History

History is a thriving A-Level subject at Merchant Taylors’, taught by a team of passionate and enthusiastic subject specialists. In recent years there have been a significant number of students moving on to study History at university, including Oxbridge colleges.

Students study a variety of historical periods and ‘types’ of history, whether it be social, political, economic or cultural. A Sixth Form historian is likely to find themselves analysing everything from religious or political reform to modern cinematic masterpieces.

The department runs two options in Lower Sixth. One examines the development of democracy in 19th Century Britain as well as gaining an international perspective in a study of the unification of Germany. The other route combines an in-depth study of the Tudor period with a study of the German Reformation led by the protest of Martin Luther.

In Upper Sixth, all students complete coursework on an aspect of the Nazi regime and study a course in the history of black civil rights in the USA from the American Civil War to the election of Barack Obama.

The department has a proud commitment to extracurricular enrichment. Sixth Formers will lead the History Society and an array of visiting academics has provided a rich and varied diet. There are regular trips to conferences and promising historians are encouraged to enter and are tutored for prize essay competitions, often run through Oxbridge colleges, and Extended Project Qualifications.