Class details
History
IG: 12-month programme
Who?
Students writing IG History in October/November 2026. No prior subject experience in history is necessary, but students should be able to write a coherent and well-structured essay.
What?
The IG History course introduces students to the basics of historical interpretation and evaluation of events. In this course we will focus on developing the skills which historians use to present well-developed arguments for their interpretations of historical events.
At this stage, we only offer IG History for Option B of the core content (20th century history) and for Depth Study C (Russia 1905-41).
Weekly classes include:
- Feedback on weekly homework
- Discussion of new material
- Training in essay writing, argument and interpretation
There will be a minimum of ten past paper practice sets prescribed through the course of the year, which students will submit for detailed feedback.
Tutor
The tutor for these classes is Chiara Button.
Students may attend this class either in person at Imago's premises in Rietfontein or online. Please note that the timetable below is not final and is subject to change.
IG History 26a-26b
Venue: Rietfontein and online
Course duration: January 2026–December 2026
Lesson time: Wednesday 08:30 - 09:30
Fees: R890 per month over 12 months (January - December)
Zoom code: 849 0050 4251
All of the following books are required. Potential suppliers and sources are listed below each book title.
1. Cambridge IG and O Level History 3rd Edition: Option B: The 20th century (ISBN 9781398375055)
- Imago Education (order link)
2. Cambridge IG and O Level History Study and Revision Guide, Second Edition (ISBN 9781398375062)
- Imago Education (order link)
3. Cambridge IG and O Level History Workbook 1 - Core content Option B: The 20th century: International Relations since 1919 2nd Edition (ISBN 9781398375116)
- Imago Education (order link)
4. Cambridge IG and O Level History Workbook 2A - Depth study: Russia, 1905–41 2nd Edition (ISBN 9781398375123)
- Imago Education (order link)
Students will be required to use a ring-bound file (not a flip file or quotation folder); students should have at least ten file dividers in their files at the start of the year. Information as to labelling them will be given on the first day of class. This will make for an easy-to-use and flexible system for storing notes and homework. Students must bring their file and an exam pad of blank paper to each class.
Please note that all homework exercises and assignments must be submitted in handwritten format.
AS: 12-month programme
Who?
Students who wish to write AS History in October/November 2026. IG history is not required, but students should have a solid grasp on the basic principles of essay writing.
What?
Note: this course is designed around the AS Level History 9489 syllabus: Modern European option. We do not currently accommodate students in the American option or the International History option.
This course aims to give students a deep appreciation for the study of history - both the events as they unfolded and the task of the historian in describing, analysing and explaining those events. The focus in this course is to cover the syllabus while at the same time training students to understand the interpretation of historical events and to practise developing students' own explanatory and interpretative skills.
Weekly classes include:
- Feedback on weekly homework
- Discussion of new material
- Students' presentations
- Debates around syllabus topics
There will be a minimum of ten past paper practices incorporated into the coursework throughout the year, which students will submit for detailed feedback.
Tutor
The tutor for this course is Chiara Button.
Students may attend this class in person at Imago's premises in Rietfontein or online.
Please note that the timetable below is not final and is subject to change.
AS History 26a-26b
Venue: Rietfontein and online
Course duration: January - December 2026
Lesson time: Thursday 14:00 - 15:30
Fees: R893 per month over 12 months (January - December)
Zoom code: 833 3633 2785
All of the following books are required. Potential suppliers and sources are listed below each book title.
1. Cambridge International AS Level History Modern Europe, 1750–1921 Coursebook (ISBN 978-1108733922)
- Imago Education (order link)
- Available at Cambridge University Press
- Available through Takealot or Amazon
2. The French Revolution and what went wrong by Stephen Clarke (ISBN 978-1784754365)
- Takealot or Amazon (available on Kindle)
- Exclusive Books
5. Iron Kingdom by Christopher Clark (ISBN 978-0674031968)
- Takealot or Amazon (available on Kindle)
- Exclusive Books
6. A people's tragedy by Orlando Figes (ISBN 978-0140243642)
- Takealot or Amazon
- By private arrangement, Imago can organize to ship second-hand copies from the US
The following books are recommended reading, but not required:
1. Twelve who ruled by R.R. Palmer (ISBN 978-0691175928)
2. Napoleon the great / Napoleon, a life by Andrew Roberts (ISBN 978-0143127857)
3. The glory and the sorrow by Timothy Tackett (ISBN 978-0197557389)
4. The Oxford history of the French Revolution by William Doyle (ISBN 978-0198804932)
5. Austria, Prussia and the making of Germany 1806 - 71 by John Breuilly (ISBN 978-1408272763)
6. Imperial Germany 1850 - 1918 by Edgar Feuchtwanger (ISBN 978-0415207881)
7. Bismarck and Germany, 1862 - 1890 by David G. Williamson (ISBN 978-1408223185)
8. Access to history: the unification of Germany and the challenge of nationalism by A. Stiles and A. Farmer (ISBN 978-1510459205)
9. The Russian revolution 1894 - 1924 by Christopher Culpin (ISBN 978-1444144567)
10. Access to history: Reaction and revolution: Russia 1894 - 1924 by Michael Lynch (ISBN 978-1471838569)
Students will be required to use a ring-bound file (not a flip file or quotation folder); students should have at least ten file dividers in their files at the start of the year. Information as to labelling them will be given on the first day of class. This will make for an easy-to-use and flexible system for storing notes and homework. Students must bring their file and an exam pad of blank paper to each class.
