does history a level have coursework

How Hard is A-Level History?

In A-Level by Think Student Editor March 22, 2023 3 Comments

When choosing your A-Level options, you want to make sure you have options that suit your future career plans but are also manageable. A-Level History is a subject that can take you down several paths, from History, to English, to Law, to Economics and other subjects. However, being so well respected, many students think A-Level History must be quite difficult.

This article will take you through how difficult A-Level History is, how difficult the exams are, and other statistics about A-Level History, so keep reading for all you need to know.

Disclaimer: A-Level difficulty is subjective and depends on the personal ability of the student. What one student may find challenging, another student may face less difficulty with, and vice versa. This article is based on the writer’s experience as a student who studied GCSE and A-Level History.

Table of Contents

How hard is it to pass A-Level History?

Keep reading further in the article for exact statistics on how many people pass A-Level History. However, as a general answer, it isn’t too difficult to pass A-Level History .

To pass, you need some basic subject knowledge and a few facts, with a somewhat coherent argument . However, it’s obviously better to try and achieve a better grade than just a pass, so try your hardest in the exams!

How hard is it to get an A*?

Later in the article, I’ll be providing statistics for how many students achieved an A* in A-Level History in the past few years, so keep reading for the exact information.

Generally, it is quite hard to achieve an A* in A-Level History . You will need a lot of subject-specific knowledge and facts, and a coherent and sophisticated argument/writing style.

What is the A-Level History pass rate?

Provided by JCQ , the pass rate for A-Level History for 2022, 2021 and 2019 was 87.8%, 91.2%, and 81% respectively . From the statistics, you can see that A-Level History is not too difficult to pass.

However, it’s better to try and aim for higher grades . If university courses require A-Level History, most universities will ask for a grade B or A , which less people achieve. Make sure to try your hardest and aim for the best grade!

How many students get A* in A-Level History?

Below is a table for the number of students who achieved an A* from 2019-2022 (excluding 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic preventing exams from being sat in-person).

As you can see from the table, only a select handful of students achieve an A* in A-Level History. However, it is definitely possible, so work hard for it and you can get there!

How much content is there in A-Level History?

In short, there is a lot of content to learn for A-Level History, and many students regard it as one of the most content-intense A-Level subjects .

For this reason, A-Level History was named as one of the hardest A-Level subjects in this Think Student article, which I recommend checking out if you’re undecided about your A-Level options.

How hard are A-Level History exams?

A-Level History exams are generally quite hard.

You have to know a lot of broad and specific knowledge across a wide range of historical periods, and exams can be 2-3 hours long . Staying focused for such a long period can be quite a strain, so quite a lot of students struggle with the exams.

However, with lots of revision and preparation, they are certainly do-able! During my A-Level History exams, I made sure to take 2–3-minute writing breaks and have fresh water with me , so I’d recommend the same.

How are A-Level History exams structured?

The exam structure for A-Level History depends on the exam board your school follows . However, across all the exam boards, each module for A-Level History has its own paper.

These exams range from 1hr 30mins to 3 hours long . There are 2 or 3 questions, usually essays of 25 marks or more, per exam.

What is in the A-Level History syllabus?

The A-Level History syllabus is a list of several different topics (historical periods), and your school chooses which modules students sit.

However, there’s a general structure for the course across the exam boards. I’ll give you a breakdown of the AQA, OCR, and Edexcel courses.

For AQA A-Level History, students have 2 modules: a breadth study and a depth study, one of which must be a British history option . The breadth study and depth study each have a 1hr 30min exam with 2 25-mark questions. The full specification is linked here .

For OCR A-Level History, students have 3 modules: a British period study (worth 25% of the A-Level), a non-British period study (worth 15%), and a thematic study with historical interpretation (worth 40%) . The full specification is linked here .

For Edexcel A-Level History, students have 3 modules: a breadth study with historical interpretation, a depth study, and “themes in breadth with aspects in depth”. The full specification is linked here .

Each of the modules has a list of different topics for schools to choose from, so the periods you study will be specific to your school.

Does A-Level History have coursework?

For AQA, OCR and Edexcel, A-Level History does have coursework. The coursework modules across the exam boards are all worth 20% of the total A-Level.

AQA, OCR and Edexcel A-Level History coursework is a 3500-4500-word historical investigation on a topic of your choice (but it must be approved by your school).

What are the entry requirements for A-Level History?

A-Level History doesn’t have an official entry requirement set by exam boards. However, since A-Level History has a heavy workload and requires quite a bit of dedication, schools will often have their own entry requirements.

Most schools recommend that you must have achieved a 6 in GCSE History to take the subject at A-Level . These are different for every school, so this might be lower or higher, but GCSE grade 6 is the most common.

While you can take A-Level History without having sat GCSE History, this is generally not recommended because of how hard A-Level History is .

How many students take A-Level History?

Based on the official government website statistics, in 2022 42,885 students took A-Level History, a 3.1% increase from the previous year .

Over the years, the number of students choosing to take A-Level History has fluctuated. From 2018-2022, the number of students who chose to take A-Level History peaked at almost 47,500 students in 2019 and was lowest in 2020 at 41,120 students .

All these statistics are available on this page of the UK government website.

How hard is A-Level History compared to GCSE History?

Based purely on the grade distribution for GCSE and A-Level history in 2022, A-Level History and GCSE History seem equal in difficulty. The grade bracket with the highest number of results was a B in A-Level History (31.7%), and a grade 6 at GCSE (14.7%).

Ofqual has statistics for grade distribution for A-Level and GCSE History, linked here and here .

However, as a student who has studied both GCSE and A-Level History, I would say that A-Level History is definitely harder, based on the workload and the depth of knowledge required to achieve the top grades .

I personally had to revise a lot more for A-Level History than GCSE History, because there were so many more facts I had to remember.

Which subjects does A-Level History go well with?

A-Level History is a well-respected subject because of its difficulty, which you can read about in this Think Student article. Therefore, it can work well with Humanities and STEM subjects , depending on which field you want to go in to.

A-Level History is better if you want to enter a Humanities field, because it works with a larger range of subjects . Some of the best A-Level combinations with History are English, Geography, Modern Languages, Classics and Politics.

However, A-Level History can also work with STEM subjects . If you want to enter a STEM field, some good subjects to go with A-Level History include Economics, Chemistry, Biology, and Maths .

This Think Student article has a list of 17 A-Level combinations, some including history, that I’d recommend checking out.

This appears to be a very subjective piece of “advice”offered as fact. Studying History would actually allow you to challenge propaganda such as this which appears to be written by someone who does not like history and finds it boring. Theythen write a piece suggesting everyone should agree. ALL A levels are challenging. ALL A levels have lots of information and suggesting that this is particularly true of History suggests some lack of understanding of the education process from the writer. If you are going to offer advice could there be an attempt to be more impartial and actually useful?

Hi there J, Firstly, I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t find this student’s opinion informative. The content listed on this site is written by students who each have their own unique opinion that some will agree with and some will not. We do not aim to present the information displayed on this site as absolute fact as many of the topics we discuss can’t be narrowed to simple quantitative arguments and we try to be as transparent as humanly possible. Due to this, I have now ensured that a disclaimer is now displayed on the sidebar of every single …  Read more »

“you never explain what happened in a historical event.” There are literally questions that ask you how far something happened or to what extent you need to explain!

