KS4 HISTORY
AQA GCSE History 8145
At GCSE, students study a mixture of modern world history, which gives them an understanding of the world in which they live, plus an in-depth study of Elizabethan England, which covers both social and political history plus a study of a historical site as provided by the exam board.
Students also study a history of medicine from the year 1,000 to the current day, with a particular focus on how this has affected the health of the people of Britain and will cover war and medicine, individuals and medicine plus developments in vaccinations and surgery.
KS4 topics by year
The topics are:
Year 10
- Modern World: America, 1920-73
- Conflict & Tension: War in Asia, 1950-1975
- Conflict & Tension: The Inter-War years, 1919-39 (2 groups will be following this unit in 2025-26 and individual teachers will give out a course outline)
Year 11
- Britain: Health and the People, c1000-the present day
- Elizabethan England, c1568-1603
Year 10
America, 1920-75: Why was there a ‘Boom’ in the 1920s? Did everyone benefit? How did society & culture change (entertainment, cinema, jazz, women in society)? How divided was America?
(organised crime, Prohibition, racial tension, the experiences of immigrants, the red Scare, the importance of the Sacco & Vanzetti case)
How will It be assessed?
- End of unit exam, Yr 10 exams
America,1920-75: What was the American experience of the Depression & the New Deal (society during the Depression especially farmers & workers in the cities, election of Roosevelt, the impact of the New Deal on different groups in society, opposition to the New Deal & limitations)? How did the Second World War impact on America’s economic recovery?
How will It be assessed?
- End of unit exam, Yr 10 exams
America, 1920-75: What was America like after the war? What was the impact of television and Rock and Roll on society? How did Civil Rights develop in the 1950s/60s? What roles did Martin Luther King and Malcolm X paly in the development of Civil Rights? How did womens’ rights develop in the 1960s and 1970s?
How will It be assessed?
- End of unit exam, Yr 10 exams
The War in Asia, 1950-73: What were the causes of the war in Korea? Why did America go to war in Korea? What was the role of the UN? How did the war end? Impact of the war on Korea, the UN and Sino-American relations, military stalemate.
How will It be assessed?
- End of unit exam, Yr 10 exam
The War in Asia, 1950-73: how did conflict escalate in Vietnam? Impact of the Domino Theory, role of Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson & Nixon. How did the USA respond to the VC? How did the US public opinion change towards the war? How did people oppose the war (Kent State)? How important was TV and the media in influencing public opinion?
How will It be assessed?
- End of unit exam, Yr 10 exams
How did conflict escalate in Vietnam? Impact of the Domino Theory, role of Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson & Nixon. How did the USA respond to the VC? How did the US public opinion change towards the war? How did people oppose the war (Kent State)? How important was TV and the media in influencing public opinion? What was Vietnamisation? How did the war end (Paris Peace talks, US withdrawal, the fall of Saigon)?
How will It be assessed?
- End of unit exam, Yr 10 exams
Year 11
Britain: health & the people, c1000-present day What was Medieval medicine like? How did religion contribute to medical progress? How did surgery develop in Medieval times? What was public health like in the Middle Ages? How did people treat the Black Death? How did the Renaissance impact on Britain and medicine?
Britain: health & the people, c1000-present day How important was Jenner & vaccinations? What was the Germ Theory? What were ‘magic bullets’? How did anaesthetics and antiseptics help surgery? How did public health improve in the 19th Century?
Britain: health & the people, c1000-present day How does modern medicine treat diseases? How important was Fleming & penicillin? What was the impact of war on surgery, including plastic surgery, blood transfusions? What does modern public health consist of? How important were Booth, Rowntree, the Boer War, the Liberal social reforms, the impact of two world wars on public health, poverty & housing? What is the NHS? What are the issues in the 21st Century for healthcare?
Elizabethan England, 1568-1603 What was Elizabeth like as a leader? What was court life like? How difficult was it to be a female ruler in the 1500s? How hard was it for Elizabeth to stay single as Queen? How did Elizabeth deal with rebellions? What was society like (gentry, poverty, theatre)? How important were sailors? How did Elizabeth deal with trouble at home and abroad (Catholics, Northern Rebellion, plots, Puritans, Mary Queen of Scots, conflict with Spain)
Elizabethan England, 1568-1603, Revision & Exams The historic environment of Elizabethan England: Students will study a specific site in depth to aid their understanding of Elizabethan England. Students will need to be able to place the site in its historical context, discuss how people lived at the time, how they were governed and what they believed at the time. The exam board will change the site annually.
Exams
Key Contact
If you would like any more information about this subject, please contact:
Head of Department: jordanna.riches@thebicesterschool.org.uk