Edexcel GCSE History Assessment Review Update December 2023

This update is to keep Edexcel GCSE History teachers informed with our progress in helping to improve the assessment experience for students.

Access to Scripts deadline

The last date to download your students’ scripts from the Summer 2023 exam series using our free Access to Scripts service is 15 December 2023.

Summer 2024 entry deadline

It is now possible to make entries for the Summer 2024 exam series. The deadline for making entries for the Summer 2024 examination series is 21 February 2024 for AS, A level and GCSE.

The deadline for international qualifications is 21 March 2024.

After these dates late entry fees may be charged. Please note that your exams officer will have their own internal deadlines in order to get the information necessary to make entries.

GCSE History teachers will need to use the entry code calculator to generate an entry code. The entry codes for Summer 2024 Edexcel GCSE History will be the same as in Summer 2023 so the calculator remains unchanged from last year.

You can also use the tables in the GCSE Information Manual below to work out the relevant entry code:

Edexcel International GCSE History entry codes

As a result of the introduction of modular specifications (overseas centres only) and onscreen assessment we now have many different entry codes available for this qualification. This update will aim to clarify each code to ensure centres are confident they are making the correct entries for students in the Summer 2024 exam series and beyond.

You can find a summary of the different entry codes available in the relevant section of the Information Manual below:

A level History AI guidance

Students should not be using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help plan or write their A level History coursework.

If students do use AI tools, then they must clearly reference them in their work and teachers must take this into account when marking the work. If a student uses AI tools in such a way that the work they submit is not their own and fails to make reference to this on the work, then they will have committed malpractice.

We have created a new guidance document to explain this and we’ve also updated the coursework authentication sheet to make specific reference to AI.

You can also find further guidance on AI in coursework on the JCQ website.

Ofqual resilience guidance September 2023

On 21 September 2023, Ofqual published the resilience guidance for centres delivering: GCSE, AS and A levels, Project Qualifications and Advanced Extension Award in maths (AEA). We’ve put together a summary of this guidance on our new support page with links through to the full information from Ofqual.

SHP New Teachers Conference (virtual)

The Schools History Project are running a New Teachers Conference on Saturday 3 February 2024. Tickets for this virtual conference are now available to book online. For all of the details about the event including the workshops for primary and secondary history teachers and the keynote lecture, please visit the SHP website:  

The Wars of the Roses Schools Online Conference 2024

This annual online conference sponsored by the Richard III Society takes place on 27 February 2024 and is aimed at sixth formers who are studying a 15th century module as part of their History A level. 

Edexcel Online and Multi-Factor Authentication

From Tuesday 5 December, you must authenticate when logging into Edexcel Online and other services using the Pearson Authenticator App, which is available to download from the App Store or Google Play Store.

Cyber security is increasingly in the news and deliberate attacks on centres are sadly becoming more common. That’s why Pearson is committed to working with all centres to ensure our digital interactions are as secure and risk-free as possible.

In December of this year we’re rolling out a major enhancement to our current Edexcel Online Multi- Factor Authentication process.

We will be moving away from the current email One Time Passcode (OTP) and will be asking Edexcel Online users to authenticate via an app on their smartphone or other compatible device. Each account user will use their own device (capable of operating authenticator apps such as Microsoft/ Google authenticator).

We are taking the opportunity to remind colleagues that using a personal device will not result in Pearson collecting and/ or using anypersonal data, including a mobile phone number. If you need support withaccessing a device, please talk to your centre leadership about how they can best support you.

General qualifications assessment support

We’ve got a new support page for you to bookmark – General qualifications assessment support.

Here we’ll share news information and updates from Ofqual, the Department for Education (DfE), the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and Pearson, relating to the exams and assessments for our GCSE, AS and A level qualifications.

We’ll be updating it regularly so you know you’ve got all the latest announcements, news, support materials and updates to enable you to teach our qualifications, help your students with their assessments and post-results support, to enable them to progress.