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AS and A-level History

• Specification
• Planning resources
• Teaching resources
• Assessment resources

Introduction

• Specification at a glance
• 1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204
• 1B Spain in the Age of Discovery, 1469–1598 (A-level only)
• 1C The Tudors: England, 1485–1603
• 1D Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702
• 1E Russia in the Age of Absolutism and Enlightenment, 1682–1796 (A-level only)
• 1F Industrialisation and the people: Britain, c1783–1885
• 1G Challenge and transformation: Britain, c1851–1964
• 1H Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855–1964
• 1J The British Empire, c1857–1967
• 1K The making of a Superpower: USA, 1865–1975
• 1L The quest for political stability: Germany, 1871–1991
• 2A Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154–1216
• 2B The Wars of the Roses, 1450–1499
• 2C The Reformation in Europe, c1500–1564 (A-level only)
• 2D Religious conflict and the Church in England, c1529–c1570
• 2E The English Revolution, 1625–1660
• 2F The Sun King: Louis XIV, France and Europe, 1643–1715 (A-level only)
• 2G The Birth of the USA, 1760–1801
• 2H France in Revolution, 1774–1815 (A-level only)
• 2J America: A Nation Divided, c1845–1877
• 2K International Relations and Global Conflict, c1890–1941 (A-level only)
• 2L Italy and Fascism, c1900–1945
• 2M Wars and Welfare: Britain in Transition, 1906–1957
• 2N Revolution and dictatorship: Russia, 1917–1953
• 2O Democracy and Nazism: Germany, 1918–1945
• 2P The Transformation of China, 1936–1997
• 2Q The American Dream: reality and illusion, 1945–1980
• 2R The Cold War, c1945–1991
• 2S The Making of Modern Britain, 1951–2007
• 2T The Crisis of Communism: The USSR and the Soviet Empire, 1953–2000 (A-level only)

Component 3: Historical investigation (non-exam assessment) (A-level only)

• Scheme of assessment
• Non-exam assessment administration
• General administration

Purpose of the Historical investigation

The purpose of the Historical Investigation is to enable students to develop the skills, knowledge and historical understanding acquired through the study of the examined components of the specification.

Through undertaking the Historical Investigation students will develop an enhanced understanding of the nature and purpose of history as a discipline and how historians work.

• ask relevant and significant questions about the past and undertake research
• develop as independent learners and critical and reflective thinkers
• acquire an understanding of the nature of historical study
• organise and communicate their knowledge and understanding in a piece of sustained writing

Students will be required to submit a Historical Investigation based on a development or issue which has been subject to different historical interpretations. The Historical Investigation must:

• be independently researched and written by the student
• be presented in the form of a piece of extended writing of between 3500 and 4500 words in length, with a limit of 4500 words
• draw upon the student's investigation of sources (both primary and secondary) which relate to the development or issue chosen and the differing interpretations that have been placed on this
• place the issue to be investigated within a context of approximately 100 years
• be an issue which does not duplicate the content of Components 1 and 2.

The Historical Investigation must be supervised in accordance with the requirements of Section 5.1 of this specification.

The centre must complete a non-examined assessment (NEA) title approval form no later than 20 October in the year before the intended completion of the A-level course. The form must detail the title and date range of the proposed historical investigation for each student. The teacher must state which examined components will be studied. This form must be submitted to AQA for review. AQA will check that the proposed historical investigation title, when combined with the examined components, meets the following requirements:

• the proposed title is set in the context of approximately 100 years
• there is no overlap with the content of the options studied for the examined components
• all three components together cover a chronological range of at least 200 years

AQA will inform the centre if any historical investigation title does not meet the requirements and the focus for the non-examined assessment will need to be changed.

Failure to comply with these requirements will invalidate the student’s entry and no A-level result will be issued.

It is therefore vital that the teacher ensures that all requirements are met. If a student changes their historical investigation title, a new form should be completed.

On completion of the NEA, each student must also complete a Candidate Record Form (CRF) detailing the options studied for the examined components. The student must sign this form. The teacher must counter sign the CRF and this declaration will confirm that the historical investigation complies with the NEA title approval form and has adhered to all requirements.

The CRF must be sent to the moderator at the same time as marks for the NEA are submitted. The moderator will check that all course requirements have been met.

If the requirements have not been met, then the entry will be invalid and no result issued.

Copies of all the documentation, including the NEA proposal form and guidance on submission procedures are available from the AQA website at www.aqa.org.uk/history

Further guidance is available from the History subject team: [email protected]

Choice of issue and question to be studied

Students will be required to identify an issue or topic they wish to study and develop a question from this issue or topic as the focus of the Historical Investigation. The issue or topic to be studied and the question which stems from it must place the issue or topic in the context of approximately 100 years of history. The question could be based on British history or non-British history or could be a multi-country issue. However, it must not duplicate content studied in Components 1 and 2.

The Historical Investigation could identify an issue and a related question which traces a development over approximately 100 years. Alternatively, it could focus on a narrower issue, but place it the context of approximately 100 years.

• A broad issue and related question which analyses its development over approximately 100 years, for example: assessing how Puritanism changed during the Seventeenth Century; or assessing the extent to which the condition of the Russian peasant improved over the period 1850–1950
• A more specific issue in the context of approximately 100 years, for example: assessing the extent to which the Glorious Revolution successfully settled relations between Crown and Parliament in the context of the Stuart period; or assessing the extent to which Tsar Nicholas I changed the nature of Tsarist rule set against the period of Catherine the Great, Alexander and Nicholas I.

Issues which relate to international, national or local developments are appropriate, as are investigations which adopt specific historical perspectives such as cultural, social or technological.

However, in choosing the issue, students need to take the following into account:

• Is there a range of primary sources and primary material available to support individual investigation?
• Is the issue and related question one which has promoted debate and differences of interpretation amongst historians?

When framing the question to be answered, students must ensure that it enables them to demonstrate skills of historical analysis, evaluation and judgement, to appraise the views of historians and to evaluate primary sources.

Students are advised to use the type of question formulations seen in examinations such as the use of questions which begin ‘To what extent’ or a quotation in the form of a judgement followed by ‘Assess the validity of this view’.

The A-level subject content for history requires that students carry out a Historical Investigation that is independently researched. It is acceptable that students within a centre base their Historical Investigations around the same topic. However, the essential pre-requisite of non-exam assessment and the principal purpose of the Historical Investigation both require that the Historical Investigation is the work of individual students each developing a question to investigate and each evaluating individually, primary sources and historical interpretations. Where students in a centre are studying a similar topic or topics, there may be only a limited number of primary sources and, more so, a limited number of historical interpretations. However, the centre must ensure that students assess and evaluate sources individually, even where sources used are similar. It is not permitted for centres to direct students to the same sources as this fundamentally undermines the need for the Historical Investigation to be the work of an individual student.

Further guidance and exemplar material are available via the AQA website.

The skills and qualities to be demonstrated and assessed

The skills and qualities of all three Assessment Objectives must be demonstrated in the Historical Investigation. These are:

AO1: demonstrate, organise and communicate knowledge and understanding to analyse and evaluate the key features related to the periods studied, making substantiated judgements and exploring concepts, as relevant, of cause, consequence, change, continuity, similarity, difference and significance.

AO2: analyse and evaluate appropriate source material, primary and/or contemporary to the period, within the historical context.

AO3: analyse and evaluate, in relation to the historical context, different ways in which aspects of the past have been interpreted.

The task required of students in responding to AO3 will be different from that in the examined components in that students will be expected to:

• show an understanding of the limitations placed on historians
• show an understanding of the significance of the time and/or context in which an historian writes
• compare and evaluate differing historical interpretations.

Students must base their analysis and evaluation of historical interpretations on the work of academic historians. It is not acceptable that the analysis and evaluation is based on textbook historians or course books.

Students are expected to use short quotations, paraphrase and/or footnotes to show the source of their interpretations. Lengthy extracts are not required.

In developing their response to a chosen issue to investigate, students are expected to consult a range of resources, which may include textbooks, course books and work of academic historians. Within the Historical Investigation, however, there must be explicit analysis and evaluation of two differing interpretations by academic historians where students analyse and evaluate the differences between the interpretations, show an awareness of the time and/or context of the interpretations and demonstrate an understanding of the limitations placed on historians.

