History
‘Any fool can make history but it takes a genius to write it’ ~ Oscar Wilde
History is the study of not only the past, but enhances and promotes the valuable skills of enquiry and debate. At West House School, history is studied by all pupils throughout the school. It serves to fuel curiosities and the imaginations of pupils through looking at dilemmas and considering choices in the context of beliefs of the people at a given time. Pupils explore various types of evidence and are encouraged to ask questions of it.
‘Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters.’ ~ African Proverb
Our job as historians is to realize that unlike many other subjects, it is not black and white, but colourful, with no wrong answers, as long as there is supporting evidence. In lessons, we aim to encourage the boys to become actively involved through role-play scenarios such as becoming a Greek General in Athens as news of the Persian invasion arrives. Passions run high as the boys have to decide whether to act alone or await Spartan intervention. Not only do these activities bring the subject to life, but allow pupils to develop a sense of opinion so that they have a full understanding of the pros and cons of a situation. It is also extremely enjoyable and lessons rarely forgotten. Re enactments, group activities, drama and presentations using a range of different media are the norm within the department..
The classroom is not the only place where the boys study history, but through a variety of trips and visits:
- Year 4 who Selly Manor and Bosworth Field as part of their work on Tudor England.
- In year 5 the boys learn about life during the Victorians and go on trips to The Black Country Museum and various canal locations.
- Year 6 investigate the Indus Valley Civilisation, through adopting a more archaeological approach to their learning, which is developed further during West House History week, where they undertake an archaeological dig.
History links in well with all other subject areas and particularly with English, ICT, Maths, Geography, RE and Science. Pupils are given many opportunities to express their ideas when exploring and comparing values and different beliefs of a number of civilizations. Through questioning the past, pupils develop a better understanding of some of the key issues concerning the world today. This helps them to appreciate the importance of making a positive contribution to the communities in which they live.