History GCSE Exam Information

GCSE

Course Content

Paper 1 – The 20th century: International Relations since 1919, including a Depth Study on Germany, 1919-1945 (40%)

Were the peace treaties of 1919-23 fair?
To what extent was the League of Nations a success?
Why did World War Two break out in 1939?
Who was to blame for the Cold War?
How effectively did the USA contain the spread of Communism?
How secure was the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe?
Paper 2 – Source analysis paper on a prescribed topic (33%). The topic changes each year:

2019-20 ‘Who was to blame for the Cold War?’
2020-21 ‘Were the peace treaties of 1919-23 fair?’
2021-22 ‘How secure was the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe, 1948-c. 1989?’
2,000 coursework essay on an aspect of Germany, 1919-45 (27%)

Course Structure

Paper 1 – The 20th century: International Relations since 1919 (including a Depth Study on Germany, 1919-45) (40%)

Paper 2 – Source analysis (33%)

Coursework (27%)

Skills and Application

Year 9 will already have shown you some of the skills GCSE History will give you, such as how to put together a convincing argument, how to use evidence and how to work out when people are telling the truth. These skills are highly regarded by top universities and all manner of different professions. There is also an (optional) trip to Berlin in Year 11 to look at the rise and rule of Hitler, and Berlin in the Cold War.

History is not an easy GCSE. However, that is part of its appeal and why it is so highly valued. You cannot get proper answers to big questions like these by just scratching the surface, nor can you develop your analytical skills without effort. However, the most important thing is that our students love studying History, don’t mind the work, find it endlessly fascinating and gain invaluable knowledge, understanding and skills.

Reading and Resources

You will be provided with several textbooks for you to use both during lessons and at home. You should also make use of extra revision and consolidation resources found on Google Classroom.

Exam Board: Cambridge IGCSE