History

There are four members of the History Department, all of whom are subject specialists bringing their own areas of interest to the team. Current areas of expertise include Civil Rights, Italy, Queen Elizabeth I, the Cold War and British Political History since 1945.

For the most part, History is taught in three designated classrooms equipped with interactive whiteboards. There is a PC in each classroom and storage space and shelving for textbooks and other materials. The department shares an office with Geography where additional resources are kept, including reference books and administrative materials.

Enrichment is an important part of the Department’s practice. All students have the opportunity to take part in trips, including visits to London museums and a day trip to the battlefields of Ypres. A trip to Berlin took place in February 2010, organised jointly with the Modern Foreign Languages and Religious Education Departments.

Year 10 students have taken part in a History Aspiration Day at Kingston University, designed to give them a taste of studying History at that level. At Key Stage 5, revision seminars held in central London contribute to students’ examination preparation.

In recent years, a concerted effort to develop the quality of teaching learning in History has impacted positively on results. All students make good progress at Key Stage 3. In 2009, 70% of students scored an A*-C at GCSE, with over 26% achieving A* and A grades. That same year, all students sitting History achieved an A-C at A-Level, with 80% obtaining an A or B grade.

History is an increasingly popular GCSE and A-Level option choice for Ellen Wilkinson students. Along with our encouraging and still-improving results, this is testimony to the hard work, enthusiasm and sheer commitment of staff in the History Department.