History Scholars Summer Courses at Harrow
Explore the people, events and ideas that have shaped societies, investigate how historians interpret the past and develop your confidence constructing evidence-based arguments with Atlas Summer Courses. Our History Scholars summer course at Harrow, designed for students aged 12–14, gives young learners the opportunity to explore history beyond their usual studies through engaging, age-appropriate teaching that encourages critical thinking, curiosity and independent thought.
Through small-group teaching, historical sources and independent study, students will examine evidence, consider competing interpretations and become more confident developing and communicating arguments of their own while enjoying the wider experience of spending their summer at Harrow with Atlas Summer Courses.
What's Included?
Your residential History Scholars summer course at Harrow combines academic teaching with the wider Atlas Summer Courses residential experience.
Students spend their programme learning alongside other young people, with academic sessions complemented by activities and opportunities to socialise as part of the programme.
Study History at Harrow
Our History Scholars summer course at Harrow gives students aged 12–14 the opportunity to explore the past, historical evidence and different interpretations as part of an Atlas Summer Courses summer experience.
History is about more than learning dates, events and names. Historians ask why societies change, how individuals and groups influence events and why the same period can be understood in different ways.
Studying History also means learning how to work with evidence. Historians use sources to construct explanations about people and events they cannot observe directly, considering what those sources can tell us, what their limitations might be and how they should be interpreted.
History Scholars encourages students to question straightforward explanations of the past. They'll consider causes and consequences, compare different perspectives and become more confident using evidence to support conclusions of their own.
Outside their academic sessions, students will experience the wider programme alongside other young learners, combining their History course with the social and cultural elements of their Atlas Summer Courses summer at Harrow.
What Will Students Study on a History Scholars Summer Course at Harrow?
There is no prescribed syllabus that every student follows. Atlas Summer Courses tutors create their own syllabi, drawing on their expertise while taking the interests, abilities and learning needs of their students into account.
Depending on the tutor and group, students could explore different historical periods, societies, individuals and events while developing their understanding of how historians investigate and interpret the past.
They might consider questions such as:
- How do historians know what happened in the past?
- What makes a historical source useful or reliable?
- Why can historians disagree about the same event?
- How can political, economic and social factors contribute to historical change?
- What role can individuals play in shaping wider events?
- How can we understand the experiences of people who lived in very different societies from our own?
- Why can our interpretation of the past change when new evidence or perspectives emerge?
The precise content will reflect the tutor's expertise and the interests and learning needs of the students in the group.
Any syllabus shown on our website is an example from a previous course rather than a guarantee of the exact periods, societies, individuals or historical events students will explore.
How Students Will Learn on History Scholars
History Scholars combines interactive small-group teaching with independent study, giving students opportunities to investigate historical questions, examine evidence and develop interpretations of their own.
Ages 12–14
Students will explore History through small-group academic sessions designed to encourage active participation, critical thinking and independent reasoning.
Teaching could include discussions, historical sources, debates, case studies and opportunities to compare competing interpretations. Students might, for example, examine different accounts of the same event, investigate the causes of a period of historical change or use a collection of sources to develop an argument about the past.
Independent work gives students an opportunity to develop their historical thinking beyond teaching sessions. Depending on the course, this could involve researching a historical question, analysing a source, comparing interpretations or preparing an argument to discuss with their tutor and peers.
Across the course, students will be encouraged to question assumptions, distinguish between evidence and interpretation and become more confident constructing arguments supported by relevant historical evidence.
Actual course content and activities will vary depending on the expertise of the individual tutor.
Your Summer Experience at Harrow
A student's time with Atlas Summer Courses extends beyond their History Scholars course.
Students will spend their programme living and learning alongside other young people, combining academic sessions with the wider social and cultural elements of their summer experience.
Outside lessons, there will be opportunities to spend time with other students, participate in organised activities and enjoy the wider residential programme.
The focus remains on the Atlas Summer Courses experience at Harrow: combining engaging academic learning with opportunities to develop confidence, independence and new friendships in a supportive summer environment.
Explore the summer experience at Harrow.
Who Is Our History Scholars Summer Course at Harrow For?
Our History Scholars summer course at Harrow is designed for students aged 12–14 who are curious about the past and want to understand more about the people, events and ideas that have shaped societies.
Students don't need detailed knowledge of a particular historical period before joining. The course may particularly appeal to young people who enjoy asking why events happened rather than simply remembering when they happened, analysing historical sources, comparing different perspectives or debating competing explanations of the past.
Students also don't need to know which period of History interests them most. History Scholars provides an opportunity to encounter different historical questions and approaches, helping students discover the periods, societies and themes they may want to explore further.
Students can develop transferable skills including critical thinking, source analysis, evaluating evidence, comparing perspectives, constructing arguments, independent research and communicating ideas clearly.
Learn from Expert Tutors
Atlas Summer Courses tutors are experienced educators and subject specialists who bring their own knowledge, interests and enthusiasm into their teaching.
For our Scholars students, tutors aim to create an environment where everyone feels encouraged to participate, question interpretations and develop arguments of their own. History teaching is designed to be engaging and age-appropriate while challenging students to think carefully about evidence, causation and different perspectives.
Because tutors shape course content around their expertise and the students in their group, different History Scholars courses at Harrow may explore different periods, societies, historical questions and approaches to interpreting the past.
Tutors are confirmed closer to the summer, so profiles on our website are examples of tutors who have previously taught with us rather than confirmation of who will teach a particular course.
What Can Students Gain from History Scholars?
History Scholars can help students become more confident analysing evidence, comparing different perspectives and constructing well-supported arguments about complex questions.
Students can strengthen the habits associated with historical thinking: asking useful questions, examining sources critically, considering cause and consequence, distinguishing between evidence and interpretation and recognising that our understanding of the past can change.
These skills can support future learning across History, Politics, Law, International Relations, English and other humanities and social sciences. More broadly, the ability to analyse information critically, recognise different perspectives and communicate a reasoned argument can be valuable across many different areas of study.
A History Scholars summer course at Harrow gives students the opportunity to explore history beyond their usual studies while developing curiosity, confidence and analytical skills that can support their future learning.
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FAQs about Our Summer Courses
Atlas Summer Courses offers a range of summer courses at Harrow across subjects including Science, Maths, Medicine, Law, History, Technology, Creative Writing and Enterprise. The subjects available vary according to age group, with courses designed specifically for younger learners.
Our summer courses at Harrow include Explorers courses for students aged 9–10 and 11–12 and Scholars courses for students aged 12–14. Teaching and activities are designed around each age group, providing an appropriate level of academic challenge, support and independence.
Our residential summer courses at Harrow combine academic learning with accommodation and a wider programme of organised activities and opportunities to socialise with other students. The experience is designed to give younger learners a supportive environment in which they can explore their interests, build confidence and enjoy their summer with Atlas Programmes.
No. Atlas Summer Courses is an independent summer course provider and is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by Harrow School. Our summer courses at Harrow are organised and delivered by Atlas Programmes, with the focus on our courses and the wider Atlas Programmes summer experience.
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