A Level History
Sandbach College
Why study this course?
Without knowledge of the past we lack a real understanding of the present and the future. A level History is the study of significant events and individuals and what motivated their actions. It involves studying the psychologies, politics and societies of the past and reaching clear conclusions about them.
A level History can be combined with any other A level, as it hones the skills of investigation, evaluation and encourages students to form their own opinions. Students will study the history of more than one country, from a chronological range of at least 200 years, to increase their awareness of the world around them.
Sandbach College at Sandbach High School Entry Requirements
We ask that all students achieve grade 4 or equivalent (a Level 2 pass) in at least 4 subjects, alongside the following subject specific entry requirements:
- Grade 5 in GCSE History
What will I learn on this course?
The ability to deal with evidence and structure an argument is essential in History and this will be taught throughout the course. You will also be taught how to deal with historical sources, analyse their value, cross reference, infer and search for motive. You must have good reading, writing and comprehension skills.
As Early Modern History is now a two-year course, students will require two essential textbooks for the duration. These are:
- Oxford AQA History for A Level: The Tudors: England 1485-1603 ISBN-13: 978-0198354604
- Oxford AQA History for A Level: Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia 1917-1953. ISBN-13: 978-0198354581
We ask that students purchase the books themselves from a reputable source. This will enable students to annotate their own books during their course of study. They may also choose to get an e-book of the textbooks.
The deadline for this is Wednesday 22nd September 2023.
If financial hardship makes this difficult, please contact me directly and we will look at how best to support you and move forward.
Yours faithfully,
Mr D Weaver
Deputy Curriculum Leader of Humanities
Examinations & Coursework
Unit 1 - Breadth Study - 1C The Tudors: England 1485— 1603
40% of A level
2 hour 30 minutes written examination
Unit 2 - Modern Depth Study – 2N Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia 1917 – 1953
40% of A level
2 hour 30 minutes written examination
Unit 3 - Non-examined assessment (coursework)
20% of A level
The non-examined assessment is based on a topic of student’s choice. The personal study is 3,500-4,500 words, with a limit of 4,500 words.
Potential career paths
As a traditional Humanities subject, History is an excellent qualification for any career such as law, journalism, social work, archaeological or museum work, and teaching. It also provides an excellent training for management posts or for any position which involves evaluation of evidence and informed decision-making.
Enrichment opportunities
All students have the opportunity to visit Bosworth and Edinburgh. The department also have links with MMU and the University of Manchester. Students also have the chance to take on an ambassadorial role for the department in representing the subject around the school, especially for those younger students who are keen to be guided in their studies. This helps to enrich students’ experience in view of their future academic and workplace careers.