History

Introduction

History offers insights into the human experience across time, allowing pupils to examine the causes and impacts of major events in Scottish, British and world history. By studying the past, learners develop critical thinking skills, recognise patterns of change and continuity and gain a deeper understanding of current events and issues. 

Staff

Mr. S. McDonald, Faculty Head, History & Modern Studies

Ms. M. Clinton, History (NQT)

Ms. H. McAllister, History & Modern Studies

Curriculum

Broad General Education

In S1 and S2, you will learn about historical conflict in the twentieth century, including the events of the First World War and the Holocaust, as well as changes to crime and punishment through time, from the Anglo-Saxon period to the present day. 

In S3 you will have chosen to specialise in History. You will continue to explore key concepts, individuals, causes and impacts of major events in world history. 

In S4 you will study History under different topics at National 4 or National 5 level: 

  • Scottish: The Wars of Independence, 1286–1328 
  • British: The Trade in Enslaved African People, 1770–1807 
  • European and World: Free at Last? Civil Rights in the USA, 1918–1968 

Pupils will also plan, investigate and write-up an Assignment to demonstrate their essay-writing and research skills. 

At Higher level, you will continue to extend your knowledge of historical events, as well as further develop key history skills such as evaluating sources and analysing the importance of causal factors. The topics studied as part of the Higher course are: 

  • Scottish: Migration and Empire, 1830–1939 
  • British: Britain, 1851–1951 
  • European and World: Russia, 1881–1921 

Pupils in Higher will also produce an essay-based Assignment based on information collected via independent research using a range of primary and secondary sources. 

 The Advanced Higher course offers pupils the opportunity to extend the knowledge and skills they have gained in History, whilst developing their confidence to work independently to complete wider reading of historiographical texts, produce essays of greater depth and breadth, as well as analyse and evaluate more complex primary sources. The topic studied for the Advanced Higher course is Scotland: Independence and Kingship, 1249−1334. 

Pupils in Advanced Higher will also produce a 4000-word dissertation on a topic of their choice. This piece of work is produced throughout the course and will showcase pupils’ ability to conduct wider reading of key secondary texts and engage with a range of primary sources to build and sustain a line of argument. 

Learning Experiences

Pupils will experience History for one twelve-week block of learning in S1, led by a subject-specialist teacher, before rotating to Geography or Modern Studies. They will repeat this process in S2, after which they will have the option to further pursue their studies in History in S3/4 and beyond. 

At all stages of History, pupils can expect to work both independently and collaboratively in a wide range of contexts to develop key skills in the subject. These include: 

  • Debates and discussions: Exploring different historical perspectives and making an informed decision. 
  • Role-play scenarios: Re-enacting historical events or decision-making scenarios. 
  • Historical writing and drawing: Crafting essays, narratives and newspaper articles, or using your artistic skills to create cartoons, storyboards and posters based on evidence. 
  • Media analysis: Extracting information and evaluating portrayals of historical events on film and television. 
  • Guest speaker sessions and educational visits: There are opportunities to hear talks from speakers such as Holocaust survivors and military historians, as well as embark upon visits to the war graves at Eastwood Cemetery and museums across Scotland to view artefacts such as the Stone of Destiny. 

Life and Work

Studying History can provide numerous benefits for your later life and career. Here are just some of the ways History can prepare you for life, work and learning: 

  • Critical analysis: Studying history develops your ability to evaluate sources and arguments for reliability and bias. This skill is invaluable for journalists sifting through information, lawyers building cases and market researchers analysing trends. 
  • Research proficiency: History hones your capacity to gather and synthesise information from diverse sources. Librarians, academic researchers and paralegals all rely heavily on this skill in their daily work. 
  • Written communication: Crafting clear, structured and evidence-based narratives is a key aspect of historical study. This skill is essential for authors, medical professionals and health and safety executives who need to convey complex ideas effectively. 
  • Verbal articulation: History improves your ability to present ideas and participate in debates effectively. Teachers, events managers and sales representatives all benefit from this enhanced communication skill. 
  • Cultural awareness: Understanding diverse perspectives and societal developments is crucial in our globalised world. Public relations officers, international business consultants and social workers all need this cultural understanding. 
  • Politics, Local and National Government;
  • Education;
  • Medicine/Health;
  • Policing;
  • Social Work & counselling;
  • Community Work;
  • Legal services;
  • Journalism/Media;
  • Teaching and lecturing;
  • Research;
  • Banking and commerce.

Resources

All classroom resources will be posted on Google Classroom, from S1–S6. This includes PowerPoints, pupil work booklets, revision notes, video clips and links to external sites. 

SQA History – Links to past papers, course specifications and Understanding Standards can be found here: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45628.html  

BBC Bitesize – Useful revision tool for exploring key areas of knowledge pertinent to the course: