PARKSTONE GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Job Details & Department Information
Full Time Teacher of History (Permanent)
DETAILS OF THE POST
We are seeking to appoint an inspirational classroom practitioner who is committed and enthusiastic, to engage
within a successful and innovative History Department. History is a valued subject within the school and our
students are academically able and well-motivated which allows them to achieve excellent results in public
examinations. This post becomes available from 1 September 2015.
Applicants need to be able to teach History through from KS3 to GCSE and A Level. We are seeking a colleague who
is willing to help support the department in the upcoming national changes, can provide a thought-provoking
atmosphere in the classroom and inspire our students to give of their best.
THE DEPARTMENT
History is a popular, highly regarded subject at Parkstone with impressive public examination results (65% of
students achieved A*/A at GCSE in the Summer of 2014 and 72% of A Level students achieved A-B) due to this many
students pursue the subject at top universities for which we attempt to prepare them.
There is a strong tradition of varied teaching and learning styles in the department. We use role play, debate,
research and self-supported study, student presentations, graphic and ICT work. We employ a wide variety of
resources never relying on a textbook. The department has created a large resource bank – which includes an
extensive collection of television documentaries, films, radio plays and podcasts of lectures by eminent historians
on the school’s Click View (accessible at home using the internet) – to complement the use of published texts.
THE CURRICULUM
Key Stage 3
History is taught to all Year 7 and 8 students (six forms per year) for three hours per fortnight. Year 7 students
develop their understanding of British History over the course of this year by studying a range of topics including
the English Civil War, the Growth of Empire and what Jack the Ripper can tell us about Victorian London. Each unit
is underpinned by a key historical concept lending itself to the development of a sound understanding of the key
skills that reinforce the study of History.
Year 8 has an international flavour with the study of topics such as the causes of the First World War, the Rise of
Hitler and the Holocaust as well as a source investigation on the assassination of JFK. Again, these are underpinned
by historical concepts which is especially significant as these students will take their GCSE options in Year 8 and
begin a three year GCSE course the following year.
Assessment is based upon homework and half term Common Assessments that help the department monitor
progress against baseline data. These take a variety of forms from essays, knowledge tests, peer assessed
presentations and extended research assignments.
Key Stage 4
History is a highly subscribed and valued option at GCSE. In 2014-15 we moved into a three year KS4. Currently
GCSE students follow the Edexcel GCSE History ‘A’ specification. This involves: Unit 1 International Relations
(focusing on the Cold War 1943 to 1991); Unit 2 Modern Depth Study (Russia 1917-39); Unit 3 Modern World Source
Enquiry (War and the Transformation of British Society c1903-28); and Unit 4 Controlled Assessment (Government
and Protest in the USA 1945-70). Year 10 currently have five hours of lessons a fortnight and Year 11 four hours a
fortnight.
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PARKSTONE GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Job Details & Department Information
25% Controlled Assessment, 75% Examination (currently assessed in three separate papers).
In line with national changes, the specifications for GCSE will be changing from 2016 which may prompt a change
to the topics being studied.
Key Stage 5
There are currently two sets each in Year 12 and 13 taught for 9 periods (hours) in Year 12 and 8 periods in Year 13.
Both AS and A2 sets are shared between two teachers who prepare students on a module each. From 2015 the AS
Level cohort will be studying a new specification which will be the AQA choices of The Tudors: England 1485-1603
and the Birth of the USA: 1760-1801. This cohort will follow these topics through from AS to A Level.
The legacy specification which will be taught to the Year 13 group from September consists of Unit 3 British
Monarchy: The Crisis of State 1642 - 1689 and Unit 4 Historical Enquiry on political and cultural themes in German
History between 1812 and 1949. The 3500 word Historical Enquiry is the result of a taught course and a period of
supervised independent research.
Enrichment
Educational visits and enrichment opportunities are an important element of the department’s provision for
students. In the past year all Year 9 visited Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Year 10 travelled to the Battlefields of
Ypres and the Somme on a four day residential. Two Year 12 Historians took part in the Lessons from Auschwitz
Project and many Sixth Form Historians have attended trips to the Houses of Parliament as part of our close links
with the Politics Department. Year 7 students will be taking a trip to Corfe Castle in the summer term and there is
a trip to Berlin and Krakow in the calendar for next October to explore the city and go to Auschwitz concentration
camp. We also run numerous competitions for all key stages in order to provide opportunities for student creativity
and independent research.
CLOSING DATE: 9.00 am on Wednesday 13 May 2015
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