History Information
Course Details and where to find the specification, course content and exam papers:
Your course is AQA 8145HC
Paper 1 Section A: B Germany 1890-1945: Democracy and dictatorship
Paper 1 Section B: C Conflict and Tension between East and West, 1945-1972
Paper 2 Section A: A Britain: Health and the People: c1000 to the present day
Paper 2 section B: C Elizabethan England, c1568-1603
What is the exam structure?
Paper 1: 2 Hours
This paper is comprised of the Germany and Cold War components:
Germany: 6 questions – 1 hour
Cold War: 4 questions – 1 hour
Paper 2: 2 Hours
This paper is comprised of the Medicine and Elizabeth components:
Medicine: 4 questions – 1 hour
Elizabeth: 4 questions – 1 hour
Each component is worth 25% of the final mark.
Online resources we subscribe to and recommend for studying and revision:
BBC Bitesize:
This is an excellent site and would be the sole recommendation in the sense that at this stage you want to focus and fine tune your revision.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/zxjk4j6
This link will take you to the home page where you can navigate all of the topics cited.
This includes supporting videos as well as summaries of the main topics, including revision quizzes.
What other resources do we recommend to students?
(See above)
What does revision in this subject look like?
You should use a range of techniques, but be conscious what suits your own way of learning:
Flash cards - can used in a range of ways to test knowledge so consider how you might more effectively use them. History is knowledge heavy, so build up the sophistication of their use. When more confident with the knowledge content use flashcards to compile key factors for a specific topic area.
Knowledge Organisers – these should be filthy!
Remember they are designed as a revision tool so annotate them; highlight, underline and stick post-its all over them. Use them to help you compile your flash cards as well.
Brain-dumps – these are brilliant! They allow you to go to town on topic areas without worrying about structure or order too much. Perfect for building confidence with content knowledge. Again, use BBC Bitesize and your knowledge organisers to help you develop these.
Model Answers – these are not just tools to use in class but allow to develop your understanding of structure and subject specific vocabulary at home.
Past paper questions! I have cited this last as I would use the listed techniques above to build your knowledge, understanding and confidence before attempting these.
These techniques are symbiotic and should not be seen in isolation!
Are there any specific exam tips or strategies?
1. Timing is crucial in both history papers so prioritise questions with the greater marks, in particular, the extended writing questions on the Cold War, Medicine and Elizabethan papers.
2. Do not mix up the ‘How’ and ‘Why’ interpretation questions on the Germany paper:
HOW – inside the box – CONTENT
WHY – outside the box – PROVENANCE
3. Remember to refer to PROVENANCE and CONTENT in the ‘Useful to a Historian’ questions on the medicine and Cold War papers
4. Remember in Germany No5 you must refer specifically to how the LIVES of specific groups of Germans were impacted by the cited question topic:
• Youth
• Women
• Civilians
• Working classes
• Middle classes...
And so on
