History Department

The history courses offered in Ashfield are designed to meet the criteria for a full course in History at key stage 3 and 4, and pre-involvement, knowledge and understanding from the pupils. This provides for the development of certain skills such as analysis, which can contribute to the development of self-awareness, the formation of balanced views and the growth of personal confidence. Pupils are provided with opportunities to examine different types of historical evidence and allow them to interpret the political, economic, scientific, social, cultural and aesthetic aspects of history. They much develop and use their historical skills knowledge to evaluate and use sources of information, and to construct narratives, descriptions and explanations of historical events and developments. History is not one of those subjects where we are just looking for correct factual knowledge. We are also concerned with how pupils use their knowledge to construct historical explanations and how they deal with historical sources.

The following is a list of historical skills which pupils will be expected to demonstrate:

1. Comprehension of sources.
2. Location and extracting of relevant information from the sources.
3. Distinguishing between fact and opinions.
4. Indicating deficiencies in sources, such as gaps and inconsistencies
5. Detecting bias.
6. Comparing and contrasting sources.
7. Reaching conclusions based on the use of sources as evidence.
8. Comparing interpretations of an event.
9. Explaining how and why interpretations are created.

top