ALEXANDRA PARK SCHOOL
HISTORY DEPARTMENT
The History Department currently consists of six experienced members of staff. History is a
very popular subject at both Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5. Our results are excellent and
reflect a highly organsied, supportive and motivated department. As a department, we
currently deliver History and Classics at GCSE, and History, Politics and Classics at A level.
Our ethos
As a department, we aim to promote a life-long love of History by:
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Taking a creative and dynamic approach to teaching which brings History alive in all
of our classrooms
Encouraging students to examine evidence critically
Allowing students to build and develop their own arguments based on the evidence
available
Equipping students with the contextual knowledge to allow them to understand the
most significant events and to evaluate them
Taking an inclusive approach so that pupils of all abilities are challenged, engaged
and stimulated.
Teaching and Learning:
Key Stage 3
All schemes of work have been created to engage and enthuse students. New members of
the department will benefit from detailed and well-resourced schemes of work, Interactive
White Board lessons and various assessment-for-learning activities incorporated across the
key stage.
GCSE
History is the most popular subject at GCSE, with five classes in both Year
10 and 11. We study the Modern World Hisotry (OCR) syllabus and our
students cover modules on USA 1919-1941, the Cold War 1945-1973, and
Britain 1939-1975. Our controlled assessment focuses on Germany 19181945.
We take the opportunity of visiting Berlin each year at the beginning of Year
11 to enhance students’ understanding of Germany’s expereinces under the
Nazis in the 1930s and Communism in the post war period.
Our results are excellent with the department achieving circa 85% A*-C and
45% A*/A for the past 5 years.
Year 11 Trip to Berlin
A Level
There are currently four History A level classes, and the subject continues to be a popular
choice for our Year 13 students going onto university. At AS we study Civil Rights 1945-1968,
the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and the Poor Law. At A2 we study America in the 19th
Century, and Britain and the Challenge of Facism.
Our results are excellent with 65%-80% of students achieving A*-B grades at A2 over the
last 5 years
Facilities and Resources
The department has a very good range of new textbooks, DVDs, and other resources to help
deliver the curriculum at all Key Stages. All classrooms have interteractive whiteboards,
visulisaers and the department has a set of laptops. The accommodation consists of three
large classrooms in the new school buildings and we have our own History office. We have
developed a useable and informative webpage on the school website.
Extra Curricular Links
The department is currently involved in creating
community links within Haringey. Year 7 carry out
a local History project and explore Haringey and
sites of local interest. We have also been involved
in archaeology projects across the borough.
The department runs trips and workshops for a
variety of year groups, including trips to Paris
(Year 8) and Berlin (Year 11).
Year 9 trip to Ypres
Please do not hesitate to contact me if there is any other information you require.
Tom Clapham
Subject Leader History