Before coming to Manor, many students have not studied History properly. Therefore, some may think that 'History is all about dates'. Nothing could be further from the truth! History at Manor is a magnificent subject and one that all students learn between years seven and nine, whilst many opt to continue their studies through to GCSE. In year seven, students follow an exciting course, stopping off in 1066 to witness the Battle of Hastings and the struggle between William and Harold for who should be King. Students discover why many believed the years after the battle would be their 'Doomsday', before living the life of a Medieval peasant for several weeks, presenting their own Jerry Springer show on the Feudal system. Together, we discover useful skills, like how to get to heaven, and witness the bloody murder of Thomas Becket by King Henry II in Canterbury cathedral. Avoid the terrible symptoms of the Black Death if you can and discover why the Peasants truly were revolting in 1381!
History at Manor teaches many important skills, such as the ability to use the appropriate evidence and language to effectively argue a case. It helps us to understand why things happened in the past and how that affects us today, as well as understanding a range of different cultures and their impact. In History, we employ a range of methods to help our students learn, but we also try to make the learning enjoyable. You will have the opportunity to role play, debate and discuss certain topics, as well as explaining historical events in written form, including creating your own 'Medieval' parchment. We believe that History should be relevant and real, which is why each student is invited to participate in a field trip to the World War One battlefields of Belgium and France at the end of Year Nine and stand in the actual trenches where our great grandfathers fought ninety years ago.
As students move into the upper part of the school, they focus their studies on the Twentieth Century, where world events such as World War One, World War Two and the rise of Hitler are examined. Post war event are not neglected, as evidenced by a thorough investigation of the Cold War, including Cuba and Vietnam. Finally, students focus on Russia for their study in depth, as well as source based enquiries on Britain 1905-1918. The latter includes topics such as the Suffragettes, the Liberal reforms and the home front in World War One.
At Manor, we strive to make History lessons relevant, but also fun and enjoyable for all years. We are very proud of our success in terms of its popularity as an options choice and, significantly, as a department that consistently achieves excellent examination results at GCSE.
What Students say about History:
"The lessons are fun and interesting. The work set is never just writing, it really makes it stay in your head, rather than forgetting the next day."
"It's fun when History lessons are exciting. We do interactive things like votes and plays."
"I like History because it is something that I am good at. I wouldn't be this good if it wasn't exciting and fun."
"I like History because it's fun to learn about the past."
"Fantastic, brilliant and funny!"
"History lessons are cool! They are also fun!"