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GCSE guide · checked October 2026

GCSE History, explained simply

Three or four big topics, from medieval England to the Cold War, chosen by your child's school. This page shows how each board sets the papers, the marks typically needed for each grade, and how to master source questions and essays. Pick your exam board and the page changes to match.

  • 2 or 3 exams
  • Topics chosen by the school
  • No coursework
  • Grades 9 to 1

Exam board

Not sure which board? Ask your child's school, or check the front of a mockA practice exam, usually set by school a few months before the real thing. paper.

The exams at a glance

AQA GCSE History (8145). 2 papers, 4 hours of exams and 168 marks in total. Each paper is worth 50% of the grade.

PaperNotesTimeMarks
Paper 1Understanding the modern world2 hours84 (50%)
Paper 2Shaping the nation2 hours84 (50%)

Specification: AQA GCSE History (8145)

What's in the exams

Each school chooses its own topics from the board's list, so ask which ones your child is studying. The shares below are each part's weight in the final grade, as the specification states.

  • Period study (e.g. Germany, America, Russia)25%
  • Wider world depth study (e.g. conflict and tension)25%
  • Thematic study (e.g. health and the people)25%
  • British depth study with the historic environment25%

How the grading works

How the grading works

Everyone sits the same papers: there is no Foundation or Higher. Some marks are for spelling, punctuation and grammar. Because schools choose different topics, each board publishes separate grade boundaries for every combination of topics, so there is no single set of boundaries to show here.

The marks needed in June 2026

Across all topic combinations: AQA (out of 168) needed 115 to 130 for a 9, 93 to 102 for a 7 and 54 to 73 for a 4. Edexcel (out of 168) needed 144 to 151 for a 9, 121 to 129 for a 7 and 81 to 90 for a 4. OCR A (out of 210) needed 158 to 166 for a 9, 131 to 139 for a 7 and 86 to 95 for a 4. OCR B (out of 210) needed 145 to 163 for a 9, 115 to 130 for a 7 and 73 to 87 for a 4. Your child's teacher can tell you the figures for their exact topics.

Past paper mock builder

Pick an exam series and we'll set out the full AQA mock: which papers to sit, how long to allow and where to download them. Then type in your marks to see your total and percentage.

  1. Paper 1, June 2026 · Understanding the modern world · 2 hours

  2. Paper 2, June 2026 · Shaping the nation · 2 hours

Download the papers and mark schemes: AQA official past papers or Save My Exams past papers. Exam boards keep the most recent series for schools only for a while, so if the newest one isn't there, take the one before.

Enter your marks for each paper to see your total and percentage.

What History is really about

Where the word comes from

"History" comes from the Greek historia, "inquiry" or "knowledge gained by investigation", from histōr, "a wise man" or "judge". The Greek writer Herodotus used it for his account of the wars between Greece and Persia, around 430 BC.

Where it comes from

Herodotus is often called the "father of history" for collecting and comparing evidence about the past. In Britain, the monk Bede wrote his history of the English church and people at Jarrow in 731. GCSE History follows the same approach today: question the sources, weigh the evidence, then judge.

Why it's still taught

History teaches students to weigh evidence, spot bias and build a convincing argument, which are skills valued in law, journalism, politics, business and the civil service. It is a respected GCSE for A-Level History, Politics and English, and for many university courses.

How to do well in GCSE History

Build a timeline for each topic

Knowing the order of events makes cause-and-consequence questions much easier.

Learn the question styles

Each board uses set question types, such as "how useful is this source" or "how far do you agree". Learn what each one rewards.

Use precise facts

Specific dates, names and figures turn a vague answer into a strong one. Flashcards help.

Judge sources by provenance

Ask who made it, when, why and for whom. These points answer most source utility questions.

Reach a clear judgement

Essay questions reward a clear overall argument, not just a list of points on both sides.

Practise timed essays

History papers are tight on time. Practise full answers under exam conditions.

The three best places to revise

Our teachers' picks. We have no connection with these sites.

BBC Bitesize

Free revision guides for the most popular topics on each board.

Seneca

Free quizzes on key facts, dates and people for each board's topics.

The National Archives education service

Free original sources and lessons that build skills for source questions.

Questions parents ask

Not sure where your child stands?

Our free 45-minute assessment often uses a real past paperA real exam from a previous year, used for practice., so you'll know their likely grade and exactly what to work on. Lessons online across the UK, or at our seven London hubs.

Sources