GCSE History (8145) changes to specification for 2020 exams

Tuesday 1 Oct 2019

We’re making some changes to the command word and stems to a number of GCSE History questions to make the demands of these questions clearer for all students. The changes will affect the following papers from the 2020 exams and onwards.

• Paper 1 Section A Question 1 (period study units for components 1A/B, 1A/B, 1A/C, 1A/D)
• Paper 1 Section A Question 3 (period study units for components 1A/B, 1A/B, 1A/C, 1A/D)
• Paper 2 Section A Question 3 (thematic units for components 2A/A, 2A/B, 2A/C)
• Paper 2 Section B  Question 1 AO4 (British depth study units for components 2B/A, 2B/B, 2B/C, 2B/D)

The changes do not reflect a change in approach or actual demand to the questions. The requirements of the mark schemes and weighting of the assessment objectives are not affected.

• Specification changes – updated scheme of assessment.
• See examples of the current and new command word and question stem for each question.
• Revised sample and additional sample assessment materials are available in assessment resources.

Please note the assessment materials for the June 2018 and 2019 exams will not be updated.