St Edward's IB Guide 2026

HISTORY

“Study the past if you would define the future.” CONFUCIUS

“All sorts of reasons can be given for reading history, but the best of them has always seemed to me sheer pleasure” LORD ROBERT BLAKE IN PEACE, PRINT AND PROTESTANTISM 1450–1558 BY CSL DAVIES

History is a subject within Group 3 Individuals and Societies . The subject is available at both Standard Level and Higher Level. If you have enjoyed studying History GCSE and are keen to explore the subject further, then there is a great deal on offer at Sixth Form. The subject matter of History naturally lends itself to speculation, investigation and enquiry. For both Standard and Higher Level History pupils build their historical skills using sources to investigate two case studies about conflict and displacement: the aftermath of WW2 in Europe and the Vietnam War. A comparative approach is then taken for the topic of Authoritarian rule; making links across the twentieth century. At Higher Level, pupils study an additional two depth courses, focusing on revolution in France and Russia respectively. Higher Level allows more opportunity to develop the skills required by historians such as analysis and an ability to communicate their arguments in a persuasive manner. The IB History course provides pupils with a great background for reading the subject at university level. The Internal Assessment allows pupils the chance to experience the “real” work of an historian as they use primary and secondary sources to research and write about a topic of their choice. The Cold War is a particularly popular subject area.

In the Sixth Form, all History pupils are members of the Blenheim Society which hosts leading historians to deliver lectures in school. Professor Steven Gunn, Professor Niall Ferguson, social historian Jane Robinson and Middle East specialist James Barr have all given recent talks and pupils are encouraged to participate and ask questions. The society also includes forums, discussions and talks about various subjects, such as the nature of medieval heresy, sixteenth-century witchcraft, nationalism and the Rwandan genocide. The Department has also previously run successful Sixth Form History trips to the United States, Russia, China and the Middle East. History at Sixth Form is also highly respected by universities. It is a subject that is recommended for university courses such as Law, English, Sociology, Politics, PPE and other subjects that require good analytical writing skills. The skills you develop in analysis, presentation, research and critical thinking are invaluable for several careers as well. Many lawyers, journalists, marketing specialists, politicians and linguists studied History at Sixth Form and succeed in their industries due to many of the skills gained from studying History.

STANDARD LEVEL

HIGHER LEVEL

Paper 1 Conflict and Displacement: • Post war Europe 1945–60 • The Indochina refugee crisis 1975–90

In addition to Papers 1 and 2, and the IA: Paper 3

• The French Revolution and Napoleon 1774–1815 • Imperial Russia and the Soviet State 1855–1924

Paper 2 World History • Authoritarian States in the twentieth century Internal Assessment: 2,000-word essay on a subject of the candidate’s own choice.

Contributes 20% towards the final grade for Higher Level, and 30% for Standard Level.

ST EDWARD’S OXFORD

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