Examination Board: AQA
History at A-level offers students a chance to hone their analytical skills, and to work with many different types of evidence. You will develop the skill of writing detailed, coherent arguments which are supported with well-chosen evidence. There is scope to consider various approaches to History: political, social, cultural and economic. A focus on how and why historians have arrived at their interpretations of events and personalities allows consideration of the philosophy of this subject. The A-level course will cover more than two hundred years of English and European history. There is also the opportunity to conduct a personal investigation on a topic of the student’s choice.
An understanding of History at A-level is very helpful to the study of subjects such as English Literature, Economics, Modern Foreign Languages and Religious Studies. A-level students have combined History with a wide variety of other subjects. Students considering History at A-level should have a genuine enthusiasm for the subject which will give them the self-motivation to work in an independent way. They will need to research in preparation for lessons and for written assignments. A lot of reading is required in order to succeed in this subject, and examiners expect students to be able to use English in an accurate and sophisticated way.
History is highly regarded as an A-level qualification. Many Surbiton High School students go on to study History at degree level, while others pursue subjects traditionally associated with the skills it fosters, such as Law. History also provides an excellent grounding in the research skills needed for many less obvious choices of degree subject. Employers will be impressed that your study of History has enhanced your ability to synthesise information, and to write in a fluent and analytical way.
