Why study History?

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History is a subject which develops the main thinking skills (reasoning and evaluation; thinking creatively; enquiry and information processing). Because of this, it’s really useful – these skills help you make real progress in your other subjects. Employers and other educational institutions (colleges and universities) are impressed with history qualifications, too, because they know that someone with a History A2 (or AS) will be able to think carefully but quickly about a range of issues, as well as being able to support what they say effectively and working efficiently and independently.
But History’s not just a valuable subject because of the skills you gain, but also because of the topics you study. At Fortismere, we study a range of different time periods and countries, which are interesting in themselves, but also help you see the world in which you live with a much wider view. This means that you can understand some of the issues in our current society in more depth (e.g. religious and political terrorism, or human rights), as well as helping you to become a more tolerant and interesting person.

History at Fortismere is challenging, partly because the staff who will teach you have such high expectations of you – and themselves. We support students who wish to apply for History at university, offering mock interviews for students who are likely to face them, as well as extra UCAS guidance.

What will I study?

We are currently investigating what exam syllabus to follow, in the light of recent national changes. Staff here have a wide range of interests and specialist knowledge (including ancient and medieval history, Civil rights in the USA and Russian history from the sixteenth to the twentieth century), so you can rest assured, it will be very different from what you have studied at GCSE – no Nazis here!
As well as AS and A2, we offer students the opportunity to take an AEA in History – this stands for Advanced Extension Award. This is a prestigious qualification, above the level of A Level, and is likely to impress many universities.

How will I study?

The lessons will be taught by subject specialists and will be a mixture of teacher-led activity, reading and discussion work as well as student presentations/seminars. Students who take responsibility for their own learning do better than those who expect to be “spoon-fed” – we’ll help you, but not do the work all for you! You will have the opportunity to attend a number of conferences on specific topics.

What do I need to start the course?

A GCSE grade B or above in History GCSE is strongly recommended for anyone taking this course. An enjoyment of wider reading and discussion as well as a willingness to write essays is essential. Because of the similarities with English, it is strongly recommended that students should have a B in this subject, too.