History

In the History Department we believe that present day society, economy and politics make sense only as a process of development over time. Some of our aims with younger pupils are to make them aware of evidence, bias, progression, culture and heritage. As they grow older, pupils also sharpen their critical faculties and powers of rational thought, their vocabulary and understanding of concepts and events, and learn to subject their opinions and prejudices to the tests of evidence and rationality.

The First and Second Year mixed ability course offers pupils a broad sweep through time, including Scottish or local examples where possible. This begins with Early Man, the Ancient Egyptians and the Romans in Scotland during the first year and moves on to castles, Old Stirling, the voyages of discovery, Victorian Times, and the Second World War during the second year. The course emphasises and tests knowledge and understanding, and enquiry skills (for example assessing historical evidence.

The department also offers Advanced Higher History, on topics usually decided by negotiation between the pupils and staff, but typically selected from a choice of the Romans in North Britain, the Scottish Wars of Independence (Wallace and Bruce) or the American Civil War.