History

Staffing list:

Mrs Whyte – Head of History
Ms Davies – Teacher of History
Miss Huggins – Teacher of History
Miss Tymon – Teacher of History
Miss Sutherland – Teacher of History

To contact a member of the department, please email history@swanmore-sec.hants.sch.uk

Vision statement:

To demonstrate that History is not dead and very much alive in today’s world with critical thinking and understanding.

Subject curriculum:

Years 7, 8 and 9 (Key Stage 3) Overview – Swanmore School - KS3 History
Years 10 and 11 (Key Stage 4) Overview – Swanmore School - KS4 History

Y9 Options:

History – Swanmore School - History

Extracurricular activities

We offer a wide range of subject-related extracurricular activities during lunch break and after school.
Click here to open the College Clubs page

Politics club – Thursday lunchtime in S13

Key dates

October half-term: Year 8 Belgian Battlefields trip
June: Year 10 Portchester Castle fieldwork

Resources to help you support your child with their studies:

National archives
BBC bitesize
Google Classroom
Youtube - World History Crash Course
Youtube - Loving the Learning channel - KS4
Youtube - Anglo Saxons and Normans learning playlist - KS4

Get involved with History at home:

BBC iplayer Horrible Histories

Local visits

Why not visit some local historical sites, some are even free to visit! Take a selfie of yourself at the site for 10 ICC points!

Iron Age

Winchester – St Catherine’s Hill Free!
An Iron Age hillfort site offering panoramic views of Winchester and its surroundings.

Roman

Chichester – Fishbourne Palace
Britain’s largest Roman villa, renowned for its elaborate mosaics and extensive palace remains.
Portchester – Portchester Castle
A Roman fort later adapted into a medieval castle, showing layers of military history.
Winchester – City Museum
Galleries exploring Winchester’s Roman foundations and the early development of the city.

Medieval

Fareham – Titchfield Abbey Free!
Medieval abbey later transformed into a grand Tudor mansion for nobility.
Southampton – Merchant’s House
A restored medieval townhouse illustrating urban life and trade in Southampton.
Southampton – Netley Abbey Free!
Atmospheric ruins of a Cistercian abbey set beside Southampton Water.
Winchester – The Great Hall
Surviving medieval hall famed for its association with King Arthur’s Round Table.
Winchester – Wolvesey Castle Free!
Ruined medieval palace once home to the powerful Bishops of Winchester.

Tudor

Portsmouth – Southsea Castle Free!
Coastal fort built by Henry VIII to defend England against naval attack.
Southampton – Tudor House and Garden
Well-preserved Tudor home with gardens revealing over 800 years of history.

Georgian

Portsmouth – Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum
The modest Georgian house where Charles Dickens was born in 1812.

Victorian

Bursledon – Brickworks Museum
Preserved steam-powered brickworks showing Victorian industrial innovation.
Fareham – Fort Nelson
Vast Victorian hill fort housing historic artillery and defensive structures.
Winchester – Hospital of St Cross
Ancient almshouse still in use, shaped by medieval origins and Victorian reform.

20th Century

Portsmouth – D-Day Museum
Powerful displays exploring the Normandy landings through artefacts and personal stories.
Southampton – SeaCity Museum
Museum telling Southampton’s Titanic story and its role in both World Wars.

Mixed Periods

Portsmouth – Guildhall Square Statues Free!
Square featuring monuments reflecting Portsmouth’s historical heritage.
Southampton – City Walls Free!
Extensive medieval walls incorporating Roman foundations and later additions.
Winchester – Cathedral Grounds Free!
Historic landscape surrounding the cathedral, shaped by centuries of religious use.

Love this subject and want to learn more?

Podcasts🎙️

Film🎬

Ancient

Hercules
An introduction to Greek mythology.
The Prince of Egypt
A story exploring life in Ancient Egypt.

Medieval

A Knight’s Tale
A story set around medieval tournaments and society.
Brave
A story exploring clan life and female roles in a medieval setting.

Tudor and Stuart

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (with guidance)
A story about Elizabeth I and the Spanish Armada.

Victorian

Amazing Grace
A story about abolitionist William Wilberforce.
Little Women
A story set during the American Civil War, exploring gender roles.

World War One

War Horse
A story about the First World War and the use of horses.
Suffragette
A story about the women’s suffrage movement.

World War Two

The Book Thief
A story exploring resistance in Nazi Germany.

Post-War / Modern History

Hidden Figures
A story about civil rights and the Space Race.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
A story exploring poverty and innovation in Malawi.

Books📖

All novels featured are young adult novels aimed at teen readers. They are all cracking reads that we would recommend to you. Lots of them are available in the school library or via your local library service for free.

Reading tips

If you are stuck on what to choose, come and have a chat with your History teacher. They’ll be able to recommend something to you if you can give them an idea of the sort of history you are interested in.

