September 2025 History subject update
This update contains useful information, news and advice for Edexcel History teachers including information about new second edition Pearson Edexcel GCSE History student books and details of all our training events running this term.
Key Dates
Review of marking and moderation deadline: 25 September 2025 - After this date you will no longer be able to request a review of marking or moderation through our enquiry about results service.
Access to scripts deadline: 12 December 2025 - After this date you will no longer be able to view your students’ scripts using our free service.
Training for History teachers
The Summer 2025 exam insights events for GCSE and A level History are now available to book via our training page.
- GCSE History: Exam Insights Summer 2025, 07 October 2025 at 16:00 - 17:30 GMT
- Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History Exam Insights May/June 2025, 22 October 2025 at 09:00 - 11:00 GMT
- A Level History: Exam Insights Summer 2025, 22 October 2025 at 16:00 - 17:30 GMT
- Pearson Edexcel International A Level History Exam Insights May/June 2025, 28 October 2025 at 09:00 - 11:00 GMT
We are also running the following events for new International GCSE History teachers:
- Getting Ready to Teach Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History, 03 October 2025 at 09:00 - 12:00 GMT
- Understanding Assessment & Improving Delivery in International GCSE History, 10 October 2025 at 09:00 - 12:00 GMT
We have the following pre-recorded training events for teachers who are new to teaching our History specifications or are considering switching:
Resources and support materials
Up-to-date support for GCSE and A level History
As the new academic year commences, this is a good time to reflect on all the free support and guidance that is available to support you and your students. The following documents contain a comprehensive list of all our support, including links to documents and recorded training. We will keep these documents up to date as and when new support is available.
2nd edition student books for Edexcel GCSE History available to pre-order
Pearson are updating some of the Edexcel GCSE History student books to reflect the latest assessment support. These new books will combine the visual, less text-heavy approach of the foundation series with the standard student books' support for higher achieving learners, challenging activities and interesting case studies. 2nd edition books are available to pre-order now for the following topics:
- Medicine in Britain, c1250-present
- Crime and punishment in Britain, c1000–present
- Anglo-Saxon and Norman England, c1060–1088
- Henry VIII and his ministers, 1509–1540
- Early Elizabethan England, 1558–1588
- The American West, c1835–c1895
- Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91
- Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–1939
- The USA, 1954–1975: conflict at home and abroad
Summer 25 ResultsPlus data
On our website you can now find spreadsheets containing global data from the Summer 2025 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. Please note you will need to use your Edexcel online username and password to access these documents.
Edexcel GCSE History Grade Boundaries for Summer 2025
This update provides further information to Edexcel GCSE History teachers on Summer 2025 grade boundaries, including estimated topic-specific notional grade boundaries for each Paper 2 topic.
New British Library migration animation and sources
The British Library have recently developed a short animation that draws on Discovering Historical Sources to provide an overview of who came to Britain in 1750-1900, where they came from and why. This was born out of conversations with teachers who reported the challenges of anchoring students in time and place when teaching the GCSE thematic study.
The British Library are also now working with the Migration Museum to develop a supporting Teaching Migration history toolkit and are keen to collect insights and hear from teachers about the guidance they would welcome. Please email helen.ward@bl.uk if you are able to share any insights.
Henry VIII and the Reformation: A-Level study day, Wed 4 March 2026 at Hampton Court Palace
Historic Royal Palaces is excited to be hosting their second A-Level study day on the Henrician Reformation at the palace where many key events unfolded.
This one-day event is aimed at Year 12-13 historians and their teachers studying any relevant Tudors A-Level exam board specification.
The study day will consist of a key-note lecture by Chief Historian, Dr Tracy Borman on ‘Cromwell and the Reformation’, a special Reformation-focused session exploring the Tudor apartments, a chance to hot-seat costumed Tudor characters, meet curators and explore the Tudor Worlds exhibition in the Wolsey Rooms.
The event costs £10 per student but spaces are limited to 200 attendees, so book fast.
Coming soon: Knowledge Booster tests for USA, 1954–75: conflict at home and abroad
We are currently working on a brand-new set of knowledge booster tests for Paper 3, USA 1954-75 and hope to make these available before the end of term. I will update you when they are available.
Subject advisor
Mark Battye
History
