"He who controls the present controls the past.

He who controls the past controls the future."

George Orwell, 1984

History at the New English School is taught for one period per week in years 7-9, and two periods per week in years 10-13.

In learning history, students acquire a range of skills:

· The ability to argue and present a case effectively, both in oral and written form.

Undoubtedly, this skill is highly valued by employers and extremely useful in careers such as law, journalism and politics.

· The ability to think objectively, in a world of contrasts and differing opinions.

How can one understand the nature of the problems in the world today without fully understanding why those problems arose? History attempts to solve the great debates of the day by examining examples from the past.

· The ability for cultural understanding.

Citizens cannot read and understand newspapers, much less participate effectively in a modern economy, without sharing the common intellectual capital that makes understanding and communication possible. In a world of growing travel, history provides students with the skills necessary to sell tourism – historical battlefields, Roman ruins et al - to the masses.

An Overview of the History Curriculum at the New English School