If you start a book and don’t enjoy it. It is OK to stop reading it and try something else. Life is too short to carry on with stuff you don’t like.

If you find reading challenging, try some of the Barrington Stoke novels. They are just as good as the other books on the list but are a lot shorter and printed in a dyslexia-friendly font, so they are much easier to read.

Medieval

The Seeing Stone – Kevin Crossley-Holland
A story following a young page serving a knight. First in a series.
Crusade – Elizabeth Laird
A story about two boys on opposing sides of a crusade.
Crusade – Linda Press Wulf
A story following a girl and a boy during the Children’s Crusade.
Here Lies Arthur – Philip Reeve
A story exploring King Arthur before he became king.
Belle’s Song – K. M. Grant
A story about a girl on a pilgrimage.
Bloodline – Katy Moran
A story set in the Dark Ages, following a young boy after his father abandons him. First in a series.
Tilt – Mary Hoffman (Barrington Stoke)
A story based around the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The Court Painter’s Apprentice – Richard Knight
A story about a young apprentice to a painter, with an unexpected ending.

Tudor

The Other Countess – Eve Edwards
A story about a young woman trying to make her way in the royal court. First in a series.
Tarnish – Katherine Longshore
A story following Anne Boleyn when she first arrives at court.
Eliza Rose – Lucy Worsley
A story about Katherine Howard’s cousin.
Lady Mary – Lucy Worsley
A story exploring Mary I before she became queen.
The Ravenmaster’s Boy – Mary Hoffman (Barrington Stoke)
A story about a boy responsible for the ravens at the Tower of London.
Gilt – Katherine Longshore
A story about Katherine Howard.
Witchstruck – Victoria Lamb
A story about witches set during the reign of Mary I. First in a series.
VIII – Harriet Castor
A story focusing on the early life of Henry VIII.
Traitor’s Kiss – Pauline Francis
A story featuring a young Elizabeth I.
The Fool’s Girl – Celia Rees
A story about a young girl who meets William Shakespeare.
The Cabinet of Curiosities – Paul Dowswell
A story about a young apprentice working for a physician.

Stuart

Ring of Roses – Mary Hooper (Barrington Stoke)
A story set during the Great Plague.
Newes from the Dead – Mary Hooper
A dark story about a girl accused of infanticide.
No Shame, No Fear – Ann Turnbull
A story set in England after the Civil War, following a Quaker girl.
Witch Child – Celia Rees
A story about witches set during the Stuart period.

Georgian

Sawbones – Catherine Johnson
A story about an apprentice to a surgeon.
Evie’s Ghost – Helen Peters
A story about a young girl working in a Georgian manor house.
Darkmere – Helen Maslin
A ghost story set in the Georgian period.
The Disgrace of Kitty Grey – Mary Hooper
A story about a girl forced to flee to London and survive on her own.

Victorian

My Name Is Victoria – Lucy Worsley
A story about the early life of Queen Victoria.
Following Ophelia – Sophia Bennett
A story set around the Pre-Raphaelite movement in London.
The Beloved – Alison Rattle
A story about a Victorian cult.
Constable and Toop – Gareth P. Jones
A story about a Victorian undertaker.
The Madness – Alison Rattle
A story about a Victorian mudlark.
Witchfinder – Ruth Warburton
A story about witches in Victorian London. First in a series.
Wild Boy – Rob Lloyd Jones
A story set within a travelling circus.
Frost Hollow Hall – Emma Carroll
A ghost story set in the Victorian era.
The Quietness – Alison Rattle
A story about Victorian baby farming.
Velvet – Mary Hooper
A story about a poor girl who works for a medium.
Haunting Violet – Alyxandra Harvey
A story about a Victorian medium.
Pastworld – Ian Beck
A story imagining Jack the Ripper in a Victorian theme park.
Fallen Grace – Mary Hooper
A story about Victorian baby farming.
The Lie Tree – Frances Hardinge
A mysterious murder story set in the Victorian period.
A Dark Trade – Mary Hooper (Barrington Stoke)
A story about a poor Victorian girl struggling to survive in London.
Ruby in the Smoke – Philip Pullman
A story following a determined girl investigating her father’s death. First in a series.

Edwardian

The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow – Katherine Woodfine
A story about girls solving mysteries in and around a department store. First in a series.
Secrets and Sapphires – Leila Rasheed
A story inspired by Downton Abbey. First in a series.
Wentworth Hall – Abby Grahame
A story inspired by Downton Abbey.
Twelve Minutes to Midnight – Christopher Edge
A story about a girl secretly running a newspaper while solving mysteries.
Until We Win – Linda Newbery (Barrington Stoke)
A story about the suffragette movement.
Opal Plumstead – Jacqueline Wilson
A story about a girl growing up in Edwardian Britain.
Peril in Paris – Katherine Woodfine
A story about girl spies in pre-war Paris. First in a series.
Girls for the Vote – Linda Newbery
A story about girls discovering the suffragette movement.
The Making of Mollie – Anna Carey
A story about Irish suffragettes.
Make More Noise
A collection of stories about girls in history and the fight for the vote.

