September 2024 History subject update

Summary of Edexcel GCSE History content and assessment changes for 2025 and 2026

This year we’ve made a number of changes to the content and assessment of our GCSE History specification which have been phased in to improve the student experience. This document is a useful summary of all these changes, when they take effect and the support available:

GCSE History minor erratum to Paper 3 Germany key topic 3

When updating the GCSE History specification for Issue 6 (first teaching September 2024, first assessment June 2026), a small error was made which has now been corrected (15 August 2024).

The error can be found on page 45 of the specification, in Option 31 Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–39, key topic 3. The third bullet point in sub-topic 3 was moved from sub-topic 2, and was also reworded to provide greater focus and simplify teaching, but this rewording was missed when Issue 6 was first released in June 2024.

The original wording was:

• Nazi policies towards the Catholic and Protestant Churches, including the Reich Church and the Concordat.

The correct wording is:

• Nazi attempts to control the Catholic and Protestant Churches: the Concordat and the Reich Church.

Please see this erratum notice for further information:

Updated GCSE History Getting Started Guide

We have recently updated the Edexcel GCSE History Getting Started Guide to reflect the recent changes to the specification content and assessment.

New GCSE History mock papers based on Summer 2024 question papers

We have decided to create adapted versions of the Summer 2024 question papers for GCSE History to reflect the changes to assessment that will come into effect next Summer. We will update the existing Summer 2024 papers to reflect the Summer 2025 changes eg by changing the time on the front cover and adding in extra questions where applicable. The new versions of the papers will be made available for secure download on our website in October 2024 so you will be able to use them for mocks with your students to help prepare them for the new style assessments in Summer 2025.

We will also be using these adapted Summer 2024 GCSE History papers for our Mocks Service this year.

Pearson Edexcel Mocks Service

The Pearson Edexcel Mocks Service provides schools and colleges with GCSE, International GCSE and A level exams for use in mocks. We also offer a Moderation Service that can support teacher CPD. Our Mocks Service can help your students gain vital insight into the examination process, while saving you valuable time. We provide the most up to date past papers throughout the year, so you can purchase your students’ mocks, submit your entries, then let our expert examiners do the rest. The papers are marked by Edexcel examiners and the results are uploaded to ResultsPlus for detailed question level analysis.

Because of the changes to Edexcel GCSE History assessment for first assessment Summer 2025, our Mocks Service will use adapted versions of the Summer 2024 question papers which will reflect the extra timing and new style questions that will be assessed in 2025. If you decide to use our Mocks Service for GCSE History this year, you can be confident that your students’ experience will be as close as possible to their final exam.

Summer 24 ResultsPlus data

On our website you can now find spreadsheets containing global data from the Summer 2024 exam series for GCSE and A level History. This data gives you a detailed breakdown of the mean marks on each question overall and by grade:

Key dates for your diary this term

Summer 2024 Exam Insights feedback events

We are running online Summer 2024 exam insight events for GCSE, International GCSE, A level and International A level History on the following dates:

• Edexcel International GCSE History Exam Insights May/June 2024 - 03 October 2024 at 09:00 - 10:00 GMT
• Edexcel A Level History: Exam Insights May/June 2024 - 03 October 2024 at 16:00 - 17:30 GMT
• Edexcel GCSE History: Exam Insights May/June 2024 - 08 October 2024 at 16:00 - 17:30 GMT
• Edexcel International A Level History Exam Insights May/June 2024 - 08 October 2024 at 09:00 - 10:00 GMT

New to Edexcel training events

This term we are running a number of training events for teachers who are new to our specifications:

• A Level History: New to Pearson Edexcel - 11 September 2024 at 16:00 - 18:00 GMT
• GCSE History: New to Pearson Edexcel - 12 September 2024 at 16:00 - 18:00 GMT
• Getting Ready to Teach Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History (Module 1) - 17 October 2024 at 13:00 - 15:00 GMT
• Getting Ready to Teach Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History (Module 2) - 31 October 2024 at 13:00 - 15:00 GMT
• Getting Ready to Teach Pearson Edexcel International A Level History (Module 1) - 28 October 2024 at 13:00 - 15:00 GMT
• Getting Ready to Teach Pearson Edexcel International A Level History (Module 2) - 30 October 2024 at 13:00 - 15:00 GMT

GCSE History marking training events

In the Autumn term we are running some marking training events for Edexcel GCSE History teachers:

• GCSE History: Paper 1 marking training - 27 November 2024 at 16:00 - 17:30 GMT
• GCSE History: Paper 2 marking training - 03 December 2024 at 16:00 - 17:30 GMT
• GCSE History: Paper 3 marking training - 11 December 2024 at 16:00 - 17:30 GMT

Project Qualification: Black history pathway

Samuel Whitbread Academy are paving the way for other like-minded schools to bring Black History to life through the Higher Project Qualification with Pearson Edexcel. Students who felt that they could not see themselves represented in the content covered in the history curriculum or who have a keen interest in history, called for a greater opportunity to study and learn about British BAME history, politics and wider societal issues, and through a collaboration between the academy staff and Pearson, the HPQ Black History programme was created.

The Tudors at Hampton Court A-Level Study Day: 5 March 2025

Historic Royal Palaces is excited to be hosting their first A-Level Study Day on the Tudors in the spring term at Hampton Court Palace.

This one-day event is aimed at Year 12-13 historians and their teachers studying any Tudors A-level exam board specification. It is a deep-dive exploration of the Tudor monarchs who resided here and the key events that took place at the Palace.

Developed in consultation with teachers and students, the day will consist of a key-note lecture by Chief Curator, Tracy Borman, special tours of the Tudor apartments and curator-led object handling sessions.

The event is a pilot and therefore free of charge, but spaces are limited to 200 attendees.

Coming soon...

• We are currently updating the classroom topic booklets to reflect any 2026 specification content changes and we hope to make the amended versions available on our website later this month.
• We are also updating our ‘content changes for 2026’ FAQs to incorporate content-specific questions we’ve been asked since the changes were announced. The updated FAQs will be made available on our website at the end of September.
• Finally, we are working on updating the GCSE History knowledge booster tests to reflect any 2026 content changes. We are also working on a new set of knowledge booster tests for Crime and Punishment and we hope to make these available on our website before Christmas.