History is the study of change and development in society over time. The study of History enables people to understand and evaluate how past human action has an impact on the present and how it influences the future. History is about learning how to think about the past, and by implication the present, in a disciplined way. History is a process of enquiry and involves asking questions about the past: What happened? When did it happen? Why did it happen then? It is about how to think analytically about the stories people tell us about the past and how we internalise that information.

The study of History also supports citizenship within a democracy by:

• explaining and encouraging the values of the South African Constitution;
• encouraging civic responsibility and responsible leadership, including raising current social and environmental concerns;
• promoting human rights and peace by challenging prejudices involving race, class, gender, ethnicity and xenophobia; and
• preparing young people for local, regional, national, continental and global responsibility.

The specific aims of History are to create:

• an interest in and enjoyment of the study of the past;
• knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the past and the forces that shape it;
• the ability to undertake a process of historical enquiry based on skills; and
• an understanding of historical concepts, including historical sources and evidence.

Our focus is to encourage a skills-based approach. Boys are required to analyse content in a more interpretative and critical manner. Class work and assessments consist of relevant source material such as maps, graphs, cartoons, photographs, statistical tables, direct quotations, public addresses, songs and poems. The importance of language and writing skills is continuously emphasised.
We aim to empower our boys with these skills. They will develop an open-minded, questioning and critical attitude. Not only will they understand History, but we hope they will come to value it for the interesting, fun and challenging subject that it is.