History
Seven years of History at Dauntsey's will take students from the Norman Conquest to the Cold War, developing along the way critical life skills. Students are taught how to express themselves on paper and verbally, how to harness factual evidence, how to master large volumes of historical information, and how to spot the lie in any historical source. Our exam results testify to the success of the department, while the high take-up at GCSE, AS and A2 demonstrates its popularity at Dauntsey's.
There are, of course, plenty of reasons to study History but we hope very much that we engender and encourage in our students a passion for the subject, a better understanding of the world around them, and a fresh perspective on their place within the world.
History is a popular IGCSE and A Level subject at Dauntsey's. It is undoubtedly a subject that has retained its status as a "gold standard" A Level in recent years, and those who opt for History find it an unvaryingly stimulating and challenging experience. The Department is accommodated in a bright and attractive suite of rooms, which includes four classrooms, a display area and a seminar room. The Department has six members of staff, all of whom are specialist history teachers. (Please follow link for staff profiles)
The Department has a very lively extra-curricular life, with teaching in all years supported by a range of trips and visits. The tour of the battlefields of the Western Front is one of the most popular trips in the school, while the A Level specification has offered the opportunity for a major 6th Form trip to Paris.
The History Society hosts a termly series of lectures, given by a wide range of speakers from academia and beyond, and in recent years we have welcomed Prof. Simon Dixon (UCL), Prof. Ronald Hutton (Bristol), and Prof. Alexandra Walsham (Trinity, Cambridge). The lectures are free and open to all. Please use the following link for more details - History Society Lectures
As a subject History is particularly well served by the internet, and recent investment in IT has enabled us to bring the fruits of the internet into the classroom - You Tube is now a regular feature of our lessons! There has also been considerable investment in recent years in the History Section of the school library, and students now have access to many of the most recent studies in a wide range of historical areas. The school library's subscription to a number of historical journals also enables students to access the most up to date historical thinking and research.