History
History at The Perse Sixth Form is about asking searching questions, evaluating evidence, challenging interpretations and constructing well-reasoned arguments. Students are encouraged to think like historians: weighing competing explanations and reaching their own informed judgements about complex events and ideas.
Thinking critically
Throughout the History A level course, students move beyond simply recalling historical events to analysing why they happened and debating their significance. Rather than describing events such as the Personal Rule or the Bishops’ Wars, students are challenged to evaluate competing interpretations, assess different strands of evidence and decide which factors mattered most.
This emphasis on critical thinking, intellectual curiosity and independent judgement develops the analytical and essay-writing skills highly valued by universities across a wide range of disciplines.
Learning beyond the specification
Each A level course is taught by a specialist historian with particular academic expertise in the period studied, enabling students to engage with ideas and scholarship that extend well beyond the examination specification.
Students are encouraged to read widely, pursue independent research and explore topics that particularly interest them. Every student benefits from support from a dedicated History mentor, including individual guidance meetings in Year 13 to help develop academic interests and prepare for university applications.
Beyond the classroom, Sixth Form historians regularly present papers to the History Society, lead discussions and support younger pupils in their learning, developing confidence as communicators and academic leaders.
Learning from historians
The department’s close links with the wider academic community further enrich the Sixth Form experience. Students attend study days linked to the A level curriculum, alongside lectures and seminars delivered by leading university historians, both online and in person. Many also undertake independent visits to archives, museums and historical sites connected with their studies.
The department itself reflects this culture of scholarship. Dr Alex Courtney is a published authority on the reign of James VI and I, Dr Daniel Rignall has undertaken research with the Royal Mint Museum exploring biblical inscriptions on early modern coins, and Matt Leech-Gerrard has published research in the English Historical Review on religion and politics in post-Revolutionary England. Learning from teachers who are active researchers gives students valuable insight into how historical knowledge is created, debated and continually reinterpreted.
University preparation and future pathways
History develops exceptional skills in critical thinking, evaluation, research, written communication and the analysis of complex evidence. Perhaps most importantly, it teaches students how to think rather than what to think, preparing them for the intellectual independence expected at university.
The subject provides excellent preparation for degrees in History, Law, Politics, PPE, International Relations, Economics, Classics, Archaeology and many other humanities and social science disciplines. The analytical and communication skills it develops are also highly valued in Medicine, the sciences and a wide range of professional fields.
Perse historians go on to careers in law, journalism, government, diplomacy, business, finance, education, heritage, consultancy, research and many other professions.
Recent highlights
Perse historians consistently achieve outstanding academic success. In recent years, students have achieved the highest marks nationally in OCR A Level History, while many have won prestigious national history essay competitions, often linked to elite universities. Students regularly progress to study History and related disciplines at the UK’s most competitive universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, as well as leading institutions overseas.
Assessment details
Students sit three examinations in the Summer Term of the Upper Sixth.
The examining board is OCR.