1. The GCSE History course
This is a new GCSE course. It is divided into four units, all of which will be examined in two exams taken at the Beginning of June 2018.
Our four units are:
America, 1920–1973: Opportunity and inequality (paper 1)
Conflict and tension, 1918 – 1939 (paper 1)
Britain: Health and the people, c1000 to the present day (paper 2)
Elizabethan England, c1568 – 1603 (paper 2)
The units all have equal weighting – each one is worth 25% of your final GCSE although Elizabethan England will involve less content

2. History GCSE Paper 1 Assessment 1: Understanding the modern world
How it’s assessed:
Written exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
84 marks (including 4 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar)
50% of GCSE

3. Assessment 1: Understanding the modern world
Section A: America 1920 – 1973: Opportunity and inequality (Year 11)
Section B: Conflict and Tension, 1918 – 1939 (Year 10)
Questions: Two sections
Section A – six compulsory questions
Section B – four compulsory questions

4. HISTORY GCSE Paper 2 Assessment 2 – Shaping the nation
Section A: Britain Health and the People (Year 10)
Section B: Elizabethan England (Year 11)
Questions: Two Sections
Section A – four compulsory questions
Section B – four compulsory questions

5. Britain: Health and the people, c1000 to the present day
This is a thematic study. It looks at a long period of time so you can understand how medicine and public health developed in Britain. We will study the impact of different factors and how they worked together to encourage or slow down change.

6. Our course is divided into four main sections
1.Medieval period
‘Medicine Stands Still’
– 1900
‘A Revolution in Medicine’
2. Early Modern
‘The Beginnings of Change’
4. Twentieth century
‘Modern medicine’

9. Elizabeth 8 mark questions x 3 QUESTION 1 ADVICE: Interpretation
You need to use your knowledge to explain how convincing an interpretation is.
Describe what the source tells you in relation to the question
Use your own knowledge to support what the source suggests about Elizabeth (convincing)
Use your own knowledge to contradict what the source suggests about Elizabeth (not convincing)
Come to an overall conclusion is the source convincing in relation to the question.

10. QUESTION 2 ADVICE: Explain the significance
You need to explain the importance or significance of something. This question is testing your knowledge and understanding that is relevant to the question.
You need to write 3 paragraphs- each on the significance of ……..the Privy Council for example.
Include specific details about the role of the Privy Council or who the members were, but go beyond describing it, explain the importance/ significance of these features.

11. QUESTION 3: Write an account
You need to select points from your own knowledge, that are relevant to answer the question
You need to cover a range of points and explain the impact these issues had on Elizabeth’s reign.
Question 3- discuss Why it was urgent for Elizabeth to name a successor/ Possible heirs i.e. the Sussex line and the Stuart line/ How the crisis was resolved?

12. Question 4: Historic Environment
Question 4 is on the historic environment- an actual site chosen by the exam board. You use your knowledge of the site, and your wider knowledge of the Elizabethan England to write an essay that evaluates a statement. Hardwick Hall is a very good example of the rise of the gentry in the Elizabethan Age. The key thing to remember: Q4 is inviting you to reach a judgement- agreeing or disagreeing with the statement and using the site to support your answer.
EXAMPLE QUESTION: ‘The main reason for building a stately home in Elizabethan times, was to demonstrate the new status of its owner.” How far does a study of Hardwick Hall support this statement? Explain your answer. You should refer to Hardwick Hall and your contextual knowledge.
[16 marks ]
Demonstrate new status of owner.
Change in prosperity (wealth)
Changes in fashion i.e. design from medieval to Tudor
Conclusion
Information from page 62 of red text book

14. Other Points of importance
There is a revision guide currently available from AQA, but, it does not have the correct period of study for America in it. There are revision guides directly related to the textbooks we use that will be available, but not until December.
There is a new more appropriate and comprehensive revision guide coming out on the 24th November which I have pre-ordered and will be happy to share the details of once I have received and reviewed it.
Any materials That we think will be useful for revision we will to our classes or put on insight in preparation for their PPE’s in November and of course for the exams next Summer.
revision sessions will be held in preparation for the summer exams and you/students will be informed of these nearer the time. Where any clashes occur with other option subjects we will hold catch up sessions at lunchtimes as well as after school for specific topics, again to be advised nearer the time.
What you can do. Log onto the AQA website and search for History GCSE.
The course codes we are studying are 8145/1D and 8145/2a.
There are sample materials and links to helpful resources you can access.