Specification/Exam Board

AQA GCSE History (8145)

Paper 1 Examination (2 hours) 50%

Paper 2 Examination (2 hours) 50%

For Paper 1 (Understanding the Modern World) we study the following two options:

  • Section A (Period Study): Germany 1890-1945 (Studied in Year 10)
  • Section B (Wider World Depth Study) Conflict and tension in Asia 1950-75 (Study in Year 11)

For Paper 2 (Shaping the Nation) we study the following two options:

  • Section A (Thematic Study): Britain: Health and the People c1000 to the present day (Studied in Year 10 and 11)
  • Section B (British Depth Study): Elizabethan England 1568-1603 (Studied in Year 10)

The exams will measure how students have achieved the following assessment objectives:

AO1: demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the key features and characteristics of the period studied.

AO2: explain and analyse historical events and periods studied using second-order historical concepts.

AO3: analyse, evaluate and use sources (contemporary to the period) to make substantiated judgements, in the context of historical events studied.

AO4: analyse, evaluate and make substantiated judgements about interpretations (including how and why interpretations may differ) in the context of historical events studied.

Curriculum Allocation

History is taught for 3 100 minute lessons per fortnight.

Curriculum Period 1:

This curriculum period has 12 lessons

*Note: this is the curriculum plan for GCSE 2027. It will need slightly adapting for GCSE 2028

Year 11 will begin with finishing our 3rd topics - Britain Health and the People.

Part 3: A revolution in Medicine

9. The development of Germ Theory and its impact on the treatment of disease in Britain: the importance of Pasteur, Robert Koch and microbe hunting; Pasteur and vaccination; Paul Ehrlich and magic bullets; everyday medical treatments and remedies.

10. A revolution in surgery: anaesthetics, including Simpson and chloroform; antiseptics, including Lister and carbolic acid; surgical procedures; aseptic surgery.

11. Improvements in public health: public health problems in industrial Britain; cholera epidemics; the role of public health reformers; local and national government involvement in public health improvement, including the 1848 and 1875 Public Health Acts.

Part 4: Modern Medicine

12. Modern treatment of disease: the development of the pharmaceutical industry; penicillin, its discovery by Fleming, its development; new diseases and treatments, antibiotic resistance; alternative treatments.

13. The impact of war and technology on surgery: plastic surgery; blood transfusions; X-rays; transplant surgery; modern surgical methods, including lasers, radiation therapy and keyhole surgery.

14. Modern public health: the importance of Booth, Rowntree, and the Boer War; the Liberal social reforms; the impact of two world wars on public health, poverty and housing

15. The Beveridge Report and the Welfare State; creation and development of the National Health Service; costs, choices and the issues of healthcare in the 21st century.

16. NHS

17. Exam Skills - the key people and question 4

18. Exam Skills

THE NEXT UNIT OF WORK WILL BE A NEW UNIT AND LESSONS ARE CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED (June 2026) Details will appear when the unit is ready to teach. 

19. Begin Conflict in Asia topic - In development 

20. 

Assessment

Pupils will sit the Germany and Medicine parts of the GCSE course for this assessment. 

    Curriculum Period 2:

    This curriculum period has 15 lessons

    Curriculum content

    IN DEVELOPMENT 

    Assessment 

    Pupils will sit the Elizabeth and Cold War sections of the paper. 

      Curriculum Period 3:

      There are 9 lessons in this curriculum period

      This curriculum period will be spent doing final preparation for the GCSE exams. Plans will be based on pupil performance in assessments and what we feel as a department will best prepare the cohort for the final exams. 


      Revision resources

      We provide booklets of knowledge organisers for all the units covered through Year 10 and 11. Pupils should use these to revise for recall tests throughout the year.

      Pupils will also be directed to specific firefly pages with revision resources and past papers at appropriate times during the course.

      The best revision guide available to purchase is:

      My Revision Notes: AQA GCSE (9-1) History . 

      Subject advice and guidance

      If you need any further guidance then please contact your child’s teacher via email:

      j.townend@endon.set.org

      r.eastwood@endon.set.org

      j.barlow@endon.set.org