Secondary PGCE
Interview Day
Appendix:
History specialism information
2013 entry
PLEASE READ THIS BOOKLET IN PREPARATION FOR THE
INTERVIEW AND BRING IT WITH YOU ON THE DAY
Part One
Candidates for interview will be asked to complete a written task, details of
which can be found in the History specific section of the interview materials.
The task will last for approximately 30 minutes and is designed to provide us
with evidence of your engagement with history as an academic discipline.
Also enclosed is an abridged version of an Ofsted Report entitled History for
All This was published in March 2011. This report will form the basis for a
group discussion. It is therefore important that you read this report carefully
before coming to Edge Hill.
The final part of the interview involves paired interviews with members of the
course team and a history curriculum mentor from one of our partner schools.
This part of the interview gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your
motivation and provide evidence that you have the personal qualities needed
to undertake a career in teaching. You should be prepared to talk about your
degree studies, issues relating to history teaching and your school experience
In preparation for the interview, you are advised to look at the Edge Hill
website (www.edgehill.ac.uk) and look at the History Department information.
It would also benefit you to look at the National Curriculum for History and
identify areas for further development in your subject knowledge."
Part Two
Please read the following in preparation for the Secondary
PGCE History interview
These notes outline the nature of the PGCE interview process and provide
some guidance which will help you to understand the qualities we expect you
to demonstrate during the different stages of the interview.
To proceed to this stage of the selection process indicates that we feel you
already have demonstrated potential, you either have an appropriate degree
or are in the process of graduating. Your professional reference also indicates
that you have a good appreciation of history and have an awareness or
aptitude for the demands of the History PGCE course. Similarly your personal
statement indicates that you are able to demonstrate a commitment to
teaching history in a secondary school.
The interview process is therefore designed to give you a number of other
opportunities to demonstrate these skills and aptitudes. During the interview
process you will complete a written ‘test’ that will last approximately 30
minutes. This is followed by a group discussion, again of about 30 minutes
duration. The final stage of the interview entails a small group or paired
interview.
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The QAA has produced a number of benchmark statements for a range of
subject specific university degree courses. The benchmark statements for
history suggest that a history graduate should be able to demonstrate a range
of aptitudes and possess particular attitudes of mind. Additionally the QAA
identified a range of general skills which history graduates ought to be able to
demonstrate. Three of the most significant areas for an intending history
teacher are:
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Clarity, fluency, and coherence in written expression..
Clarity, fluency, and coherence in oral expression.
The ability to work collaboratively and to participate in group discussion.
The interview process will allow you to demonstrate these qualities.
The Interview
Interview Stage
Written Test
Format and Purpose
Group Discussion
Accompanying this booklet is an extract from an Ofsted / HMI
Report published in 2011 entitled: ‘History for All’
It is important to read this material carefully to enable you to
take part in the following discussion:
 “What are the challenges facing history teachers?
 Why is school history taught so well?”
You might want to contrast this reading with your own
observed experience of secondary school history. You will be
given time to prepare and share your views with other
applicants before the discussion begins.
This part of the interview gives you an opportunity to
demonstrate the ability to work in a co-operative manner. It
will also give you the chance to demonstrate you ability to
process ideas and information quickly and put together a
coherent argument
This is the final part of the interview and is perhaps the more
traditional. You will be asked what might be considered the
usual questions: ‘why do you want to teach?’ why do you
think you will make a good teacher?’ The paired element is
less intimidating and gives you an opportunity to carefully
consider your ideas. The final stage of the interview allows
members of the panel to gain an idea of your potential as a
future history teacher
Paired Interview
This will test the candidates ability to communicate in
standard written English, however the nature of the written
task provides admissions tutors with an indication of the
candidates abilities to think and reflect critically on their skills
and aptitudes as graduate historians or as final year
undergraduates.
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Preparing for the Interview
1. The Written Task.
This aspect of the interview gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your
ability to think critically and analytically about history both as an academic
discipline and as a secondary curriculum subject. .
What is the purpose of a historical education? How does it add value to a
young persons education?
The written task asks you to consider the purpose and value of a history
education. In 2008 John Tosh’s ‘Why History Matters’ was published and
one chapter entitled: ‘The Citizen’s Resource’ he argued a very strong
case that a knowledge and understanding of history is essential to help
people play a part in society as active and informed citizens. As a history
graduate or final year undergraduate you should, by now, be able to
articulate your own views and opinions about:
 the value of a history education,
 the essential qualities that a history education provides for young
people ,
 what a history education might look like.
