History

    OCR
    GCSE

    History develops your ability to analyse evidence, evaluate interpretations and construct arguments about the past. You'll explore significant events, people and societies while developing critical thinking skills.

    13

    Topics

    0

    Objectives

    52

    Exam Tips

    49

    Pitfalls

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    Key Features

    • Analyse primary sources
    • Evaluate historical interpretations
    • Understand cause and consequence
    • Construct evidenced arguments

    Assessment Objectives

    AO1
    45%

    Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the key features and characteristics of the historical periods studied

    AO2
    35%

    Explain and analyse historical events and periods studied using second-order historical concepts.

    AO3
    15%

    Analyse, evaluate and use sources (contemporary to the period) to make substantiated judgements, in the context of historical events studied.

    AO4
    15%

    Analyse, evaluate and make substantiated judgements about interpretations (including how and why interpretations may differ) in the context of historical events studied.

    What Gets Top Grades

    A*/Grade 9

    Knowledge & Understanding

    Demonstrates comprehensive and accurate knowledge

    • Uses correct subject-specific terminology
    • Shows detailed understanding of concepts
    • Makes accurate connections between topics
    • Demonstrates depth beyond surface-level knowledge

    Application

    Applies knowledge effectively to new contexts

    • Selects relevant knowledge for the question
    • Adapts understanding to unfamiliar scenarios
    • Uses examples appropriately
    • Shows awareness of context

    Analysis & Evaluation

    Develops sophisticated analytical arguments

    • Constructs logical chains of reasoning
    • Considers multiple perspectives
    • Weighs evidence to reach justified conclusions
    • Acknowledges limitations and nuances

    Key Command Words

    OCR
    State
    1 mark

    Give a single fact or term

    Identify
    1 mark

    Name or select

    Describe
    2-4 marks

    Account of process or features

    Explain
    3-6 marks

    Give reasons with BUSINESS-FACING outcomes

    Analyse
    6-9 marks

    Examine methodically showing cause→effect→outcome

    Evaluate
    9-12 marks

    Judge, weigh up evidence, reach SYNOPTIC conclusion

    Common Exam Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exams

    • •Generalising Medieval people as universally 'filthy' and ignoring regulations like the 1388 Public Health Act or the role of gongfermers.
    • •Confusing the responses to the Black Death (1348) with the Great Plague (1665), particularly regarding the role of local authorities.
    • •Failing to define 'Laissez-faire' correctly when explaining the delay in 19th-century public health reforms.
    • •Providing a narrative of events (storytelling) rather than an analytical explanation of why changes occurred.
    • •Conflating the 'Hue and Cry' system with the later 'Metropolitan Police' era.
    • •Asserting that the Bloody Code was effective because it was harsh, ignoring the reluctance of juries to convict.
    • •Providing a narrative of events (storytelling) instead of an analytical explanation of why changes occurred.
    • •Failing to distinguish between 'policing' (catching criminals) and 'punishment' (penalizing the convicted).

    Top Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for exam success

    • •For the 9-mark Summary question, identify three distinct points covering the full timeframe requested; do not write an introduction or conclusion.
    • •In 'Why' questions, focus on the catalyst for change. Don't just describe the event; explain the mechanism that caused the outcome.
    • •Memorise specific local examples (e.g., Coventry's waste disposal or Leeds' back-to-back housing) to move out of generic Level 2 descriptions.
    • •For the 18-mark essay, ensure your conclusion revisits the 'How far' judgment and doesn't just summarise previous points.
    • •For the 9-mark Summary question, identify three distinct points/factors and support each with specific evidence; do not write a conclusion.
    • •In the 18-mark essay, ensure your conclusion weighs the factors against each other—explain why one was more significant than the other.
    • •Use specific dates or decades to anchor your answer (e.g., 'In the 1830s...' rather than 'In the past...').
    • •Link changes in crime and punishment to wider historical context, such as the growth of towns or the decline of religious authority.

    Specification Topics

    13 topics

    The peoples health, c.1250 to present

    0 objectives4 tips4 pitfalls

    Crime and punishment, c.1250 to present

    0 objectives4 tips4 pitfalls

    Migrants to Britain, c.1250 to present

    0 objectives4 tips4 pitfalls

    The Norman Conquest, 1065-1087

    0 objectives4 tips4 pitfalls

    The Elizabethans, 1580-1603

    0 objectives4 tips3 pitfalls

    Britain in peace and war, 1900-1918

    0 objectives4 tips3 pitfalls

    Local Site Study

    0 objectives4 tips4 pitfalls

    Viking expansion, c.750-c.1050

    0 objectives4 tips3 pitfalls

    The Mughal Empire, 1526-1707

    0 objectives4 tips4 pitfalls

    The making of America, 1789-1900

    0 objectives4 tips4 pitfalls

    The First Crusade, c.1070-1100

    0 objectives4 tips4 pitfalls

    Aztecs and the Spanish conquest, 1519-1535

    0 objectives4 tips4 pitfalls

    Living under Nazi rule, 1933-1945

    0 objectives4 tips4 pitfalls

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