Qualification - NCEA level 1

Course Overview

History is an exciting subject as it helps students understand society today by giving them a rich context. It shows students how our historical narratives are shaped and how they influence our understanding of ourselves, our local society, our country, and the world around us. Because we work so hard on interpretation of sources, students are well prepared for research in other subjects and into tertiary life. We sit the Level 2 Unseen Sources paper in Level 1 as students excel in this area at Columba College.

HIstory is a research-led subject. Students/ākonga will have the opportunity to look at causes and effects, as well as continuity and change of historical narratives. When working with historical sources, ākonga will learn how to critique historical narratives and various perspectives around them which is invaluable to research in NCEA and into university life.

History prepares our students for the future because it equips them with knowledge and skills, such as the ability to articulate ideas and make them clear to others, that are valuable and useful throughout life and a wide range of careers. History also supports ākonga in growing an informed understanding of Aotearoa’s diverse society. They will learn how to think critically about local, national, and global historical narratives/events.History presents students with the dilemmas, choices, and beliefs of people in the past. They will build on their understanding of differing perspectives and contested historical events. 

In our Level 1 course, we look at the theme of racial and other forms of injustice in the C20th. Particular topics we cover include: Black Civil Rights in the USA; The Creation of Israel, 1948; The Springbok Tour; Women’s Rights Campaigns, Whina Cooper and The Land March, Anti-Nuclear New Zealand and international anti-nuclear campaigns.. Choice depends on student interest.