History
July 2026 History subject update
This update contains useful information, news and advice for Edexcel History teachers including a reminder about minor amendments to A level History specification content and information to help you get ready for results day.
Key Dates
Summer 2026 question papers are now available to download securely from our website. To access them, you’ll need an Edexcel Online account - please contact your Exams Officer to set one up. We will be releasing mark schemes and examiner reports on the following dates:
- AS / A level mark schemes will be released on 14 July 2026.
- GCSE / International GCSE mark schemes will be released on 21 July 2026.
- AS / A level examiner reports will be available on our website from 18 August 2026.
- GCSE / International GCSE examiners reports will be made available on our website from 25 August 2026.
- You will also be able to download GCSE and A level examiner reports from results day via ResultsPlus.
Summer 2026 results will be issued on the following dates:
| Qualification | Results to centres | Results to students |
| AS / A level | 12 August 2026 | 13 August 2026 |
| GCSE / International GCSE | 19 August 2026 | 20 August 2026 |
Training for History teachers
The GCSE and A level History Summer 2026 exam insights events are now available to book online:
- GCSE History: Exam Insights Summer 2026 - 13 October 2026 at 16:00 - 17:30 GMT
- A Level History: Exam Insights Summer 2026 - 21 October 2026 at 16:00 - 17:30 GMT
Find out more and book your place by searching for History on our training page.
Resources and support materials
Edexcel AS and A level History specification amendments
In June we announced some amendments to our AS and A level History specifications for first teaching September 2026, and for first assessment June 2027 (AS level) and June 2028 (A level). Issue 4 of the A level History specification and Issue 5 of the AS level History specification are now available on our website. To support you with understanding the changes, we have provided guidance documents showing the marked-up changes that might affect teaching.
Getting Ready for Results Day Summer 2026
Access key information and guidance for the Summer 2026 results period for GCSE, International GCSE and A level History, including key dates, details of post-results services and grade boundaries:
Understanding your students' results - a guide to post-results services
As you prepare for results day, take a look at our post-results support guide to help you find the information you need to understand and analyse your students’ results, and what you can do if you have any queries about grading or marking.
Support for students ahead of results day
Waiting for exam results can be nerve-wracking for many students. Our guide for students, parents and carers on understanding results and grades contains helpful information about what to expect on results day and where to find further support.
Please pass this guide on to your students which includes information on:
- dates for results days
- receiving and understanding results
- grades and grade boundaries
- what steps to take if they are not happy with their results
- university applications
- certificates
- where to find further support.
Summer 2026 general qualifications and assessment teacher feedback
To enable us to improve the experience of teachers using our qualifications and students sitting our exams, we gather feedback after each exam series. If you're a teacher, and your students have taken any of our exams in the May/June 2026 series, we are eager to hear your thoughts. On the link below you can find separate teacher surveys for GCSE, International GCSE, A level and IAL.
Summer 2026 student surveys for GCSE and A level History
We are keen to hear from Edexcel History students about their experiences of studying our qualifications and sitting exams this summer. We’ve created two surveys and we’d be grateful if you could encourage your students to complete them before the end of term to help give us more insight into our qualifications and assessments. In the past we used similar surveys with students and got some fantastic feedback which helped feed into our GCSE History assessment changes. We will also share some of this information in training events.
New Ofqual podcast for teachers
Ofqual has launched a podcast for teachers and school leaders.
'Can I Just Qualify That?' will be built around conversations that matter and advice you can use. The first few episodes will cover everything from qualification reform and how GCSE and A level grading works, to helpful tips for exam season, results days, and cyber security.
Episode one dropped on Thursday 4 June on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music.
Subscribe to Ofqual's YouTube channel now so you don't miss it
Get 10% off Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History second edition student books this summer
Did you know that you can now get 10% off our Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) History 2nd edition student books until 30th September with code Summer10?
SHP History Summer Conference 2026
The Schools History Project (SHP) Summer Conference 2026 is taking place from 10-12 July at Leeds Trinity University. If you are attending, come and say hello to Pearson staff at the stand, plus we've got a ‘meet the exam board’ session at 2pm on Sat 12 July.
Subject advisor
Mark Battye
History
Subject updates
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Getting Ready for Results Day Summer 2026
Access key information and guidance for the Summer 2026 results period for GCSE, International GCSE and A level History, including key dates, details of post-results services and grade boundaries.