What is ‘The PRESC Factor?’
Welcome to PRESC Tutoring. A concept that goes beyond a conventional tutoring service.
PRESC Tutoring takes an innovative and unique approach to its teaching and tutoring. History does not just happen. In fact, on its own, history is just a word we associate with the past. The PRESC factor is a technique used to show how and why history has happened.
PRESC is an acronym that denotes:
- Politics - The pursuit of power and the study of government and governance.
- Religion – The role organised religion has had on global events.
- Economics – The impact of money, commerce, and business on the world.
- Society – How humans have interacted with one another within communities.
- Culture – Traditions and heritages that make up various civilisations.
Why is this important? On its own, history is a mere word that talks about the past. However, History isn’t and shouldn’t be treated as a mere word, set of dates or standalone facts. To do history justice we need to delve into what makes it happen. PRESC is a system that sims to demonstrate why events have happened using a multifaced original approach.
The above descriptions can be viewed both independently and interdependently. Whether introducing history to a 7-year-old or an 18-year-old, this technique provides a firm grounding in understanding why history has been what it has.
Let us look at a few examples:
"(Bloody) Mary I had 284 burned alive at the stake because they refused to be Catholic."
On the face of it, this statement is clearly a religious argument. Mary burning people alive because of their refusal to embrace her Catholic faith has deep religious roots. And yet, while religion is clearly a major factor, students should endeavour to look for deeper factors to help justify their understanding of events. This statement can be interpreted as both political and cultural. Political because Mary could not allow her subjects to blatantly disregard her demand for a return to Catholicism, and cultural because of the societal norms and traditions of that era.
Using the above example, think about the following statements:
- ‘The riots that have engulfed the UK in 2024 are a result of failed immigration policies from successive Westminster governments.’
- ‘World War I started because of an assassination in Sarajevo in the summer of 1914.’
- ‘The USA declared war on Iraq in 2003 because of their desire to spread democracy throughout the region.’
Each of these points are typical exam / essay questions from various exam boards sat by history and politics students. There is no right or wrong answer for any of the above statements. Students must take a statement like the ones given above and put forward arguments for and against the statement. Once they have done this, they can then come to a considered judgement based on the strength of their balanced argument. Students are encouraged to take a critical look at accepted narratives, be prepared to question their own prejudices, and look at history in a multifaceted way. History is very rarely simple; indeed, the complexities of why events happen make it such a fascinating topic to study. The PRESC factor helps break arguments down into structured sections and allows considered analysis to take place.
Let’s look at a mini answer for the American invasion of Iraq as an example of how the PRESC factor works in practice.
‘America’s invasion of Iraq in 2003 can be seen as a political reason. President George W. Bush and his Neo-con allies in Washington had a vision of democracy being the highest form of government and felt compelled to spread it around the globe. America felt if it could set up a democratic beacon in one of the regions strongest countries then it would spread to the other autocratic regimes in the region.
However, economic factors also played a huge role in the invasion. President Bush was an oil man from Texas and several of his closest allies including his Vice President Dick Cheney had commercial interests in leading oil companies. The chance to have a controlling stake in Arabic oil was one that too good to turn down.
A further reason and one that is contentious is that Bush invaded Iraq for religious reasons. Using clumsy language, Bush declared war on Iraq as a ‘crusade’ seemingly unaware of the historically connotations of using such a word for a western based invasion into Arabic lands…’
Whether a student is studying for A level, (I)GCSE, KS3, or as a primary pupil, history essays, assignments, and projects invariably require a balanced and nuanced approach to achieve the top grades. An understanding of the PRESC factor is a sure-fire way of delivering top-level work no matter what age grade or exam board being sat.
PRESC Tutoring offers a bespoke service that encompasses several areas. Firstly, as a team of experienced teachers and examiners, we will offer comprehensive A Level and (IGCSE) History and Politics lessons delivered in an interactive online environment. We offer a specialised exam feedback service where mock / practice exam papers can be submitted and returned with unrivalled analytic and forensic feedback. All major exam boards are covered (Edexcel, AQA, CiE and WJEC as well as IB and AP) by our team.
It is not just exam age students that can benefit from PRESC Tutoring. The world is a fascinating, complex and at times scary place. We offer a service that aims to introduce key historical / geo-political concepts to both Primary and KS3 age students. A list of topics covered is provided in the ‘about us’ section on the website, but any topic that is requested can be covered. Such is the comprehensive reach of PRESC Tutoring.
PRESC Tutoring has a vision to ensure that the studying of History and (geo) Politics is engaging and accessible to all. As the great Roman orator said, ‘to remain ignorant of what came before you is to remain always a child.’
We look forward to welcoming you to PRESC Tutoring.
