Humanities
The Humanities Department delivers A level courses in Geography, History, Law and Politics. The success rate on all courses is outstanding and every year a considerable number of students go on to study related degree courses. All of the subjects are increasing in popularity both at A level and undergraduate level.
The Department offers a wide range of enrichment activities to students. These include a trip to the United States (Washington D.C. and New York) for Politics students, a trip to Paris for History students and outings to Parliament, the Supreme Court and local exhibits for the department more broadly. The Humanities department also contributes heavily to the college’s debating society and provides support for those students hoping to read Law (LNAT preparation) or study at Oxbridge.
Courses in Humanities are extremely well-respected and act as a springboard to higher education for a wide range of courses such as Media and Journalism, International Relations, Development Studies, Law and Teaching. They also compliment Medicine and Dentistry, demonstrating strong analytical and communication skills. Many students from St Dominic’s have gone on to study Humanities subjects at Oxford or Cambridge University.
Subjects Offered:
Geography
| Examining Board | Please click on the link here for the Edexcel website |
| GCSE Entrance Reqs | English Grade 4, Subject Grade 61, Maths Grade 5 |
| Component 1 | Physical Geography (and People and the Environment in Year 1) |
| Component 2 | Human Geography (and Geography Fieldwork Investigation in Year 1) |
| Component 3 | Geographical Investigation (Year 2) |
| Note1 | 1 or GCSE English and Maths Grade 6 for those without GCSE Geography |
History
| Examining Board | Please click on the link here for the AQA website |
| GCSE Entrance Reqs | English Grade 4, Subject Grade 52 and Mathematics Grade 4 |
| Component 1 (1H) | Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855-1917 (Year 1) and 1917-1964 (Year 2) |
| Component 2 (2S) | The Making of Modern Britain, 1951-1979 (Year 1) and 1979-2007 (Year 2) |
| Component 3 | Historical Investigation (non-Exam assessment), Origins of the French Revolution |
| Note2 | 2 or GCSE English Grade 6 for those without GCSE History |
Law
| Examining Board | Please click on the link here for the AQA website |
| GCSE Entrance Reqs | English Grade 6 and Mathematics Grade 4 |
| Paper 1 | Criminal Law |
| Paper 2 | Tort Law |
| Paper 3 | Contract Law |
Politics
| Examining Board | Please click on the link here for the Edexcel website |
| GCSE Entrance Reqs | English Grade 4 and Mathematics Grade 4 |
| Component 1 | UK Politics and Core Political Ideas |
| Component 2 | UK Government and Non-Core Political Ideas |
| Component 3 | Comparative Politics |
What the students say (Student Survey)
Very knowledgeable teaching staff help keep the subjects fresh and interesting; the handouts and iLearn facilities are especially useful.
What the Good Schools Guide says:
Expert help is given to prospective pupils about their subject choices and to existing pupils about their future courses and destinations.