• Head of Department
• Overview of the Department
• Key Stage 3
• GCSE
• A Level

Departmental Staff

Mr E McEvoy

Ms V Archer

Mrs L Quinn

 The department teaches two independent yet inter-related subjects one (Government & Politics) of which is currently confined to the latter stages of students’ time at the college while the other (History) is available to all students right throughout their seven years at the college should they choose. History is study of the past. The investigation and analysis of events and people from the past and their ideas and motivations for the actions they took. History opens a window on the past in order that we can learn from it, value and perpetuate the positives and avoid the repetition of mistakes. The study of history allows us to put ourselves in context and place ourselves as part of a chain of events greater than ourselves. Literacy is central to the successful study of history but many other skills are learned such as analysis, synthesis, extrapolation, interpretation, evaluation and application and successful use of these skills are vital in gaining a true understanding of events from the past and applying the lessons to the modern world. This hierarchy of skills learned in through the study of historical events helps in the preparation of the student for the challenges outside the classroom.

CCEA is the examining body used by the college. The GCSE course runs for two years S1 and S2 and is examined in two papers at the end of S2 alongside a course work component which is worth 20% of the total GCSE mark.

The courses studied are as follows:

 1. Weimar and Nazi Germany 1919-41

2 .Northern Ireland 1965-85

3. Superpower Relations 1945-91

4. Coursework: The Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbour 1941. Paper One examines the German and Irish aspect of the course in a two hour paper requiring a mixture of short and longer essay type answers. Paper Two is a mixture of essay answers and source material concerning Superpower Relations during the Cold War.

At AS and A2 level again the specification used in the college is CCEA. There are now two separate and distinct subjects delivered, History and Government and Politics.

The department is well equipped with two full-time AS/A2 History and Government & Politics teachers and well resourced in terms of texts and other resources.

 History The courses followed in history at AS and A2 are: Module 1 - The Nazis and Germany 1919-45 Module 2 - Challenge and Crisis in Ireland 1824-49 Module 3 - Revolutionary Change in Russia 1917-41 Module 4 - The causes of the Second World War 1918-41 Module 5 - Nationalism and Unionism in Ireland 1800-1900 Module 6 - The Partition of Ireland 1900-1925

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

The course followed in Government & Politics are:

Module 1 - The Government and Politics of Northern Ireland

Module 2 - Inter-relationships of the United Kingdom Executive Legislature and Judiciary.

Module 3 - Political Behaviour

Module 4 - The Government and Politics of the United States of America

Module 5 - A Comparative Study: The United Kingdom and the United States

Module 6 - The Contemporary Relevance of Political Ideologies. While the subjects are separate and distinct in their own right they are a very compatible mixture and compliment each other extremely well as AS or A2 choices The study of history at GCSE would be seen as an advantage for anyone beginning a course in AS Government & Politics but by no means essential. Extra-Curricular The department hopes to run junior school trips to areas of interest in the locality relevant to the specific fields of study e.g. Bagenal’s Castle in Newry. In the longer term for GCSE students it is hoped a European tour could be arranged on bi-annual basis. Government & Politics students will visit Stormont and Leinster House and have taken part in topical television debates such as ‘Let’s Talk’.