History at Ampleforth
The History Department has a long and proud tradition at Ampleforth. It aims to inspire in its students a love of the subject, an appreciation of its importance and the desire always to discover more. At the same time, it seeks to equip students with the skills required to reach their full potential. The Department also believes strongly that History is a subject that is important to everyone and should therefore be accessible to everyone. It is, therefore, a large Department that teaches students of all abilities, from Oxbridge level historians to those with less academic ability.
To these ends, the Department teaches a wide range of vibrant and stimulating courses with an emphasis on combining enjoyment with examination preparation, British and European/world history and structured and independent learning. The Department is fortunate to have a team of dedicated, enthusiastic and knowledgeable teachers who, through the talents and commitment of their students, continue to uphold the tradition of History as a popular and successful subject at Ampleforth.
In the first year (Year 9), students study a course entitled ‘European Revolutions, 1517-1917’ that includes the European Reformation, the French Revolution and Napoleon, the Great War and consequent Russian and German revolutions. They also complete a depth study on a topic of their own choice. This provides the foundation, in terms developing both interest and skills, for further study.
Usually about 90% of Year 9 opt to study History at GCSE. In Years 10 and 11, students study OCR’s Modern World, 1905-85, syllabus that includes a core of international history plus depth studies on Russia, 1905-53, Inter-War America and the Arab-Israeli Conflict.
It is not uncommon for about half of Year 11 to opt to study History at AS and A level. Here, thanks largely to the range of enthusiasms and expertise of the staff plus the large numbers that do choose the subject, we are one of the comparatively few schools to offer all three of Medieval, Early Modern and Modern History syllabuses. There is no overlap in content with GCSE so that, whichever syllabus is followed, everything is new and fresh. At the same time, the courses enable students to investigate topics in unprecedented depth, developing especially their skills in the research, analysis, organisation and communication of evidence and, equally, their ability to use this in order to evaluate complex arguments and debates. Such aptitudes and skills are much in demand at both university level and in a vast range of careers beyond.
The Department also has societies that cater for all year groups, a Junior History Society for Years 9 and 10, and two Senior History Societies, one that invites guest speakers to address the students and one that develops further the interests and skills of those considering History at university.
Each year, the Head of Department also produces a review of the Department’s activities, developments and examination results and the Department produces both a display and a students’ history magazine for the College’s annual Exhibition.