

The skills of critical analysis, interpretation, and evaluation you will learn at History A level will be attractive to all universities. When applying for any degree course, a background in History will be recognised as an indication of academic rigour and achievement. Degree courses in History are very popular and many students take advantage of the opportunity to continue studying the subject alone or combined with a new and interesting discipline, such as politics or economics.

Careers:

There are many careers specific to History such as archaeology, the heritage industry, curating or even teaching! At the same time, high proportions of students move from a degree in History to careers in law, accountancy, business management and politics.


How will it be assessed?

Students will complete all three exams at the end of Year 13. The NEA (Non-Exam Assessment) will also be completed in Year 13.

Entry requirements:

We want students who:

• Have enjoyed History at Mosslands.

• Have a real interest and enthusiasm for learning about the past.

• Are good at analysing and interpretation.

• Can communicate their ideas clearly.

• Enjoy independent study.

• Have plenty of determination.


Qualification details:

The A Level achieved at the end of the Upper 6th is worth up to 140 UCAS points. The full OCR specification for the course can be found at https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/170128-specification-accredited-a-level-gce-history-a-h505.pdf


For more information:

If you are an internal applicant, please talk to your History teacher about the possibility of studying History in the sixth form. Alternatively, you may choose to talk to Mr Cauldwell, the History Subject Lead.

If you are an external applicant and would like more details about this course please email sixthform@mosslands.wirral.sch.uk