He who does not draw on three thousand years lives from hand to mouth (Goethe).

Stimulating and lively discussion is at the centre of the teaching of history and politics at North London Collegiate School.

What we do?

Trips to the battlefields of France and Belgium, visits to Warwick Castle and the Cabinet War Rooms, a Sixth Form trip to Berlin and journeys to Krakow and Paris are all part of the experience of History and Politics. Debate and discussion are encouraged through the Senior and Junior History Societies and Current Affairs Group. Recent guest speakers of our societies include: Simon Schama, David Starkey, Tristram Hunt, Michael Wood and Boris Johnson.

An emphasis on academic rigour and the innate value of studying History and Politics has produced a proud tradition of NLCS girls going on to study these subjects at the top universities in the UK and abroad.

Middle & Upper School
Year 7: Medieval Realms, Mughal India, the Renaissance in Italy

Year 8: The English Reformation, The English Civil War, The Industrial Revolution

Year 9: The First World War, The Russian Revolutions, Rise of Dictatorship and Era of the Second World War

Year 10: [Edexcel GCSE] Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918-45

Year 11: [Edexcel GCSE] Divided Union in USA 1945-70, the Cold War 1945-91, Northern Ireland since 1960

History AS & A2 Level [Edexcel]
The girls may choose from two courses:

RRR: China 1900-76; Crown and Parliament in England (Elizabeth I and James I 1588-1629); Revolution, Republic and Restoration in England (1629-1667)

CCC: Russia 1881-1924; Britain and Ireland 1867-1922; World in Crisis 1879-1941

Examinations are taken at the end of Year 12 and Year 13. Both CCC and RRR historians undertake a coursework on the French Monarchy in the 16^th century during Year 13.

International Baccalaureate
Standard Level: Causes, Practices and Effects of War (Chinese Civil War, First and Second World Wars); the Rise and Rule of Single Party States (Germany and Hitler, Italy and Mussolini, China and Mao Zedong, USSR and Lenin/Stalin)

Higher Level: Extends the work at Standard Level by studying the French Revolution and Napolean, Russia 1855-1917 and the Interwar Period 1919-39

Examinations are taken at the end of Year 13 only. All students complete a piece of coursework on a subject of their choice.

Politics AS & A2 Level [Edexcel]

At AS Level, girls study the British parliamentary system, political parties and voting system. They study the current procedures and examine the merits of proposed reforms.

At A2 Level, girls study a range of ideologies, from Conservatism to Anarchism and discover how they have developed. They also look at the political ideologies within British Politics.

Examinations are taken at the end of Year 12 and Year 13. There is no coursework in Politics.