The aim is to provide you with an opportunity to articulate your own ideas
about the value and social purpose of teaching and learning history. You
might want to consider what tosh has to say in more detail. Over the past
12 months ‘celebrity historians’ like Simon Schama and Nial Ferguson
have contributed to pieces about the changing school history curriculum
in the press. These articles will also give you a flavour of the debate that
is still very much alive.
We are looking for a piece of original writing, if you simply claim that
history helps young people to detect bias and analyse evidence, it could
be argued that so does studying English. In other words this is not going
to be very original or convincing. You will need to undertake some
research of your own to complete this task successfully, where you draw
your ideas from will also demonstrate that you have the ability to draw
ideas together from a range of sources and synthesise a convincing
argument.
This task is difficult but the History PGCE course itself is challenging and a
significant focus of the work throughout the year involves developing an
understanding of thinking skills. This activity not only tests your ability to write
fluently and coherently but is also designed to test your ability to think (and
write) about how you think.
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You might like to look for articles from Teaching History which focus on the
idea of significance:
2. The Group Discussion.
In preparing for this aspect of the interview you obviously need to read the
enclosed document carefully. The HMI Report was published by Ofsted in
March 2011 and is entitled ‘History for All’ you have an abridged version but
you should be able to download the full document from the Ofsted web site
It is important that you have an informed understanding of the challenges and
opportunities facing history teachers and this report provides a valuable
insight. This could be a useful point to make a link between any observations
you may have undertaken in school. Is the largely positive picture painted by
your reading confirmed by what you have observed in schools? Have you had
an opportunity to talk to teachers in a history department? Do they have
different opinions ?
In the discussion we are looking for people whose comments are informed
both by the reading and by their experience in schools. You should be open to
the views and opinions of others and should be able to listen and respond to
the comments of others.
Paired Interviews.
Finally you will be interviewed by members of the panel who will ask about
your experience of schools, your history degree and your views on teaching
history. You should be willing to discuss your views on the value of history in
the school curriculum and have ideas about what makes an effective history
lesson. Sharing this part of the interview with a fellow applicant is designed to
make the process less intimidating and experience shows that candidates are
able to perform more naturally in this situation. This part of the interview offers
an opportunity to develop a series of informative dialogues which aid the
selection process.
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Part Three
Compulsory reading for Group Interview Task
History for All
History in English schools 2007–11
Contents
Key findings
In the schools visited history was generally a popular and successful subject,
which many pupils enjoyed. Achievement was good or outstanding in 63 of
the 83 primary schools and 59 of the 83 secondary schools visited. It was
inadequate in only two schools.
In most cases, links between secondary schools and their local primary
schools were weak, so that expertise in the secondary schools was not
exploited to support non-specialists in teaching history in the primary schools.
History was successful in most of the secondary schools visited because it
was well taught, notably in examination classes at GCSE and A level. The
large majority of these history teachers were very well-qualified. In the large
majority of the schools visited, the quality of the provision also reflected the
strong leadership of the history departments.
Attainment in history in the secondary schools visited was high and has
continued to rise, particularly at GCSE and A level where results compare
1
favourably with other subjects.
Patterns of entry for GCSE history varied considerably between different
types of school: only 30% of students in maintained schools took the subject
in 2010 compared with 48% in independent schools. In academies, the
proportion was lower still at 20%.
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While most work in the sixth forms visited was well-resourced, in some
schools an over-dependence on set text books, linked to specific AS and Alevel specifications, did not prepare students well for the challenges of higher
education.
Overall, achievement was weaker in Key Stage 3 than in Key Stage 4
because of a number of factors: more non-specialist teaching; reductions in
the time that schools allocated to history; and whole-school curriculum
changes in Key Stage 3 in an increasing number of schools. Nearly one in
every three lessons observed at Key Stage 3 between 2007 and 2010 was at
best satisfactory.
The National Curriculum orders and programmes of study in Key Stage 3
have led to much high-quality teaching and learning in history. However, in
one in five of the secondary schools visited, curriculum changes, such as the
introduction of a two-year Key Stage 3 that allowed some students to give up
history before the age of 14, and thematic approaches to the curriculum, were
associated with teaching and learning that was no more than satisfactory.
The view that too little British history is taught in secondary schools in
England is a myth. Pupils in the schools visited studied a considerable
amount of British history and knew a great deal about the particular topics
covered. However, the large majority of the time was spent on English history
rather than wider British history.
Three years after Ofsted’s previous report on history, teachers had responded
positively to developing independent learning in history. The most effective
schools used a well-focused enquiry-based approach to achieve this. In
addition, more schools were incorporating ICT into history. However, its
impact in accelerating gains in pupils’ historical knowledge and understanding
varied, particularly in the secondary schools visited.
