Personal Statement - History and Politics 8

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

My father's position as a representative in the States of Guernsey exposed me to politics from a young age, and I have always been fascinated by the decisions that have shaped the environment and people around me. Public debates became necessary listening. It was this engagement with politics in my childhood that expanded my love of both History and Politics, as it highlighted how events in the past are linked together and develop into current affairs. That is why I would want to study both Politics and History as I love the interplay between current affairs and patterns of the past.

How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?

Studying History helped me to expand my ability to analyse and evaluate evidence to construct a coherent argument. Unfortunately, I was unable to study Politics for A level, as it was not offered as a course at my school; however, it was the political aspect of my History A level (the French Revolution) that I was especially interested in. I am absolutely fascinated by how ideologies become catalysts for change; when people are faced with severe economic and social problems, shifts towards extremism can be seen, be it the communist revolution in Russia during World War I or the rise of the Nazis in the 1930s. The ability to learn from past events and apply those experiences when dealing with modern crises—such as the ISIL movement in the Middle East—furthers my belief that both History and Politics are deeply connected, which is why I want to do a combined honours degree. My A level Psychology reinforced the skills I learnt from studying History.

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

I have read many books on both subjects in an attempt to gain further insight into many different points of view, having particularly enjoyed John O'Farrel's History of Modern Britain, partially because of his comedic style but also due to my own fascination with today's political landscape in Britain and how it was shaped through its past experiences. Apathy among the general public is a key reason I want to study Politics and History, as only through engaging in Politics can we learn from the mistakes of the past and avoid making them in the future. Participating in my school's Debating Society, I developed the ability to construct serious and complex arguments around topical social issues, such as the use of mass surveillance by modern governments. This enabled me to connect with social issues and link them with the wider world, which is one of the reasons I want to study Politics and History. My confidence in public speaking and communication skills enhanced as a consequence of debating in front of my peers. Through work experience I conducted at Guernsey's Policy Council in 2010 and the Economic Development Unit in 2013, I gained firsthand knowledge of how politics works in practice. This practical side to political theory deeply interests me. Alongside my academic studies, I contributed to the wider community through volunteer work at the Guernsey Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) and my local LGBT rights group Liberate. Additionally, over my last two years of sixth form, I worked with the History Department to tutor GCSE History students. Being an active member of my school's charity committee, I had to organise events to raise money for various charities and address the whole school during assemblies. I also took an active role at my school as a prefect, encouraging model behaviour in the younger students in an effort to uphold the values and standards of the school. It is this enthusiasm I feel for both History and Politics, as well as my determination to achieve my best and dedication to contributing to the community around me, that I believe will see me flourish at university and prepare me for a future in UK politics.

Universities applied to:

• Lancaster (History and Politics)
• Kent (History and Politics)
• Lincoln (History)
• York (Politics)

Grades achieved:

• History (A2) A
• Psychology (A2) A
• Biology (A2) D

How personal statements have changed?

The current personal statement format, with three 'scaffolding' questions, was introduced by Ucas in September 2025. This personal statement was submitted before then, using the old essay-style format. It has been carefully edited into the three-question format, with all of the original wording kept.

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