History

Head of Department: Mr Winters

The History Department has three newly furnished dedicated History rooms - each room with a computer and inter-active whiteboard. In addition we have a large stockroom containing a wide variety of texts, paper resources, library, DVDs/VHSs and DVD/VHS recording and editing facilities.

The History Department is very energetic and always keen to further develop. Our strengths focus on in-house resource creation i.e. classroom activity supports, revision materials, power-point programs, edited AV material etc; Mind Friendly Learning strategies; pro-active schemes of work that are continuously being reviewed and updated around Medium Term Planning; Assessment of and for Learning strategies; homework resources; self/peer assessment and student voice approaches.

There are three full time members of the Department - each teaching Key Stage 3, 4 and 5. History is a popular subject at South Wirral High School. Large numbers of students opt for GCSE History - usually averaging 75 students each year - while in years 12/13 we regularly teach up to 25 students.

OUTLINE SCHEMES OF WORK

YEAR 7

TERM 1

a) Bridging Project (cross-phase project with local primaries).
b) What is History? - The main concerns, how does an Historian find out about the past, how evidence changes over time, importance of a dating system, similarities and differences between the work of Historians and Detectives.
c) When I was one - students as apprentice Historians i.e. investigating and collecting evidence about their own lives when they were one.
d) Investigating previous generations - for example parents/careers when they were one and/or eleven; grandparents likewise etc.
e) Celtic Britain - having completed the Historian's apprenticeship, students explore and try to re-create their locality c5000 years ago.

TERM 2

a) Peoples on the Move (NC section 11) = focus on the Roman invasion, settlement and leaving of the Romans from Britain.
b) Brief investigation of Britain/Europe from 500AD to 1066AD = Saxons, Angles, Jutes, Vikings, Goths, Visigoths, Vandals etc.
c) Britain in 1066 = multicultural = mix of the above cultures - evidence? = physical, cultural etc.
d) Was there a Dark Age? Focus on the Arthurian legend.

TERM 3

Medieval Realms: Britain 1066-1500 (NC section 8).

YEAR 8

TERM 1

Making of the UK (NC section 9).

TERM 2

a) Native Peoples of North America (NC section 12).
b) Britain 1750-c1900 (NC section 10).

TERM 3

a) Britain 1750-c1900 (continued).
b) Local Studies - Eastham, Bromborough, Birkenhead, Liverpool, Parkgate.

YEAR 9

TERMS 1 & 2

World Study after 1900 (NC 13). Focus on UK; USA; Germany; Peace.

TERM 3

Historical Mysteries and Archaeologists.

YEAR 10/11

Medicine Through Time; American West; Speke Hall; Ireland (AQA).

YEAR 12

Votes for Women; Civil Rights in USA; Germany 1933-39 coursework.

YEAR 13

Korea/Vietnam; Germany unit 5; Education coursework (Edexcel).

Bridging Project 2007

'A Grand Day Out'
On the 28th of June 2007 the Bridging schools - Eastham, St Mary's, Heygarth, Mendell, Millfields, Reaburn and South Wirral High School - re-created the 1847 opening of Birkenhead Park.

Consequently the staff, along with Year 6 students from the primaries and Year 12 students from SWHS all dressed up in Victorian costume. In the morning Year 12 students staged the official opening - with Queen Victoria cutting the ribbon.

The proceedings were supported with country dancing, a brass band from Wirral Boys Grammar, flag waving and the release of 150 balloons.

The Mayor of Wirral Councillor Phil Gilchrist, Catherine McCormack and Marie Stacey made speeches.

In the afternoon, students participated in a variety of activities - plate spinning; kite flying; bussing around the park; eating Victorian cake; drinking traditional lemonade; arts and crafts; sports; attempting to diabolo, yo-yo and juggle and watching Punch and Judy.

The weather was great - it was indeed