The Historical Investigation must be written with the qualities of all three objectives integrated within the body of the work. For example, students will analyse, evaluate and reach judgements about the question chosen (AO1) and within this analysis and evaluation, appraise the views of historians (AO3) and analyse and evaluate primary source material and the extent to which it is useful in supporting arguments or conclusions (AO2).

Completion of the Historical investigation

The Investigation should be completed in approximately 3500-4500 words, excluding bibliography, footnotes, and appendices, with a limit of 4500 words. Work that exceeds this word limit will incur a five mark penalty. This penalty will be applied by AQA, and should not be applied by the teacher. A word count must be included on the Candidate Record Form.

The Investigation must contain an evaluation of three primary sources. At least two different types of primary source should be evaluated. These may be different types of written primary sources, for example: official publications; reports; diaries; speeches; letters; chronicles; observations of elite or ‘ordinary’ people (from the inside or from the outside). Other appropriate sources may include artefacts, archaeological or visual sources.

The Investigation must also demonstrate an understanding of differing interpretations presented by two academic historians about the issue.

Students are advised to avoid extensive, verbatim copying from sources and to ensure that the Investigation is written in their own words. Extensive verbatim copying can lead to malpractice.

The use of footnotes is strongly advised in order to demonstrate the range of evidence consulted and validate the bibliography. Additionally, footnotes alleviate concerns about plagiarism, as the source of comments, views, detail or others' judgements is acknowledged. Skill in the use of footnotes is also highly valued by Higher Education. A bibliography should be provided, listing the sources that have been consulted.

The role of the teacher

Teachers have a number of significant roles:

• to explain the requirements of the Historical Investigation to students
• to ensure that students do not duplicate content already covered in Components 1 and 2 and to ensure that the NEA title which forms the focus of the Historical Investigation is placed in the context of approximately 100 years
• to provide appropriate supervision of students, offering general guidance about the issue and question chosen for investigation
• to monitor the progress of the Investigation
• to submit to AQA, by 20 October in the year before intended A-level certification, an NEA title approval form. This form will require that options from Components 1 and 2 are identified, along with the title of Component 3 and its chronological range for each student
• to sign a declaration that the Investigation is the work of the individual working independently
• to inform AQA where there are concerns about malpractice, such as plagiarism or the submission of work that is not that of the student

Assessment and moderation

The Historical Investigation will be marked by centres and moderated by AQA. It is most important that centres establish rigorous internal standardisation to ensure that the rank order of the students is fair, accurate and appropriate. This is particularly important in larger centres where more than one teacher has prepared and assessed students.

The work of students is to be assessed by a levels of response mark scheme which addresses each of the following assessment objectives, with the weighting as indicated:

Mark Scheme to be used when assessing the Historical investigation

AO1: 20 marks

Demonstrate, organise and communicate knowledge and understanding to analyse and evaluate the key features related to the periods studied, making substantiated judgements and exploring concepts, as relevant, of cause, consequence, change, continuity, similarity and significance.

NOTE: An Historical investigation which fails to show an understanding of change and continuity within the context of approximately 100 years cannot be placed above Level 2 in AO1 (maximum 8 marks)

Level 5: 17–20 The response demonstrates a very good understanding of change and continuity within the context of approximately 100 years and meets the full demands of the chosen question. It is very well organised and effectively delivered. The supporting information is well-selected, specific and precise. It shows a very good understanding of key features, issues and concepts. The answer is fully analytical with a balanced argument and well-substantiated judgement.

Level 4: 13–16 The response demonstrates a good understanding of change and continuity within the context of approximately 100 years and meets the demands of the chosen question. It is well-organised and effectively communicated. There is a range of clear and specific supporting information, showing a good understanding of key features and issues, together with some conceptual awareness. The response is predominantly analytical in style with a range of direct comment relating to the question. The response is well-balanced with some judgement, which may, however, be only partially substantiated.

Level 3: 9–12 The response demonstrates an understanding of change and continuity within the context of approximately 100 years and shows an understanding of the chosen question. It provides a range of largely accurate information which shows an awareness of some of the key issues. This information may, however, be unspecific or lack precision of detail in parts. The response is effectively organised and shows adequate communication skills. There is a good deal of comment in relation to the chosen question, although some of this may be generalised. The response demonstrates some analytical qualities and balance of argument.

Level 2: 5–8 The response demonstrates some understanding of change and continuity but may have limitations in its coverage of a context of approximately 100 years. The response may be either descriptive or partial, showing some awareness of the chosen question but a failure to grasp its full demands. There is some attempt to convey material in an organised way although communication skills may be limited. The response contains some appropriate information and shows an understanding of some aspects of the investigation, but there may be some inaccuracy and irrelevance. There is some comment in relation to the question but comments may be unsupported and generalised.

Level 1: 1–4 The response demonstrates limited understanding of change and continuity and makes little reference to a context of approximately 100 years. The chosen question has been imperfectly understood and the response shows limited organisational and communication skills. The information conveyed is extremely limited in scope and parts may be irrelevant. There may be some unsupported, vague or generalised comment.

AO2: 10 marks

Analyse and evaluate appropriate source material, primary and/or contemporary to the period, within the historical context.

Level 5: 9–10 Provides a range of relevant and well-supported comments on the value of three sources of two or more different types used in the investigation to provide a balanced and convincing judgement on their merits in relation to the topic under investigation.

Level 4: 7–8 Provides relevant and well-supported comments on the value of three sources of two or more different types used in the investigation, to produce a balanced assessment on their merits in relation to the topic under investigation. Judgements may, however, be partial or limited in substantiation.

Level 3: 5–6 Provides some relevant comment on the value of three sources of at least two different types used in the Investigation. Some of the commentary is, however, of limited scope, not fully convincing or has only limited direction to the topic under investigation.

Level 2: 3–4 Either: provides some comment on the value of more than one source used in the investigation but may not address three sources in equal measure or refers to sources of the same 'type'. Or: provides some comment on the value of three sources of at least two types used in the investigation but the comment is excessively generalised and not well directed to the topic of the investigation.

Level 1: 1–2 Provides some comment on the value of at least one source used in the Investigation but the response is very limited and may be partially inaccurate. Comments are likely to be unsupported, vague or generalised.

In commenting and making judgements on the value of the sources, students will be expected to apply their own contextual knowledge and perspectives of time and place in order to assess the value and limitations of their sources as evidence. They will be expected to comment on, as appropriate to the investigation and chosen sources:

• the differing perspectives of the sources chosen
• the social, political, intellectual, religious and/or economic contexts in which the sources were written
• the credibility, authority, authenticity, consistency and comprehensiveness of the sources
• the bias, distortion or propagandist elements found in the sources

AO3: 10 marks

Analyse and evaluate, in relation to the historical context, different ways in which aspects of the past have been interpreted.

Level 5: 9–10 Shows a very good understanding of the differing historical interpretations raised by the question. There is a strong, well-substantiated and convincing evaluation of two interpretations with reference to the time, context and/or limitations placed on the historians.

Level 4: 7–8 Shows a good understanding of the differing historical interpretations raised by the question. There is some good evaluation of the two interpretations with reference to the time, context and/or limitations placed on historians, although not all comments are substantiated or convincing.

Level 3: 5–6 Shows an understanding of differing historical interpretations raised by the question. There is some supported comment on two interpretations with reference to the time, context and/or limitations placed on historians, but the comments are limited in depth and/or substantiation.

Level 2: 3–4 Shows some understanding of the differing historical interpretations raised by the question. They may refer to the time, context and/or limitations placed on the historians in an unconvincing way.

Level 1: 1–2 Shows limited understanding of the differing historical interpretations raised by the question. Comment on historical interpretations is generalised and vague.

In showing an understanding of historical interpretations and evaluating historical interpretations, students will be expected to apply their own contextual knowledge.

They will be expected, as appropriate to the investigation:

• to show an understanding of the limitations placed on historians
• to show an understanding of the significance of the time and/or context in which an historian writes
• to compare and evaluate differing historical interpretations.