Please note that all homework exercises and assignments must be submitted in handwritten format.
AS Year 2
Who?
This course is designed for students who began working through the AS history syllabus in January 2025 and are writing in October 2026. It is thus the second year of a two-year programme, appropriate for students who have already covered the syllabus in some depth.
What?
This course is designed around the AS Level History 9489 syllabus: Modern European option.
This course aims to give students a deep appreciation for the study of history - both the events as they unfolded and the task of the historian in describing, analysing and explaining those events. The focus in this course is to read broadly around the syllabus scope, training students to understand the interpretation of historical events and to practise developing students' own explanatory and interpretative skills.
Weekly classes include:
- Feedback on weekly homework
- Discussion of new material
- Students' presentations
- Debates around syllabus topics
There will be a minimum of ten past paper practices incorporated into the coursework throughout the year, which students will submit for detailed feedback.
Tutor
The tutor for this course is Chiara Button.
Students may attend this class in person at Imago's premises in Rietfontein or online.
Please note that the timetable below is not final and is subject to change.
AS Year 2 History 26a-26b
Venue: Rietfontein and online
Course duration: January - December 2026
Lesson time: Wednesday 11:00 - 12:30
Fees: R893 per month over 12 months (January - December)
Zoom code: 833 3633 2785
All of the following books are required. Potential suppliers and sources are listed below each book title.
1. Cambridge International AS Level History Modern Europe, 1750–1921 Coursebook (ISBN 978-1108733922)
- Imago Education (order link)
- Available at Cambridge University Press
- Available through Takealot or Amazon
2. Napoleon the great / Napoleon, a life by Andrew Roberts (ISBN 978-0143127857)
- Takealot or Amazon
- Exclusive Books
3. The French Revolution and what went wrong by Stephen Clarke (ISBN 978-1784754365)
- Takealot or Amazon (available on Kindle)
- Exclusive Books
4. Twelve who ruled by R.R. Palmer (ISBN 978-0691175928)
- Takealot or Amazon (available on Kindle)
- Exclusive Books, Protea Books or another academic bookseller
5. Iron Kingdom by Christopher Clark (ISBN 978-0674031968)
- Takealot or Amazon (available on Kindle)
- Exclusive Books
6. A people's tragedy by Orlando Figes (ISBN 978-0140243642)
- Takealot or Amazon
- By private arrangement, Imago can organize to ship second-hand copies from the US
The following books are recommended reading, but not required:
1. The glory and the sorrow by Timothy Tackett (ISBN 978-0197557389)
2. The Oxford history of the French Revolution by William Doyle (ISBN 978-0198804932)
3. Austria, Prussia and the making of Germany 1806 - 71 by John Breuilly (ISBN 978-1408272763)
4. Imperial Germany 1850 - 1918 by Edgar Feuchtwanger (ISBN 978-0415207881)
5. Bismarck and Germany, 1862 - 1890 by David G. Williamson (ISBN 978-1408223185)
6. Access to history: the unification of Germany and the challenge of nationalism by A. Stiles and A. Farmer (ISBN 978-1510459205)
7. The Russian revolution 1894 - 1924 by Christopher Culpin (ISBN 978-1444144567)
8. Access to history: Reaction and revolution: Russia 1894 - 1924 by Michael Lynch (ISBN 978-1471838569)
Students will be required to use a ring-bound file (not a flip file or quotation folder); students should have at least ten file dividers in their files at the start of the year. Information as to labelling them will be given on the first day of class. This will make for an easy-to-use and flexible system for storing notes and homework. Students must bring their file and an exam pad of blank paper to each class.
Please note that all homework exercises and assignments must be submitted in handwritten format.