AWARD RECEIVED –   
National 4 History is an SVQF Level 4 course.
National 5 History is an SVQF level 5 course. 

 

ENTRY LEVEL – What do I need to do it? 

• You do not need to have done Elective History to do National 4 or 5 History.   
• Anyone can choose History at the end of S3 and most pupils will be able to do National 4 or 5.   
• Your S3 teacher will tell you what your recommended level of study would be at the end of S3.  
• The topics are the same for National 4 and 5, so everyone will do the same course and a decision about your final level will be made towards the end of S4. 

 

COURSE CONTENT –What will I learn?
There are three units (topics) for National 4 and 5:  

 Unit I – Scottish
The Scottish Wars of Independence 1286 – 1328
You’ll learn about William Wallace and Robert Bruce – similar to what you did in S2 Core History – but in much more depth!  Learn about the tragedy of the Maid of Norway, what is meant by “The Great Cause”, what happened in the Battles of Stirling Bridge, Falkirk and Bannockburn, and how Robert Bruce became king of an independent Scotland in this topic, which covers a crucial and fascinating period of Scottish history. 

Unit II – British
From the Cradle to the Grave. The Making of Modern Britain 1880 – 1951
This topic is all about the development of the modern British welfare state.  Learn about self-help and the dreaded workhouses, the Liberals and the first government action to help the ‘deserving poor’, the Beveridge Report and the ‘Five Giant Evils’.  Can you imagine living in a country with no free education, affordable housing or healthcare?  Learn how Britain made the journey from being a country where the poor had to help themselves to being a modern welfare state. 

Unit III – European and World
Free at Last?  Civil Rights in the USA, 1918 – 1968
You will learn about key individuals such as Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks and Malcolm X but also about the various campaigns to improve civil rights in the USA. Do you know what the Jim Crow laws were?  Do you know what the Ku Klux Klan was and what it did?  Have you heard of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the sit-ins or the Black Power protest at the 1968 Olympic Games?  Learn all this and more in this topic which will shock and inspire you. 

TEACHING METHODS – What will I do? 
In the History department we use a variety of teaching methods. You will be working as an individual much of the time, but often, also, in pairs, groups or as a whole class.   You will certainly be doing a lot of reading and writing, but you will also create presentations and  posters and take part in debates and investigations.  Your teachers will make your learning as active and fun as possible.  History is fascinating, eye-opening, jaw-dropping and something that we hope you will love for the rest of your life.  While factual knowledge is obviously important, History also teaches you many skills that you will use at college, university and life in general, such as critical thinking, evaluating, essay writing, debating and arguing. 

 

ASSESSMENT 

	National 4	National 5
Added Value  (This is SQA jargon for a piece of  course-work.)	The Added value for National 4 is a project on a topic of your choice, from the ones that have been studied in the course.  This will be marked by your teacher.	The Added Value for National 5 is an assignment on a topic of your choice from the ones that have been studied in the course.  You will have to write an essay under exam conditions, but with a pre-written plan.  This is marked by the SQA.  It is worth 20% of your final mark.
Exam	There is no end of course exam for National 4 History.   To achieve a National 4 qualification in History, you will need to pass all three unit assessments and your Added Value Project.	For National 5, there is an end of course exam.  This is marked by the SQA and it is worth 80% of your final mark.

 

HOMEWORK
You will be given regular homework for National 4 and 5 History – about ½ to 1-hour a week.  Extra study will also be required at assessment times.  The History Department has a Glow group, with resources for homework and study, which you can easily access from home.  

 

PROGRESSION IN THE SENIOR PHASE
A National 4 pass would lead to National 5 in S5.
A National 5 pass would lead to Higher in S5.