Recommendations
The Department for Education should:
 ensure that, as a result of the National Curriculum Review, pupils in
primary schools experience history as a coherent subject which develops
their knowledge, thinking and understanding, especially their chronological
understanding, and that all students in secondary schools benefit from a
significant amount of history to at least the age of 14.
Secondary schools should:
 ensure that the requirements of the National Curriculum in history are met
in Key Stage 3
 ensure that pupils have a greater understanding of the history of the
interrelationships of the different countries which comprise the British Isles
 ensure that technology is exploited to best effect in the teaching and
learning of history
 ensure that sixth form history students read widely in preparation for the
demands of higher education.
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The context of history in schools in England.
In England, history is currently not compulsory for students beyond the age of 14
and those in schools offering a two-year Key Stage 3 course can stop studying
history at the age of 13. England is unique in Europe in this respect. In almost all
the countries of the European Union, it is compulsory to study history in some
form in school until at least the ages of 15 or 16. History is compulsory until the
age of 14 in Northern Ireland, the Netherlands and Wales, and all pupils study
history as part of their broad general education in Scotland until they are 15.
Secondary schools: The Value and Purpose of History.
Students in the secondary schools visited, and especially those taking
examinations in Key Stage 4, became increasingly sophisticated in explaining
why history is important. They commented, for example, that studying history
helped one to be ‘more tolerant’ and to ‘respect people more’, and they could
justify their points with reasoned arguments based on evidence from the topics
they had studied.
20. Where they had been encouraged to compare and contrast the different
topics they studied, the students were able to make perceptive links. This is
illustrated by the GCSE students who, having studied the Depression in America
in the late 1920s and early 1930s, could identify precise similarities and
differences in the way that the recent economic crisis in the world had developed
and been handled. One of them said, ‘History does not repeat itself, but it can
help us to see how similar problems have been tackled in the past. It might also
prevent us from making some of the mistakes that previous generations have
made.’
21. Students interviewed as part of the survey almost always recognised that one
of the most important reasons for studying the subject was that ‘it helps us form
our own opinions’ or, in the words of one student, ‘History liberates the mind.’
Another crisply summed up her view when she said that history enabled her to
‘read between the lines’.
22. Older students were articulate about the value of history in developing their
wider skills, for example ‘in researching, in improving our communication skills, in
interrogating evidence, in devising our own questions, in extracting information,
and in helping us to understand the world in which we live’.
The Quality of History Teaching
Good or outstanding teaching in secondary schools reflected many of the
features already described in primary schools. The particular characteristics of
highly effective teaching in secondary schools, which motivated students and
strengthened their learning, included:
 teachers’ excellent subject knowledge, clear exposition and judicious
selection of teaching strategies, including the use of ICT
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a high level of challenge which obliged students to make well-considered
judgements based on evidence that was robust and increasingly broad in its
range
high-quality activities: students were engaged in presenting and developing
ideas, arguing about the past and re-evaluating their thinking in the light of
what they had been learning
sufficient opportunities for students to listen, discuss and debate questions
and to respond thoughtfully so that others could comment
the development of historical thinking, analysis and evaluation at the heart of
the lesson rather than as an afterthought at the end
a climate of historical enquiry in which trying to find the right answer really
mattered to the students and where they developed an understanding of the
complexities of the past
out-of-classroom activities, available for all students, which enriched learning
careful monitoring of progress by teachers during lessons and regular
assessment, including peer- and self-assessment, which enabled students to
know how well they were doing and what they had to do to improve.
An example of a good lesson
Highly effective teaching was underpinned by a vibrant environment
for learning. This engaged teachers and students collaboratively in history.
The subject was meaningful to the students. They developed a desire to
learn and were excited about history. These aspects are illustrated vividly in
this example. Comprehensive planning, excellent relationships and an
overriding concern to meet the needs and interests of all the students were
three of the most important characteristics of the outstanding teaching in
one of the history departments visited. In addition, the teachers’ knowledge
of history was very secure and they passed on their enthusiasm to their
students. They had high expectations and modified their methods to ensure
that individuals’ learning needs were met.
Students enjoyed the lessons and the many opportunities they had to
take part in historical drama, debates and discussions. They rose to
challenges and were keen to express their opinions and justify their views
with evidence. The best lessons seen developed as a dialogue between
students and between students and the teacher.
All the teachers used the interactive whiteboards with a high level of
skill. They had prepared thought-provoking resources for their students that
included detailed revision booklets.