NOTE: The Investigation has a limit of 4500 words. Work that exceeds this word limit will incur a 5 mark penalty. This deduction will be applied by AQA, and should not be applied by the teacher.

All about A level History – course information

What's a level history about.

History is the study of the past. It examines the  political, economic, social and cultural issues of different era and cultures. At its most ambitious, the subject is the study of everything.

Of course, in A level History you won't be expected to learn everything from the Battle of Hastings in 1066 to the Cold War, but you will cover enough in breadth and depth to develop a good understanding of events in their historical context, and to develop an historian's approach to the past. "Why was a particular course of action followed?" is a fundamental question underlying the study of history, and its primary purpose is not to judge but to comprehend.

From an intellectual standpoint, A level History is about the acquisition of vital learning skills: you need to be able  to read and digest large amounts of information and to pick out what is and is not relevant to the question you are dealing with. History will teach you how to analyse, reflect and to argue clearly in class and in writing.

Across all exam boards A level History students study particular events in depth and in broader outline papers: for example the OCR paper on the Early Tudors 1485-1558 also requires the much more focused source-based examination of the 1547-58 Mid Tudor Crisis. Each exam board offers different 'outline' and 'in depth' topics, (see OCR's specification as an example), though your college is likely to have picked the combination of outline and specific topics it will teach you.

The rewards are many! The enjoyment and intellectual stimulation you get when you've securely understood the topic are considerable. This is when arguments can be formed and you can involve yourself in the cut-and-thrust of historical debate. Your ideas will be revived or challenged and you are bound to establish new perspectives.

 What sort of work is involved ?

• Reading around the topics and researching are key elements of A level History.
• Historians need to be effective at making notes: grouping information according to themes and noting different sorts of evidence (dates, statistics and quotes).
• You will learn to evaluate source-material: understanding a document in relation to who wrote it and when it was composed.
• Writing essays is a major part of any History course. Learning how to assemble information into a thematic and analytical response to the specific question posed. Read The Economist   and The Guardian style guide for examples of effective writing.

Your teacher will guide you through the topics and techniques required. You will need to supplement this work through your own  reading and note-taking.

A key feature of most A level History courses in the second year is the 3000-4000 word independently researched assignment. This can often be on a topic of your choosing and needs to be based on primary and secondary material. This is excellent preparation for the skills required at university.

What background do I need ?

History GCSE, although useful, is not essential for the study of History A Level. It is more important that you have or can develop an analytical and precise writing-style. You will also need to assimilate a great deal of information and to assess what is valid for a particular question. History also works well with almost any combination of other A level subjects.

Where can it lead?

History is a highly respected A level and very popular at degree level. Offers from top universities will regularly be AAA or A*AA. The analytical skills required for History A level also make it a natural foundation for anyone wishing to study Law.

A degree in History also leads to many career options: you don’t just have to become a History teacher (nothing wrong with that, of course!). The Historical Association   provides a very useful overview of potential careers.

One year course?

To cover A level History in one year is perfectly manageable. It is hard work, but the skills and content can readily be covered in that time if you are organised and hard-working. History is a subject that requires excellent written skills, and it is the development of your writing skills  as much as the content which will determine how well you cope. The one year course is fast-paced, but it is all the more exciting for that!

History is mainly examined through written exams at the end of the course. It is essential that you become confident in timed conditions, and a good course will ensure that you get lots of practice in writing under limited time. The majority of boards have a coursework component, but this is usually no more than 20%. CIE is the exception to this; all the exams take the form of written exams. To take OCR as an example, you sit three written exams and submit a project. The written exams cover:

• British period study and enquiry 1 hour 30 minute paper 25% of the total
• Non-British period study 30 marks 1 hour paper 15% of the total
• Thematic study and historical interpretations 2 hour 30 minute paper 40% of total

And you will complete a 3000–4000 word essay on a topic of your choice which counts for 20% of the total

The majority of questions are concerned with why events occur - e.g. "How far do you agree that tensions in the Balkans were the most important reason for the outbreak of war in 1914?" There will also be questions that ask you to analyse a source as a piece of evidence - e.g. "How useful is Source A as evidence as to why Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church?"

This article was written by Robert Heggie Head of History at MPW College London .

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A Level History Topics

• Post author By admin
• Post date October 9, 2021
• No Comments on A Level History Topics

The following list of A Level History topics will help you to understand exactly which topics you are studying and how your course is broken down in terms of assessment. This post covers all the three main exam boards of AQA, Edexcel and OCR.

No matter which exam board and modules you are studying in order to get your best result at A Level History you will need to learn and improve certain techniques.

Pass A Level History – is our sister site, which shows you step by step, how to most effectively answer any A Level History extract, source or essay question. Please click the following link to visit the site and get access to your free preview lesson. www.passalevelhistory.co.uk

AQA Assessment Breakdown

Historical Investigation (Coursework) – 20% of final grade

Breadth Study (Exam) – 40% of final grade

Depth Study (Exam) – 40% of final grade

AQA A Level History Topics

Component 1: Breadth study

1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204

1B Spain in the Age of Discovery, 1469–1598

1C The Tudors: England, 1485–1603

1D Stuart Britain and the Crisis of Monarchy, 1603–1702

1E Russia in the Age of Absolutism and Enlightenment, 1682–1796

1F Industrialisation and the people: Britain, c1783–1885

1G Challenge and transformation: Britain, c1851–1964

1H Tsarist and Communist Russia, 1855–1964

1J The British Empire, c1857–1967

1K The making of a Superpower: USA, 1865–1975

1L The quest for political stability: Germany, 1871–1991

Component 2: Depth study

2A Royal Authority and the Angevin Kings, 1154–1216

2B The Wars of the Roses, 1450–1499

2C The Reformation in Europe, c1500–1564

2D Religious conflict and the Church in England, c1529–c1570

2E The English Revolution, 1625–1660

2F The Sun King: Louis XIV, France and Europe, 1643–1715

2G The Birth of the USA, 1760–1801

2H France in Revolution, 1774–1815

2J America: A Nation Divided, c1845–1877

2K International Relations and Global Conflict, c1890–1941

2L Italy and Fascism, c1900–1945

2M Wars and Welfare: Britain in Transition, 1906–1957

Edexcel Assessment Breakdown

Research Enquiry (Coursework) – 20% of grade

Breadth Study with Interpretations (Exam) – 30% of grade

Depth Study (Exam) – 20% of grade

Themes in Breadth + Aspects in Depth (Exam) 30% of grade

Ed Excel A Level History Topics

Breadth study with interpretations

1A: The crusades, c1095–1204

1B: England, 1509–1603: authority, nation and religion

1C: Britain, 1625–1701: conflict, revolution and settlement

1D: Britain, c1785–c1870: democracy, protest and reform

1E: Russia, 1917–91: from Lenin to Yeltsin

1F: In search of the American Dream: the USA, c1917–96

1G: Germany and West Germany, 1918–89

1H: Britain transformed, 1918–97

Depth study

2A.1: Anglo-Saxon England and the Anglo-Norman Kingdom, c1053–1106

2A.2: England and the Angevin Empire in the reign of Henry II, 1154–89

2B.1: Luther and the German Reformation, c1515–55

2B.2: The Dutch Revolt, c1563–1609

2C.1: France in revolution, 1774–99

2C.2: Russia in revolution, 1894–1924

2D.1: The unification of Italy, c1830–70

2D.2: The unification of Germany, c1840–71

2E.1: Mao’s China, 1949–76

2E.2: The German Democratic Republic, 1949–90

2F.1: India, c1914–48: the road to independence

2F.2: South Africa, 1948–94: from apartheid state to ‘rainbow nation’

2G.1: The rise and fall of fascism in Italy, c1911–46

2G.2: Spain, 1930–78: republicanism, Francoism and the re-establishment of democracy

