GCSE History: The Making of the Modern World (Exam Board: Edexcel)

The aim of the course is to provide you with an understanding of the world in which you live. Only through having some knowledge of history can you comprehend the issues which face us today. The skills developed in the study of history are recognised as highly valuable in a whole variety of different areas, including further and higher education and the world of work.

The course involves:

Unit 1: Outline Study - International Relations 1900-1991

• How did the Cold War develop? 1943-1956.
• Three Cold War crises: Berlin, Cuba and Czechoslovakia 1957-1969.
• Why did the Cold War end? The invasion of Afghanistan (1979) to the collapse of the Soviet Union (1991).

Unit 2: Depth Study - Russia 1917-1939

• The fall of the Tsar – March 1917 Revolution.
• The November Revolution by Lenin and the Bolsheviks, and the establishment of Communist power by November 1924.
• Stalin’s dictatorship 1924-1939.
• Life in the Soviet Union 1928-1939.

Unit 3: Source Enquiry - A divided union? The USA 1945-1970

• McCarthyism and the Red Scare.
• The civil rights movement 1945-62, including Martin Luther King.
• The civil rights movement 1963-70, including Malcolm X.
• Other protest movements in the 1960s, including the Vietnam War.

Unit 4: Controlled Assessment (previously ‘coursework’)

• Changes in British Society 1955-1975, including the feminist movement, ‘swinging sixties’, mods and rockers, hippies, music, fashion, and punks.

The twentieth century course is lively, fascinating and relevant. Topics have always been enjoyed by the large numbers of students who choose to study GCSE history each year. This is reflected in the very high success rate in the final GCSE examinations. Furthermore, the high numbers of those who have gone on to study history in Year 12 have found that the GCSE course has given them a very sound foundation for the AS/A2 level in the Sixth Form. The department offers a wide range of resources, learning experiences and support for students including an international trip, portable laptops, DVDs, books, and the department website ivohistory.com. Overall, the study of GCSE history is a valuable, exciting and enjoyable experience.

Assessment

Modular assessment:

• 3 exam papers (worth 25% each) involving structured and source-based questions’
• Controlled Assessment (worth 25%), involving research by students and then completion under supervised conditions.