Ladies College earns top UK award for history lessons

Monday 15 October 2018

History lessons at The Ladies College have been given a gold standard award from the English Historian Association.

Year 11 students said the lessons were "the best three hours" of their week, thanks to the hard work of the school's history department, which has now been recognised with the gold mark.

Bronwyn Henderson, Head of History said: "The History Department at The Ladies' College aims to fire the girls' curiosity and imagination.  In our curriculum, based on UK best practice, we introduce students to the struggles, perspectives and beliefs of people in the past.

"This is important because it helps each student to develop her own identity through an understanding of history at island, British and international levels. We want our students to ask and answer questions of the present by engaging with the past. 

"This gold award, which we were thrilled to achieve, was as much about the year-long process of self-appraisal as the assessment outcome.”

The Historical Association Quality Mark is an award that recognises the excellence of history provision in a school. The Quality Mark assess and values the history provision of the teacher, their department and the school and what is being offered to young people. 

The Quality Mark provides a framework for success in which to develop an outstanding provision of history for a school. There is a regulated programme for a school working to achieve the Quality mark to follow, with a clear assessment procedure delivered by independent Historical Association appointed assessors. 

Schools keep their Quality Mark for three years following the initial award. Schools with a Gold QM will need to complete the process again after three years to keep their QM status. Schools with a Silver QM can be reassessed within 12 months and are eligible for an upgrade to Gold.