2H.1: The USA, c1920–55: boom, bust and recovery

Themes in breadth with aspects in depth

30: Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII, 1399–1509

31: Rebellion and disorder under the Tudors, 1485–1603

32: The Golden Age of Spain, 1474–1598

33: The witch craze in Britain, Europe and North America, c1580–c1750

34.1: Industrialisation and social change in Britain, 1759–1928: forging a new society

34.2: Poverty, public health and the state in Britain, c1780–1939

35.1: Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763–1914

35.2: The British experience of warfare, c1790–1918

36.1: Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780–1928

36.2: Ireland and the Union, c1774–1923

37.1: The changing nature of warfare, 1859–1991: perception and reality

37.2: Germany, 1871–1990: united, divided and reunited

38.1: The making of modern Russia, 1855–1991

38.2: The making of modern China, 1860–1997

39.1: Civil rights and race relations in the USA, 1850–2009

39.2: Mass media and social change in Britain, 1882–2004

OCR Assessment Breakdown

Topic Based Essay (Coursework) – 20% of grade

British Period Study and Enquiry (Exam) – 25% of grade

Non-British Period Study (Exam) – 15% of grade

Thematic Study and Interpretations (Exam) – 40% of grade

OCR A Level History Topics

British Period Study and Enquiry

Alfred and the making of England 871—1016

Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest 1035—1107

England 1199—1272

England 1377—1455

England 1445—1509: Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII

England 1485—1558: the early Tudors

England 1547—1603: the late Tudors

The early Stuarts and the origins of the Civil War 1603—1660

The making of Georgian Britain 1678 — c. 1760

From Pitt to Peel: Britain 1783—1853

Liberals, Conservatives and the rise of Labour 1846—1918

Britain 1900—1951

Britain 1930—1997

Non-British Period Study

The rise of Islam c. 550 — 750

Charlemagne 768—814

The Crusades and the crusader states 1095—1192

Genghis Khan and the explosion from the Steppes c. 1167 — 1405

Exploration, Encounters and Empire 1445—1570

Spain 1469—1556

The German Reformation and the rule of Charles V 1500—1559

Philip II 1556—1598

African kingdoms c. 1400 — c. 1800: four case studies

Russia 1645—1741

The rise and decline of the Mughal Empire in India 1526—1739

The American Revolution 1740—1796

The French Revolution and the rule of Napoleon 1774—1815

France 1814—1870

Italy and unification 1789—1896

The USA in the 19th Century: Westward expansion and Civil War 1803 — c. 1890

Japan 1853—1937

International relations 1890—1941

Russia 1894—1941

Italy 1896—1943

Democracy and dictatorships in Germany 1919—1963

The Cold War in Asia 1945—1993

The Cold War in Europe 1941—1995

Apartheid and reconciliation: South African politics 1948—1999

Thematic Study and Historical Interpretations

The early Anglo-Saxons c. 400 — 800

The Viking age c. 790 — 1066

English government and the Church 1066—1216

The Church and medieval heresy c. 1100 — 1437

The Renaissance c. 1400 — c. 1600

Rebellion and disorder under the Tudors 1485—1603

Tudor foreign policy 1485—1603

The Catholic Reformation 1492—1610

The ascendancy of the Ottoman Empire 1453—1606

The development of the nation state: France 1498—1610

The origins and growth of the British Empire 1558—1783

Popular culture and the witchcraze of the 16th and 17th centuries

The ascendancy of France 1610—1715

The challenge of German nationalism 1789—1919

The changing nature of warfare 1792—1945

Britain and Ireland 1791—1921

China and its rulers 1839—1989

Russia and its rulers 1855—1964

Civil Rights in the USA 1865—1992

From colonialism to independence: The British Empire 1857—1965

How To Improve at A Level History

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History Coursework: how to Choose the Best Question

• Dr Janet Rose
• June 13, 2020

So, just when you thought your first A-level History year was over and you could relax before tackling next year, you have to think about your history coursework. This will be the non-exam assessment (NEA) or Historical Investigation.  It can cause a lot of angst amongst students but taking some time and thinking it through carefully before you start can make the world of difference.

1. Choose to study something interesting for your history coursework

If you have the chance to choose whichever topic you like for your history coursework and set your own question, or if you are given a list of different topics, choose one you are genuinely interested in. You will be working on this piece for months, so it makes sense to choose something that will hold your interest.

2. Make sure there are no clashes with your other topics

In practice, there are constraints set by the various exam boards to make sure that your topic does not overlap with the components you are already studying for your A level or Pre U. Your exam centre (school, college or independent centre) will need to have your question approved by the exam board and they will not approve a topic with an obvious overlap. For example, if you are already studying the Tudors for AQA, it is unlikely that you can  study a topic set in England between 1485 to 1603. Therefore, if you are setting your own question, ask yourself if it overlaps in date or topic with one of your components. If it does, you will need to find an alternative. Each exam board has slightly different rules, so check on their website to see what the rules are for your exam board.

3. Find your source material early

For your history coursework, you will need to find two types of source material – primary and secondary:

P rimary sources are those that were written at the time and you will also need to find a range of these to support your investigation. To achieve high marks you should look for a variety of primary sources, for example, a letter, a report, a painting, a speech etc.

Secondary sources are scholarly books or articles by historians, or what the a-level exam boards call ‘interpretations.’ this means that your investigation will only be viable if historians have written about the topic and, preferably, argued over it. you will need to understand the arguments that provide a framework for your chosen topic. historians call this the historiography..

Therefore, the question you set yourself will only be able to achieve high marks if you make sure there are both secondary sources (scholarly argument) and primary sources (original material) to support your investigation. If you cannot find these, you should re-think your question.

4. Remember you actually have to answer the question!

It sounds really obvious – but remember that you actually have to answer the question you set yourself!  You need to choose something that is achievable in the time frame and gives you a good chance of success. A good question will give you a framework within which to research and write – you are looking for something that is not too vague nor too wide.

You also need something that you can address in the historical time frame (e.g. around 100 years for AQA) and a topic that you can analyse and evaluate in approximately 3, 500 words (check the word limit for your own exam board). In practice, any question that is too wide, too vague or unlikely to be achievable should be vetoed either by your school/college/independent centre or the exam board. However, this will waste your valuable time and is not totally foolproof, so choose an achievable project to give yourself a fighting chance of achieving that elusive A grade.

5. Choose a good format for your history coursework question

The standard ‘for and against’ question format will always be a good choice and will give you a framework within which to set your investigation. There are various ways to word such a question e.g. ‘How far…’, To what extent…’ ‘Within the context of … how important was…’ which will give you a clear framework and a direction for your investigation. Keep it simple is good advice here. Remember, though, to define your framework by including the date range in your question. For example ‘Within the context of 1790 to 1890, how important was…?’

Done well, the NEA or Personal Investigation will teach you a huge amount about how historians work, how sources are used and how to construct an argument. This will help you enormously when you come to the final exams and it can be a very valuable contribution to your qualification. It can also be enjoyable as it is your first chance to ‘do’ some real historical research. Choose your question with care and you automatically give yourself a head start.

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Cambridge international as & a level history (9489).

• Syllabus overview

Cambridge International AS and A Level History is a flexible and wide-ranging syllabus covering modern history in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The syllabus builds upon skills gained at Cambridge IGCSE or Cambridge O Level and develops lifelong skills including understanding issues and themes within a historical period.

The emphasis is again on both historical knowledge and on the skills required for historical research. Learners develop an understanding of cause and effect, continuity and change, similarity and difference, and use historical evidence as part of their studies. Both at AS and A Level learners can select from topics on European, American or International history.

Teachers choose which periods to focus on, allowing them to build a course that reflects their learners' interests and staff specialisms, or which is relevant to the local or regional context.

The syllabus year refers to the year in which the examination will be taken.

