GCSE History

🎓 The Course

History is about people. It is about everyday life and momentous occasions. It is all around us, and we are continually making history through our thoughts, words and actions.

In GSCE History, pupils will study different aspects of the past, so they can understand how our world works and how and why things happen. They will engage with key issues that remain current in our world today. For example; dictatorship, democracy and conflict, helping them to understand what drives change and recognising how the past influences the present. 

History not only develops knowledge of the past but it also teaches skills of analysis, argument, evaluation and judgement. Skills developed in GCSE History will help pupils sort out fact from fiction, opinion from fact, and use this evidence to piece the jigsaw together.

These skills are transferable, cross-curricula, as well as being skills that employers value highly. This is why History continues to be one of the most respected and sought after qualifications available at GCSE.

📝 Assessments

Exam Paper One

📋 50% of overall grade
⏰ 2 hour exam
✅ 84 marks (including 4 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar)

Unit 1: Understanding the modern world

  • Section A: Period Study - Germany, 1890 – 1945: Democracy and Dictatorship 
  • Section B: Wider world depth studies - Conflict and Tension between East and West 1945-1972 

Exam Paper Two

📋 50% of overall grade
⏰ 2 hour exam
✅ 84 marks (including 4 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar)

Unit 2: Shaping the nation - written paper, 1 hour 45 minutes 

  • Section A: Thematic study - Britain: Migration, empires and the people: c790 to the present day
  • Section B: British Depth Study including the historic environment - Elizabeth England, c.1568-1603
A girl sitting at a desk, looking at a worksheet

Subject Contact:

Miss Hartsmith

Post-16 Academic:

  • A Level History
  • A Level Classical Civilisation
  • A Level History of Art
  • A Level Law
  • A Level Government & Politics
  • A Level Religious Studies

Post-16 Employment:

  • Civil Service
  • Management
  • Accountancy
  • Law
  • Research
  • Archaeology
  • Conservation and Restoration
  • Heritage Work
  • Journalism
  • Tourism
  • Teaching
  • Politics
  • Public Relations (PR)
  • Human Resources (HR)
  • Media