History aims to help students to develop their skills and understanding of the topic, and so develop their sense of self-worth and sense of achievement. A fundamental element of History lessons is to teach learners about different times and people, and to respect these, seeing them for the dynamic and individual characters they were. 

A knowledge of one’s history is key to having self-respect, while understanding the histories of different people and places is essential for students to appreciate their place in the wider world. Students learn that people have different opinions and ideas, and that tolerance of these views are important, in the interest of respect. 

History teaches students that people have always had problems and solutions. Hindsight allows us to judge those who came before us, but what will future generations say about our choices? Students are also given the ability to compare events in the past to today, making them more relatable and allowing them to develop historical empathy. 

While lots of information is available online at the touch of a button, true understanding can only come from developing one’s own knowledge and experiences. Developing one’s knowledge, be that in terms of chronologies, key words, or cause and consequence, helps students to understand the world that they live in. 

History develops a variety of skills in students, from the more traditional essay-writing and being able to make a judgement to more specific source and interpretation analysis. Students are taught how to read important events and make their own judgements on a variety of controversial issues, taking responsibility for their own learning, using second-order concepts. 

Students will learn how to make their own decisions through their history lessons, they will understand the value of their opinions and how to judge the opinions of others, and ultimately, they will be able to see that change can happen through the actions of ordinary people. 

Students are taught a number of skills that will benefit them later in life, no matter what route or path they choose to take. The department is particularly keen that students opt for the subject at GCSE and A Level, and continue their enjoyment of the subject even when their time in the classroom has ended.