• -->2021 - 2023 Syllabus update (PDF, 114KB)
• -->2021 Legacy Notice (PDF, 102KB)
• -->2024 - 2025 Syllabus (PDF, 774KB)
• -->2026 - 2027 Syllabus (PDF, 880KB)

Syllabus support

• -->Support for History (PDF, 1MB)

Syllabus updates

We have reviewed Cambridge International AS & A Level History as part of our rolling review programme to make sure it reflects the latest trends in this subject and developments in education. We have made some changes to meet the needs of students, teachers and higher education institutions around the world. The following changes are for assessment in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

How has the syllabus changed?

• We have refreshed the content and reviewed the amount of optionality within question papers to make sure candidates continue to benefit from having a range of options to choose from.
• cause & consequence
• change & continuity
• similarity & difference
• significance
• interpretations.
• We have added a list of command words and their meanings to help learners know what’s expected of them in the exam.
• The syllabus code will change to 9489.

How has the assessment changed?

• Papers 1 and 2 will share the same content and learners will continue to study one of three options: European, American or International.
• Each option will consist of 4 topics, which will rotate year-on-year. The topic which is the focus of Paper 1 in June and November of any given year is not used to set the questions for Paper 2. There will be a table in the syllabus clarifying when each topic will be used for which papers.
• Paper 3 Topic 1 The Causes and Impact of British Imperialism will be replaced by The Origins of the First World War.
• Paper 4: Depth study 4: African History, 1945–91, and Depth study 5: Southeast Asian History, 1945–90s (available in November only) have been removed.

When do these changes take place?

The updated syllabus is for examination in June and November 2021, 2022 and 2023. Please see the 2021-2023 syllabus above for full details.

Coming soon

We are developing a wide range of support to help you plan and teach the 2021-2023 syllabus.

Look out for a range of support including a Scheme of work, Example candidate responses, Teacher and Learner guides. These materials will be available before first teaching from April 2019 onwards through our School Support Hub .

Endorsed resources

Increased depth of coverage and closely mapped to the new Cambridge syllabus, this series provides a wide range of source material and language support. Builds confidence in the skills of language, essay writing and evaluation.

Read more on the Cambridge University Press website

Develop knowledge and analytical skills with engaging and comprehensive coverage of the Cambridge International AS Level History syllabuses for examination from 2021.

Read more on the Hodder website

Important notices

We are withdrawing Cambridge International AS & A Level History (9489) from the March exam series. The last March series for this syllabus will be March 2025. 

From 2026, we will only offer this syllabus in the June and November exam series.

We communicated this change to schools in September 2022.

For some subjects, we publish grade descriptions to help understand the level of performance candidates’ grades represent.

We paused the publication of grade descriptions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the temporary changes to the awarding standard in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

As the awarding standard has now returned to the pre-pandemic standard, we are working to produce up-to-date grade descriptions for most of our general qualifications. These will be based on the awarding standards in place from June 2023 onwards.

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This section of the website, which deals with planning and teaching history for 16-18 year-old students, is organised in four sections: Read more

Progression and Assessment (A-level)

Although the formal examination structures of AS and A-level examinations tend to dominate teachers’ thinking about students’ progress and how it is assessed, there is still a need to plan carefully to support students’ transition from GCSE to A level, helping them make sense of the more extensive demands made of them at this level.  The materials in this section help teachers to think about appropriate models of progression at this stage. They explore the use of formative assessment strategies, including self and peer assessment, and the ways in which teachers can develop students’ ideas about high-quality historical argument and their knowledge of how to construct and evaluate them. 

Planning (A-level)

This section includes a range of articles concerned with planning on different scales for post-16 teaching. They deal with planning in relation to specific topics and in response to particular kinds of challenge at this level and with questions about the most appropriate kinds of curriculum structure to support the development and retention of knowledge over two-year courses

Independent Study Material in this section focuses specifically on ways of equipping and guiding students as they undertake the independent investigation that is a current requirement of all A-level specifications. Many teachers who have explored this issue in their own practice have concluded that they need to pay more attention to it in their work with younger students, gradually building their capacity to identify and frame worthwhile historical questions. This section therefore includes examples of related work at earlier stages, intended to develop students’ capacity to engage in more independent investigation.

Transition to HE

The materials in this section include teachers’ and students’ guides to history at university level and to the applications and interview processes involved. Other resources, some of which have been written from the perspective of higher education, reflect on the demands of a history degree and the ideas about history held by many first-year undergraduates, will help you to consider the nature of your curriculum and the ways in which particular approaches to A-level study may most effectively prepare students for further academic study of history – and, indeed, for different forms of assessment.

• It’s just reading, right? Exploring how Year 12 students approach sources
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• Why does anyone do anything? Attempts to improve agentive explanations with Year 12
• Cunning Plan 175: Using the England's Immigrants database
• Allowing A-level students to choose their own coursework focus
• New, Novice or Nervous? 172: Curriculum planning

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• Rescuing assessment from ‘knowledge-rich gone wrong’
• Building Key Stage 5 students’ analysis of interpretations
• 'I feel if I say this in my essay it’s not going to be as strong’
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Getting ready for a level history coursework - mike goddard.

As anticipated, we’ve had a notable increase in queries about coursework and titles submitted for approval over the last few weeks. So I thought it would be a good idea to post a reminder of a couple of key documents about the unit: you can access the official teacher guide which has advice on what makes a good title and a good essay, as well as explaining the mark scheme and including an example of marked work.

The coursework in our new specification is a much more ‘university-style’ essay – driven by knowledge and argument, though still using sources critically (both primary and secondary), rather than the source-evaluation exercise (worthy as that is) that constitutes the legacy coursework. Some students may therefore find the Independent Study Guide , produced by Leif Jerram at the University of Manchester, useful.

Picking a topic

You can approach coursework in a number of different ways: one approach is to base titles on topics studied elsewhere in the course. The only prohibition of content is the unit 3 depth studies. Or you can pick a different, fourth topic, which will help diversify the content of the course and enable you to capitalise on resources you have built up for legacy specifications. With either of those options students must still have choice of titles. Or, students can research a topic of their own interest – already so far we have had proposals on the Barbarians, Vlad the Impaler, Franco’s dictatorship, and modern Japan.

If you feel that this free choice is appropriate for your students then the process could really benefit them. But equally, you must bear in mind that some students on less familiar ground may struggle to keep the relevance and tight argument for 3-4000 words. And you can be fully confident that it is just as possible to reach the higher bands of the mark scheme with more traditional questions – a balance of what is going to work for you and your students is necessary.

Finalising a question

Given the emphasis of marks for AO1 (knowledge, understanding, use of second order concepts, and judgment), the questions your students settle on need to set up a judgment, rather than a narrative, and they need to allow analysis using second concepts (one or more of change, continuity, cause, consequence, similarity, difference, significance). This will drive the essay, but your students need to be able to access a range (say 10-15 in total) of primary and secondary sources, which they’ll use critically as part of their essay. Primary sources can be visual or written; secondary sources – interpretations – must be later deliberate constructs but needn’t be whole academic history books.

There have to be different interpretations (not necessarily diametrically opposed views) to be considered and weighed up for their value, and primary sources: a good tip is, if your student wants to investigate a question you’re not sure about – tell them to present you with 6 or 7 primary sources and some historians’ views relevant to the question, if they can’t do that, they may need to rethink. The mark scheme does require evaluation of both primary sources and interpretations so this is good practice.

Getting titles approved

You may end up with several students choosing to do the same question. This is fine, there is no limit on the number of students who do this. It’s also fine if they end up using many of the same books as each other. The only thing you’re not allowed to do is to give them the sources that they must use.

Remember, all titles must be approved through our text and task approval service.

This is, however, just an approval service. You’ll just get a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. This might be off putting if you get titles rejected, but if you do and you’re not sure why, email [email protected] and we’ll help to explain. Common reasons for questions not getting approved are closed question stems, too close to the unit 3 depth studies, moral or ethical dilemmas rather than historical ones, and manageability in 3-4000 words. A lot of our new centres are used to setting coursework in the context of 100 years – although this can work, there is no reason to do so.

