History

History is a popular option at Cranleigh, compulsory in the IVth Form and well-subscribed to at GCSE and A Level. We regularly entertain about 90 historians in each Vth Form and around 50 in the VIth Form.
 

IVth Form

The objectives in our teaching of IVth Form History are to introduce pupils to some key aspects of twentieth-century History and we focus on the First World War and the Roaring 1920’s in USA. At the end of the IVth form pupils will also have developed their historical skills through a firm focus on a more analytical approach to essay writing and source evaluation. We also aim to provoke the pupils’ curiosity to discover more about the past through fun and interesting lessons in which they can be actively involved. The IVth Form visit the WW1 battlefields in the summer: always an informative, but also a moving, experience.
 

GCSE

The GCSE course is based around a study of Edexcel IGCSE, looking at Germany and America between the wars, and an extended topic on Communist China. The aim is to build upon some of the outline knowledge acquired during the IVth Form, whilst adding some completely new and exciting material. Classes are mixed ability.

AS

In the VIth Form, we follow the OCR specification. At AS we offer an early modern as well as a late modern course.

Early Modern
The courses offered include the Mid-Tudor Crises which focuses on the theme of a series of crises involving the extent and significance of political, religious, economic and social change, and Philip II, Spain and the Netherlands, which explores his reign with regards his foreign and domestic policies. You will explore Philip’s bankruptcies, his issues at court, the Spanish Inquisitions, why the Spanish Amanda occurred and failed, as well as the reasons behind the Dutch Revolts. 

Late Modern
The courses offered include British Imperialism during the 19th and early 20th century, which examines the development of British Imperial policy at a time when the British Empire was at its height and the subsequent build-up to the Great War, and the USA and Cold War in Asia which examines the the basis of US involvement in Asia after 1945 and the changing nature of its policy to contain Communism in China, Korea and Vietnam.

A2

At A2, the courses include a theme study of 19th and 20th century Russia, which looks at various themes across a hundred year period of Russian history, and two pieces of coursework based on an investigation of America between the Wars.