Switching to AQA from OCR A

Written exam paper

Written exam paper

2 hours

1 hour 45 minutes

84 marks (including four marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar)

105 marks (including five marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar)

50% of the GCSE

50% of the GCSE

Section A Period Study

Section A Period Study

40 marks

65 marks (including five for spelling, punctuation and grammar).

Students take one of the following options:

• 1A America, 1840–1895: Expansion and Consolidation
• 1B Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and dictatorship
• 1C Russia, 1894–1945: Tsardom and communism
• 1D America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and inequality

Students must take International Relations: the changing international order 1918–c2001.

Students answer six questions.

The first three questions test interpretations (AO4).

The fourth question tests their knowledge and understanding (AO1) and the last two questions test AO1 with AO2 (explanation and analysis of historical events and periods using second-order concepts).

Students answer four questions.

Question 1 tests students’ knowledge and understanding (AO1).

Question 2 tests both AO1 and AO2 (explanation and analysis using second order concepts).

For Questions 3 students will be tested on interpretations (A04) and AO1.

Question four will be an essay that assesses AO4 with AO1 and AO2. There are also five marks available for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Section B Wider World Depth Study

Section B Non British Depth Options

44 marks (including four marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar).

40 marks

Students take one of the following options:

• Conflict and tension, the First World War, 1894–1918
• Conflict and tension, the Interwar Years, 1918–1939
• Conflict and tension between East and West, 1945–1972
• Conflict and tension in Asia, 1950–1975
• Conflict and tension in the Gulf and Afghanistan

Students take one of the following options:

• China 1950–1981: The People and State
• Germany 1925–1955: The People and   State
• Poland 1956–1990: The People and State
• Russia 1928–1964: The People and State
• South Africa 1960–1994: The People and   State
• The USA 1919–1948: The People and   State
• The USA 1945–1974: The People and   State

Students answer four questions.

The first two questions target source evaluation (AO3) and the other two questions test AO1 and AO2.

Students answer four questions.

Question 1 will target students’ knowledge and understanding (AO1). The second and fourth question will assess AO1 with AO2. The third question targets source evaluation. Some year this question will be one question and in other years it will be 1 question comprised of two parts.

Written exam

Written exam

2 hours

1 hour

84 marks (including 4 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar)

50 marks

50% of the GCSE

25% of the GCSE

Section A Thematic Study

This section is worth 44 marks (including 4 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar).

This paper is worth 50 marks.

Students take one of the following options:

• Britain: Health and the people: c1000 to the present day
• Britain: Power and the people: c1170 to the present day
• Britain: Migration, empires and people: c790 to the present day

Students take one of the following options:

• Migration to Britain c1000 to c2010
• Power: Monarchy and democracy in Britain c1000 to 2014
• War and British society c790 to c2010

Students answer four questions.

The first question tests sources (AO3). The other three questions target AO1 and AO2.

Students answer four questions.

The first question will target A01. Questions 2, 3 and 4 will test AO1 and AO2.

Section B British Depth Study

There is no Section B.

This section is worth 40 marks.

Students take one of the following options incorporating the study of a specific historic environment:

• Norman England, c1066–c1100
• Medieval England: the reign of Edward I, 1272–1307
• Elizabethan England, c1568–1603
• Restoration England, 1660–1685

Students answer four questions.

The first question tests interpretations (AO4). The other three questions target AO1 and AO2.

There is no Paper 3.

Written exam

1 hour 15 minutes

55 marks (including five for spelling, punctuation and grammar)

25% of the GCSE

Section A British Depth Study

This section is worth 35 marks (including five marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar).

Students take one of the following three British options:

• The impact of Empire on Britain 1688–c1730
• The English Reformation c1520–c1550
• Personal Rule to Restoration 1629–1660.

Their depth study option and study of the historic environment are linked to their chosen thematic study and all three must be taken together.

Students answer two questions.

The first question tests AO1 and AO2. The second question is an essay question that targets AO1 and AO2 and incorporates source evaluation (AO3). There also five marks available for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Section B Historic Environment

This section is worth 20 marks.

Students take one of the following options:

• Urban environment: Patterns of   migration
• Castles: form and function c1000–1750
• Castles: form and function c1000–1750

Their study of the historic environment is linked to their British depth study and thematic study and all three must be taken together.

There are two questions. The first question targets AO1 and AO2. The second question assesses AO3.