Lower School
History at The Abbey is an exciting and engaging subject. Pupils are provided with the opportunity to study life in many different parts of the world, from Ancient China, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East, as well as the history of the United Kingdom. The girls are encouraged to approach their studies in a creative way, for example the making of propaganda films and adverts, the re- enactment of events and acting as detectives to finally answer historical mysteries, such as "Who framed Guy Fawkes?" The curriculum is enriched through many different clubs, activities and trips, including: visits to Winchester Cathedral, where Upper Three become medieval monks and make gargoyles, to a dedicated Humanities Day in Lower Four where pupils explore life in the Mugal Empire and a visit to the First World War battlefields in Upper Four. Our studies and extra curricular activities show students how History shapes today's society. The Abbey's History experience creates vibrant and enquiring minds making the girls keen to pursue their historical studies at GCSE.
History at GCSE is a popular subject; a modern course is followed in order for students to be able to engage with the material and understand present controversies in international relations. Their studies cover British society in its most interesting modern phase; the move from an industrial society to a recognisable modern society. This encompasses the empowerment of women through their fight for suffrage, the examination of international relations and how they led to a dictatorship in Germany. Finally this is contrasted with a study of life in the USA and the problems of building a modern society. Pupils finish the course being able to formulate opinions, construct arguments, analyse sources and select and deploy a significant amount of information, whilst also being able to identify and explain bias, a useful tool in today's media driven society.