We very much hope your students enjoy their coursework and that it sets them up with an interest in history, and ability to research and tackle problems, which will serve them well. 

About the author

Mike is a history subject specialist and has worked at OCR on the history portfolio since 2007. Previously he has held roles at Cambridge International Examinations and for an educational publisher. Mike has a degree in Economic and Social History from the University of York and a Masters in Modern History from UCL. In his spare time he enjoys crosswords and snooker.

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EDEXCEL A Level History Coursework guidebook

Subject: History

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

19 June 2024

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Step by step guide for EDEXCEL coursework on how to approach finding a question, searching resources to paragraph planning with example answers.

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BTec results explained: How pass, merit and distinction compare to A-levels

Btec national results are out offering a path to higher education or a way into industry for the students who took them.

Results day has arrived for those taking post-GCSE exams such as A-levels and higher level BTecs and with it a raft of decisions to be made about the future.

Grades for these exams can determine which courses students access at higher education or whether they have a place on an apprenticeship scheme.

Although A-level results are most often used as a means to access university courses, BTec Nationals are a similar standard to A-levels and can also be used as a route to higher education and beyond.

BTecs are specialist work-related qualifications, they are named after the Business and Technology Education Council which first introduced them in 1984.

There are three types: BTec Firsts from entry to level 2 (similar standard to GCSEs), BTec Nationals from level 3 (similar standard to A-levels) and BTec Apprenticeships from level 2 to 5.

Combining practical learning with subject and theory content, there are more than 2,000 BTEC qualifications in 16 sectors from applied science and engineering to childcare and sport.

While A-levels mainly involve two years of study with assessments at the end of the course, BTec Nationals are continually assessed through coursework and practical projects. 

As the BTec National results are now in, we take a look at what they mean and where you can go with them.

How do BTec results compare to A-levels?

BTec Nationals are an equivalent standard to A-level but rather than focusing on purely academic study achieving them can require more practical and career-focused work.

The grading criteria for BTec Nationals are:

• Distinction* (D*) which is the equivalent of a A* at A-level.
• Distinction (D) which is the equivalent of a A at A-level.
• Merit (M) which is the equivalent of a C A-level.
• Pass (P) which is the equivalent of an E at A-level.
• Near pass (N) which is a pass the course overall but not each individual unit

How many Ucas points are my BTec grades worth?

Students can study for BTec Nationals alongside A-levels: a BTec Level 3 National Extended Certificate is equivalent to one A-level, while a Level 3 National Diploma is worth two A-levels.

Or they can work towards a BTec Level 3 National Extended Diploma which is the equivalent of three A-levels.

BTec grades can then be converted into a points score for university applications through the  UCAS tariff points .

Ucas points are a way of translating your grade qualifications into a numerical score, giving students greater flexibility in how they qualify to study their chosen course.

The number of points earned will depend on the type of BTec taken and the grade you achieved.

In terms of UCAS points for a BTec Level 3 BTec extended certificate, they are awarded as follows:

• Distinction* – 56 Ucas points (equivalent to A* in A-levels)
• Distinction – 48 Ucas points (equivalent to A in A-levels)
• Merit – 32 Ucas points (equivalent to C in A-levels)
• Pass – 16 Ucas points (equivalent to E in A-levels)

How are BTec grades calculated?

BTec grades are worked out on a points system.

Pushy parents are holding their kids back

Each unit in a module will earn a student a set number of points, through a mixture of coursework and exams.

Then at the end of the course the points from each unit are added up to reach a total. These totals will then fall within grade boundaries such as P (pass), M (merit) or D (distinction).

Students who worked towards a BTec Extended Certificate (equivalent to one A-level) will get a single letter grade, those who studied for a BTec Level 3 National Diploma will get a double letter grade and those who studied for a BTec Level 3 National Extended Diploma will get a triple letter grade.

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• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-attacks-on-walzs-military-record-by-vance-and-other-republicans

Fact-checking attacks on Walz’s military record by Vance and other Republicans

This fact check originally appeared on PolitiFact .

Republican vice presidential nominee and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance sought to negatively frame the 24-year military career of newly minted Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, Minnesota’s current governor.

“When the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America, asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it,” Vance  said  Aug. 7 at the Shelby, Michigan, police department. Vance  served  as a combat correspondent for the U.S. Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007 and deployed to Iraq for six months in 2005 but  did not experience combat .

Vance continued, “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, do you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him. … I think it’s shameful.” At a different event, Vance used the phrase “ stolen valor ” to describe his accusations against Walz.

On X, Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, made a  claim similar to Vance’s,  writing, “Tim Walz TURNED HIS BACK on the soldiers in his unit because he was TOO afraid to deploy to Iraq!!”

READ MORE: Democrats defend Walz’s military record as Vance, GOP begin attacks

Walz retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005. He had submitted retirement paperwork five to seven months beforehand, Fox News  reported , citing the Minnesota National Guard.

In March 2005, Walz’s battalion had been notified about a possible deployment to Iraq within two years, Walz’s congressional campaign said in a  news release  that month, citing the National Guard Public Affairs Office. The Minnesota National Guard said the battalion then received an official order about mobilizing for deployment to Iraq in July 2005, after Walz retired.

Vance’s statement misleads by distorting the timeline. Walz had not been “asked by his country to go to Iraq,” as Vance said. He had been given a two-year window for a potential, not definite, deployment. And the official deployment notice came after Walz’s retirement.

Walz has said since before his Army retirement that he left to run for Congress. He filed his candidacy paperwork in February 2005, before the March 2005 notification about the potential deployment.

This is not a new line of attack. When Walz ran for a second term as Minnesota governor in 2022, his Republican opponent, who did not serve in the U.S. military,  criticized  Walz for leaving the National Guard before his unit deployed to Iraq.

Two retired Minnesota National Guard command sergeant majors also  penned a paid letter  to a Minnesota newspaper in 2018 claiming Walz “embellished and selectively omitted facts” about his military service. This letter resurfaced on X after Vice President Kamala Harris tapped Walz as her running mate. Other  guard   members  who served with Walz have defended him.

Walz’s spokesperson in the Minnesota governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment, and the Harris-Walz campaign declined to comment.

When reached by  The New York Times , a Harris-Walz campaign spokesperson didn’t provide new details about Walz’s retirement timeline and instead highlighted Walz’s record advocating for veterans and their families.

When contacted for comment, Vance’s campaign spokesperson sent links to the 2005 Walz campaign news release about the potential deployment and several news stories that quote former members of Walz’s battalion who were upset with him for not deploying to Iraq.

Walz’s military timeline

Walz enlisted in the Nebraska National Guard on April 8, 1981, two days after his 17th birthday. In 1996, Walz transferred to the Minnesota National Guard, where he served in the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery until he retired May 16, 2005, Army Lt. Col. Kristen Augé, Minnesota National Guard’s state public affairs officer, told PolitiFact in a statement.

During his service, Walz responded to floods and tornadoes, specialized in heavy artillery and was recognized for his proficiency in sharpshooting and hand grenades, Minnesota Public Radio  reported .

On Aug. 3, 2003, Walz and his battalion were deployed to Italy to support U.S. operations in Afghanistan under Operation Enduring Freedom. Walz returned to Minnesota in April 2004, Augé said.

WATCH: A look at Walz’s record and how he could bolster Democratic support in the Midwest

In May 2005, Walz, then 41, officially retired from the Minnesota National Guard to campaign for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District. He  filed  his statement of candidacy paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Feb. 10, 2005. Walz was elected to Congress in November 2006.

Al Bonnifield, who served with Walz in the Minnesota National Guard, told  Minnesota Public Radio  in 2018 that Walz weighed his retirement from the guard and congressional run “very heavy.” Bonnifield reiterated this to  The Washington Post  on Aug. 7.

