More about our GCSE from 2009 in History A 

• A flexible, modular assessment structure

Edexcel is the only examining body to offer four equally weighted units, each worth 25% of the marks. With a choice of January and June sittings, students can complete bite-size chunks and bank success. Shorter exams and more accessible question papers make the assessment more appropriate to students of all abilities and eliminate surprises in exams. 

• More topics to choose from

There is a greater choice of topics available, tailored to suit the preferences of you and your students. You have complete flexibility to decide which topics to focus on and you can teach the units in an order that suits your pupils. 

• The best support

Our free controlled assessment teacher support books provide you with all the information, practical support and guidance you need to understand and deliver controlled assessment. With a free second set of specimen papers and detailed schemes of work for all examined options, we are providing the widest range of support materials of any examining body, aiding thorough exam preparation. We also have a dedicated History Subject Advisor, Mark Battye, who can quickly answer your questions on aspects of our history specifications and exam preparation. 

• A wide range of published resources

We are offering a wide range of published resources written directly for the new specifications to provide you with the support you need to ensure success. Our books are written by experienced examiners and teachers to cover all examined options and several controlled assessment topics. 

• Based on our market-leading GCE History specification

Our new GCSE specifications have been carefully designed to ease students’ transition to studying our History A level. There is a common approach to both specifications and lots of choice and flexibility to enable you to construct a coherent and exciting programme that will motivate and inspire students.

Important changes to the GCSE09 History specification

Please find below details of the GCSE History amendments for both specifications:

• Amendments to the Teacher’s Guide bring course planners in line with the Terminal Assessment Rule
• The specification amendments include an additional offering of the January 2010 assessment for unit 2
• The amendments to the SAMs mark schemes have been made to ensure comparability with SHP and to bring this into line with the results of the internal marking trial
• Latest versions of the materials (Issue 2) will be available on the Edexcel website in early May
• Reprints of affected pages have been distributed to centres.

Read the subject criteria for History here. 

The History A e-Spec combines the specification, SAMs and other materials in an easy-to-use interactive electronic package. View the e-Spec Download the e-Spec to your PC Download the e-Spec to your Mac

Back to the GCSE History A homepage