Don Valley Academy

Year 8 History students recently visited Leeds Armouries to support their class work on the English Civil War and Warfare Through Time.

Students had the opportunity to try on authentic armour and uniforms from different periods of time. They also handled artifacts, examined weapons and were even put through their paces in pike drill!

A good day was had by all!  

The History students of Year 12 recently took a 3 day trip to London to help them develop their history on Parliament. On the first day we took a tube ride to the BBC and went on a tour around the studios and dressing rooms. We saw a variety of celebrity comedians; a highlight was when the group were stood right next to the presenter of ‘Mock the Week’, Dara O’Briain. We managed to see the news rooms, empty studios and the old Blue Peter set. We also learnt about the technology used on the weather reports and even watched a pre-recording of ‘Never mind the Buzzcocks’.

 The next day was followed by a tour of Parliament, where Miss Bond knew more than the tour guide! I found the tour of the House of Commons very interesting and also the exercise on how Parliament and the voting systems worked. This really helped with our understanding of British Politics and how our votes would be calculated in the future. We then went on an audio guided tour of Churchill’s War rooms, which helped develop our knowledge on Churchill’s Conservative government during the Second World War.

 We had a tiring couple of days in London but it was definitely money well spent. A big thank you to the staff that went and made the trip as enjoyable as it was!

 Year 12 Student

History students have been busy recently getting out and about experiencing history outside of the classroom. Year 7 students visited the National Mining Museum in Wakefield where they descended 140 metres underground to explore the depths of the mine. 

A Year 7 student said “It was really exciting to go down the lift into the mine. I also loved going through the tunnels and the opportunity to ask the guide questions.” The students also had the chance to watch an interactive drama where they could interview a miner about his work.

Y7 students are currently studying the Miners’ Strike. If any parent has any experiences they would like to share with our students please contact Mrs Morgan, Head of History.

Year 9 students have also been out and about, visiting Eden Camp to support their Y9 work on WW1 and WW2. Students visited this once prisoner of war camp and experienced the sights and sounds of the blitz and witnessed soldiers trying to escape a POW camp. They also felt what it was like to be in a u-boat and had the chance to visit Churchills’ War office. Students also had the opportunity to visit the Music Hall and enjoy their lunch in the Mess Hut.

Mrs Morgan
Head of History

HISTORY

Lessons per week – 3 lessons
Award Single
Assessment Coursework
Terminal Examination

How are you going to change the world if you haven’t already looked at how it got in the state it’s in already?

Why choose History?
• History teaches you to understand the world you live in, by understanding the past you can understand what is going on today and what may happen in the future
• History teaches you important skills like investigating and evaluating evidence, coming to conclusions, and seeing the world from different perspectives
• In History you will learn using many different ways such as group and paired work, student presentations, debates, role play, using computers, analysing video evidence and costume
• There are a range of out of school visits available to support the course and there are also events held in school like ‘The American West Saloon Party’!
• A Grade C or above in GCSE History would contribute towards the new English Baccalaureate award being introduced by the current Education Secretary.

What do we study?

At GCSE we study topics you have not covered in years 7-9 so they should interest you and create intrigue!

The following are exam topics worth 75% of the final exam grade:

The American West 1840-1895 (40% marks of the final grade)

America today is a powerful country. However, it could be argued that ‘The American Dream’ involved the acceptance of murder. This is the study of how the first Americans moved West and took over the whole of America, facing dangers, hardship and violence. You will consider their motives for going, how they survived and the disastrous impact they had on the Native American Indians who already lived on the Plains. This is the period of cowboys and Indians. Find out how wild the West was!

Medicine and Public Health through Time. (35% of marks of the final grade)

This study is a theme that allows you to delve into all periods of history including Prehistoric, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Tudors, Stuarts, Victorians and the 20th and 21st Centuries. We follow the theme medicine searching for medical disasters and breakthroughs and why change happens. Find out why Stone Age man, believed drilling a hole into a living mans skull was an effective cure, up to modern medicine, to what surgery was like before anaesthetic. Prepare to be shocked!

The exams are modular. This means you will study Medicine in Year 10 and sit the exam. You will then study American West in Year 11.

Coursework study (worth 25% of the final grade)

Conisbrough Castle

This is the opportunity to learn about local history. Believe it or not, but Conisbrough castle was once one of the most impressive castles in England. We visit the site to discover why castles were built after 1066, who built Conisbrough Castle, why and how the castle has changed over time, and how castles were attacked and defended.

Why do I gain from studying History?

The skills history teaches lead to many valuable careers and higher education courses. History is linked to careers that include law, journalism, the police, TV research, Public Relations, advertising, set design, teaching, and politics (the current prime minister studied History at University!)

Activities we do: group work, model making, ICT, Indian Costume, Debating, Essay Writing

S. Morgan – Head of History