GCSE History at Cookstown High School follows the CCEA exam course and it is divided into three units which will be studied over two years.

Unit 1: Life in Nazi Germany, 1933–45

In this option, students focus on the impact of the Nazi dictatorship on people’s lives in Germany.

Unit 2: Changing Relations: Northern Ireland and its Neighbours, 1965–98

In this option, students focus on the changing relationships between Northern Ireland, Britain and the Republic of Ireland, and among the different communities in Northern Ireland, against the backdrop of political and civil unrest. Students also explore the introduction of direct rule, the increase in paramilitary violence, the attempts to find a political solution and the impact on Northern Ireland and its neighbours.

Unit 3: International Relations, 1945–2003

In this unit, students focus on the significant events and developments associated with the Cold War and the new ‘war on terror’. Students learn about how and why conflict occurred, attempts at resolving tensions and how international relations have been affected by the Cold War and the ‘war on terror’.

Assessment

Pupils will complete two exams in History:

• Units 1 and 2 are assessed in Paper 1: 1 hour, 45 minutes in length and worth 60% of the overall GCSE.
• Unit 3 is assessed in Paper 2: 1 hour, 15 minutes in length and worth 40% of the overall GCSE.