World War One

Loyal Creatures – Morris Gleitzman
A story about an Australian soldier and his horse.
Across the Divide – Anne Booth
A story about conscientious objectors during WWI.
Dusk – Eve Edwards
A story following a nurse during the First World War.
Valentine Joe – Rebecca Stevens
A story about a teenage soldier in WWI.
Anzac Boys (Barrington Stoke)
A story about Australia’s contribution to WWI.
Poppy – Mary Hooper
A story following a young nurse during WWI.
Stay Where You Are and Then Leave – John Boyne
A story exploring shell shock and conscientious objection.
Private Peaceful – Michael Morpurgo
A story about soldiers serving in the trenches.
The Foreshadowing – Marcus Sedgwick
A story following a girl who becomes a nurse while searching for her brother.

Interwar Years

Wild Lily – K. M. Peyton
A story set in the 1920s, centred on sky-diving.
Murder Most Unladylike – Robin Stevens
A murder mystery set at a girls’ boarding school. First in a series.
Trouble on Cable Street – Joan Lingard
A story about the Cable Street riots.
A World Between Us – Lydia Syson
A story set during the Spanish Civil War.
Debutantes – Cora Harrison
A story exploring glamour in the 1920s.
The Double Shadow – Sally Gardner
A dark story about new technology.
Black Dove, White Raven – Elizabeth Wein
A story about Ethiopia during the Italian invasion.
Rowan the Strange – Julie Hearn
A story set in the interwar period.
A Sky Painted Gold – Laura Wood
A story about an ordinary girl drawn into 1920s high society.
Star by Star – Sheena Wilkinson
A story set after WWI, exploring Spanish flu and the legacy of the suffragettes.

World War Two and the Holocaust

Letters from the Lighthouse – Emma Carroll
A story set on the British Home Front.
Eloise Undercover – Sarah Baker
A story about resistance work during WWII.
Front Lines – Michael Grant
A re-imagined WWII where girls are allowed to fight.
Goodnight Mister Tom – Michelle Magorian
A story about an evacuee during WWII.
Girl with a White Dog – Anne Booth
A story exploring life in Nazi Germany.
That Burning Summer – Lydia Syson
A story about British pilots during the Battle of Britain.
Code Name Verity – Elizabeth Wein
A story about two female British pilots captured during the war. First in a series.
Cross My Heart – Carmen Reid
A story about resistance fighters in wartime Brussels.
Paradise Barn – Victor Watson
A story about evacuees in East Anglia. First in a series.
Margot and Me
A story about a girl uncovering her grandmother’s wartime diaries.
Operation Blackout – Victor Watson
A story set during the Blitz.
Dunkirk – James Holland
A story focused on the evacuation of Dunkirk.
Run Rabbit Run – Barbara Mitchelhill
A story about conscientious objectors on the Home Front.
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
A story about a young girl living in Nazi Germany.
The Earth Is Singing – Vanessa Curtis
A story about a girl in a concentration camp.
Maus – Art Spiegelman
A graphic novel telling the story of the Holocaust.
Annexed – Sharon Dogar
Anne Frank’s story told from Peter’s perspective.

Cold War

Going Over – Beth Kephart
A story set in Cold War Berlin.
Life: An Exploded Diagram – Mal Peet
A story set during the Cuban Missile Crisis in North Norfolk.
The Voices of Silence – Bel Mooney
A story set in Romania during the Cold War.

Post-War Britain

V for Violet – Alison Rattle
A story set in 1960s Britain.

Russian History

The Rasputin Dagger – Theresa Breslin
A story about the Russian royal family.
Between Shades of Gray – Ruta Sepetys
A story about Soviet persecution of Lithuanians.
Blood Red Snow White – Marcus Sedgwick
A story set after the Russian Revolution.

Slave Trade

My Name’s Not Friday – Jon Walter
A story about a young enslaved boy trying to escape.
Chains – Laurie Halse Anderson
A story about the slave trade. First in a series.
Freedom – Catherine Johnson
A story about a boy sent to England in the hope of gaining freedom.

Civil Rights in the USA

Lies We Tell Ourselves – Robin Talley
A story about two girls during the American civil rights movement.

Other

Daughters of Time – Mary Hoffman and others
A collection of short stories about influential women from history, from Boudicca to the Greenham Common women.
Things a Bright Girl Can Do – Sally Nicholls
A story about three young women involved in the suffragette movement.

Tagged History