Assessment was of high quality and the teachers monitored the
progress of their students rigorously, intervening rapidly if they noticed
underachievement.
Academic guidance was excellent and the students had a keen
understanding of how well they were doing and how to meet their
challenging targets. As one student commented, ‘Our teachers constantly
encourage us and are always there to help.’ Students also benefited from a
variety of extra classes, revision sessions and individual tuition.
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An example of a less effective lesson:
One of the most serious concerns about poor provision was the tendency
for teachers to try to cover too much content and ‘spoon-feed’ students. As
a result, teachers talked too much, lessons were rushed, opportunities for
debate and reflection were missed, and students lost interest. Such a
lesson is illustrated here.
A mixed-ability Year 7 class was looking at what happened to people in
Nazi Germany who had been involved in perpetrating the Holocaust and
why. At the start of the lesson, the teacher had focused the students
effectively by asking them to consider what happens to criminals today.
Moving on to the events in Europe, the students read extracts which told
them about what happened to Goering, Hess and the people who lived near
and worked in the death camps. When the teacher said that some Nazi
scientists were ‘let off’ and ‘spirited away to work for the Allies’, several
students expressed surprise and could not understand why this had been
the case. However, there was no discussion of this issue and the teacher
moved swiftly to the next activity, missing an opportunity to explore why
some Nazi scientists had been treated this way. As the lesson progressed,
the students became less and less focused.
The training of secondary history teachers
63. Ofsted’s recent inspections of initial teacher education found that secondary
trainee teachers on PGCE courses were well qualified and well trained. One
of the most important factors in successful training was the quality of the
schools in which the trainees were placed.
64. In the best provision:
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trainees were challenged and supported through incisive feedback on their
lessons and assignments
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mentors and others set clear and coherent targets for trainees
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mentors had high expectations and excellent knowledge and
understanding of the pedagogy of the subject.
65. One training establishment required all its mentors and trainees in history to
read and debate an agreed work of historical scholarship. Trainees said that
this had made them think critically about their own understanding of issues
and reflect upon their approach to teaching history. It helped them to keep up
with historical scholarship.
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66. Such good practice was not always the case. Notable weaknesses in the
training of secondary trainees on the Graduate Teacher Programme were
reflected in:
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trainees’ limited understanding of how to meet the needs of all students
through effective differentiation
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trainees’ limited awareness of current thinking about teaching and learning
in history
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limited preparation for teaching in nationally diverse communities
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insufficient understanding of how to implement the revised curriculum in
history at Key Stage 3.
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Part Four
History PGCE Interview Subject Knowledge Audit Post Interview Guidance
What did you do at University?
Developing your History Subject Knowledge.
This document is designed to help you develop your subject knowledge
before you begin your PGCE year. You will be invited to a pre-course
induction event. For September 2013 entry this event will be held on:
Saturday 15th June 2013 at 10.00am in the Faculty of Education
Building.
You will also be given access to an on-line Pre-Course Area where you will
be able to undertake a number of guided activities to help you develop your
subject knowledge.
Before then however you need to complete the subject knowledge audit below
and e-mail to the History PGCE Course Leader.
Ian Phillips, History PGCE Course Leader [email protected]
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Please tick the appropriate box if you covered any of the topics in your
undergraduate / postgraduate courses.
Britain 1066 – 1500
How did Medieval Monarchs Keep Control ?
How hard was life for Medieval People in Town & Country
How did the Medieval Church Affect peoples’ lives ?
Britain 1500 – 1750
Elizabeth I: how successfully did she tackle the problems
of her reign ?
The Civil Wars: was England turned upside down in the
17th Century?
From Glorious revolution to the ’45: how united was the
Kingdom?
Britain 1750 – 1900
Industrial Changes, action and reaction
What was British Middle Class life like in 1900
The British Empire: how did Britain come to control one
quarter of the world by 1900?
20th Century World Studies
Enter the details of the topics you have covered as part of your
undergraduate / postgraduate courses below
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A European Study Before 1914
Enter the details of the topics you have covered as part of your
undergraduate / postgraduate courses below
World Study Before 1900
Enter the details of the topics you have covered as part of your
undergraduate / postgraduate courses below
Additional Courses Followed
Enter details here of any other courses you have followed which you
believe may be directly relevant to the History Curriculum or to
teaching history, these could include IT / ICT modules
[end]
PLEASE READ THIS BOOKLET IN PREPARATION FOR THE
INTERVIEW AND BRING IT WITH YOU ON THE DAY
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