“Would the soldier look down on him because he didn’t go with us? Would the common soldier say, ‘Hey, he didn’t go with us, he’s trying to skip out on a deployment?’ And he wasn’t,” Bonnifield said in 2018.

Doug Julin, who served as a more senior command sergeant major in Walz’s battalion, said Walz went over his head to get retirement approval before the unit’s deployment was official, because Julin would have “analyzed it and challenged him,” the  New York Post  reported Aug. 8.

Others who served in Walz’s battalion have said he “ditched” them and his actions were “dishonorable,” Fox News  reported .

Battalion’s deployment to Iraq

Walz’s unit received an “alert order” for mobilization to Iraq on July 14, 2005, Army Lt. Col. Ryan Rossman, Minnesota National Guard’s director of operations, told PolitiFact in a statement.

The unit received the official Department of the Army mobilization order Aug. 14, 2005, and mobilized Oct. 12, 2005, Rossman said.

The unit deployed to Iraq in March 2006 and was deployed for 19 months, according to an October 2007  congressional resolution .

The two retired Minnesota National Guard command sergeant majors who wrote the 2018 letter said the battalion received a “warning order” in early 2005 “to prepare to be mobilized for active duty for a deployment to Iraq.” They did not specify the warning letter’s date. Augé of the Minnesota National Guard told PolitiFact the agency doesn’t have information about any unofficial orders that might have been sent to the battalion.

An  archived March 20, 2005, press release  from Walz’s congressional campaign website said the National Guard Public Affairs Office announced March 17, 2005, “a possible partial mobilization of roughly 2,000 troops from the Minnesota National Guard.” The announcement said a portion of Walz’s battalion could be mobilized to serve in Iraq within the next two years.

Walz said in his campaign’s press release, “As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington, D.C., or in Iraq. I don’t want to speculate on what shape my campaign will take if I am deployed, but I have no plans to drop out of the race.”

Although Walz had been  promoted  in 2004 to command sergeant major, he retired in 2005 as a master sergeant,  one rank below  command sergeant major, “for benefit purposes because he did not complete additional coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy,” Augé said.

Joseph Eustice, a 32-year military veteran who served in and led the same guard unit as Walz, told  The New York Times  and  NewsNation  in Aug. 7 interviews that when Walz decided to retire in May 2005, their unit had heard rumors of a potential deployment to Iraq, but had not received official orders.

Vance said, “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, do you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him.”

Vance’s statement ignores that Walz’s unit was not officially ordered to go to Iraq until July 2005, two months after Walz officially retired.

After 24 years of military service, Walz said he retired from the Minnesota National Guard in May 2005 to run for Congress. He had submitted retirement paperwork five to seven months beforehand. He filed candidacy paperwork in February 2005.

READ MORE: 5 things to know about Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ VP pick

There’s an element of truth in Vance’s statement because in March 2005, before Walz officially retired, his battalion was notified of possible deployment to Iraq within two years. Walz was aware at the time of his retirement that deployment could be possible and one of his fellow guard members described Walz’s retirement decision as “very heavy.”

But the March 2005 notification gave a time frame of two years for a possible — not definite — deployment that would not occur immediately, which is the way Vance’s statement framed it.

At PolitiFact, the burden of proof is on the speaker, Vance, who did not provide details to support his statement. We rate it Mostly False.

PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report.

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https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/08/06/when-is-results-day-2024-gcses-a-levels-t-levels-and-vtqs/

When is results day 2024? GCSEs, A levels, T Levels and VTQs

In August, pupils in England will find out their results for GCSEs, A levels, T Levels and VTQ (vocational technical qualifications) exams.  

Ahead of results day, schools, colleges and assessment centres should contact pupils directly to tell them how and when to collect them. They’ll also be able to answer any questions you have ahead of the day.  

Here’s what you need to know about exam results this year.

When is GCSE and Level 1/2 VTQ results day 2024?  

GCSE  results day is on Thursday 22 August.  

Results for Level 1, Level 1/2 and Level 2  VTQs  will also be available on or before this date.  

Normally, pupils will be able to go to their school or college and collect their results in person where they can get advice from their teachers.  

Alternatively, schools will send results to pupils in the post or by email.  

When is A level, T Level and Level 3 VTQs results days 2024?  

AS level, A level and  T Level  results day is on Thursday 15 August.  

Results for VTQs at Level 3 taken alongside or instead of A levels, such as BTECs, will be released to pupils on or before Thursday 15 August.  

Results can be emailed or sent in the post, but it’s a good idea to go into school or college to receive your results so you can get support from teachers and career advisers to discuss your options, especially if your results might affect your plans for September.  

If you’re applying to university via UCAS, you can track your  application online .  

How have exams been graded since the pandemic?  

Between 2019 and 2022, we saw a significant increase in the number of entries receiving top grades, due to disruption caused by the pandemic.  

Last year saw a return to pre-pandemic grading arrangements, and overall national results were similar to those of 2019. Ofqual have confirmed that they are continuing with normal grading this year.  

This is key to making sure exam qualifications are trusted – it means that universities and employers understand the performance of candidates, have confidence in their qualifications, and can use them to help them progress into the right opportunities.   

What should I do if I’m disappointed with my results?  

Your school or college and your teachers will support you if don’t get the results you hoped for or if your plans change based on the results you get.  

Remember, there are many different exciting options to take after school and college.  

If don’t get the GCSE results you were expecting, you can find out more about your options here .  

And if you’re worried about not getting the results you need for your university course, you can find out more about your options here .  

If you need help or advice around your exam results or next steps, you can call  the National Careers Service  helpline to chat to a careers adviser on 0800 100 900.  

If you’re feeling stressed or anxious about exams and you’re aged 18 or younger, you can also call Childline for free on 0800 1111 or  chat online  to get support.  

Ofqual has also created this practical guide for students on coping with exam pressure which offers advice and support on coping with exam anxiety and stress.

You may also be interested in:

• GCSE results day: What to do if you didn’t get the grades you were expecting
• A Level and T Level results day: What to do if you don’t get the grades you need for your university course
• Exam results: 5 tips for parents and carers on supporting your child with results day

Tags: A level results , A Level results day , A levels , GCSE results , GCSE results day , gcses , results day , T Level results day , VTQs , when is results day

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5 Noteworthy Falsehoods Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Has Promoted

A longtime vaccine skeptic, Mr. Kennedy is leaning heavily on misinformation as he mounts a long-shot 2024 campaign.

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By Anjali Huynh

He has promoted a conspiracy theory that coronavirus vaccines were developed to control people via microchips . He has endorsed the false notion that antidepressants are linked to school shootings. And he has pushed the decades-old theory that the C.I.A. killed his uncle, former President John F. Kennedy.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental lawyer, is a leading vaccine skeptic and purveyor of conspiracy theories who has leaned heavily on misinformation as he mounts his long-shot 2024 campaign for the Democratic nomination.

But as voters express discontentment at a likely rematch between President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump, Mr. Kennedy has garnered as much as 20 percent of the vote in recent Democratic primary polling.

Mr. Biden and the Democratic National Committee have not publicly acknowledged Mr. Kennedy’s candidacy and have declined to comment on his campaign. Nevertheless, the public scrutiny that accompanies a White House bid has highlighted other questionable beliefs and statements Mr. Kennedy has elevated over the years.

Here are five of the many baseless claims Mr. Kennedy has peddled on the campaign trail and beyond.

He has falsely linked vaccines to various medical conditions.

Mr. Kennedy has promoted many false, specious or unproven claims that center on public health and the pharmaceutical industry — most notably, the scientifically discredited belief that childhood vaccines cause autism.

That notion has been rejected by more than a dozen peer-reviewed scientific studies across multiple countries. The National Academy of Medicine reviewed eight vaccines for children and adults and found that with rare exceptions, the vaccines are very safe, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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