History

All pupils study History throughout the Chorister School as a means of developing valuable academic skills through the engaging study of developments, chronologies and great men of the past. The subject is taught through a wide variety of media and remains popular with pupils across the school.

In the Pre-Prep department the subject is taught by class teachers. Topics taken from the Key Stage One syllabus include the history of major religious and cultural feasts and important personalities.

Mrs. Brown teaches History to the First Form; here pupils prepare for excursions such as that to Bede’s World as part of their study of local saints, and for the Tudor Trail around Durham which complements the study of Tudor England.

The Second and Third Forms are taught by Mr. Keys. The Second Form learn about Roman Britain. This complements the study of Latin which also begins at this time. A study of England during the Saxon and Viking eras follows. The annual trip to the Roman fort at Vindolanda is a highlight. The Third Form begin the year by studying Victorian Britain and follow this with an investigation into Britain in the Second World War. This culminates in a trip to Eden Camp in the Summer Term.

The senior forms in the school are taught by Mr. Peters. The Fourth Form begin with an introductory topic on historical skills before studying two contrasting civilisations, Ancient Greece and the Islamic Empires. Fifth Formers begin the Common Entrance course with a rapid but rigorous journey through Medieval England, focusing particularly on kingship and government. The Sixth Form course continues this by examining monarchy, government and religion in the early modern era, with a firm emphasis on establishing the academic skills required for Common Entrance and higher examinations.

Our finest scholars progress then to the Scholarship Sixth Form in which they are able to take advantage of the latest academic research and a wide variety of media to facilitate the study of the development of the modern British political system.