Edexcel GCSE History 2026 content changes 

Following a thorough and comprehensive review of our GCSE History assessment model, we are now ready to move on to the next stage of improvements which focus on changes to the specification content. Issue 6 of the specification is now available on our website, for first teaching September 2024, first assessment 2026. This update is to inform you of the content changes we are making and to outline the guidance that is available to support you. 

Release of Summer 2024 assessment materials on website

• Summer 2024 question papers will be released on our website on 2 July 2024.
• Summer 2024 mark schemes will be released on our website on 16 July 2024.
• AS and A level examiner reports will be available on our website from 20 August 2024.
• GCSE examiners reports will be made available online from 27 August 2024.
• You will also be able to download examiner reports from results day via ResultsPlus.

Summer 2024 post-exam series teacher survey

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 2024 series we want to know what you liked or didn't like in this year's exam papers. We'll share your feedback with our senior examiners and across teams to ensure we continue to make improvements to our papers where appropriate so we can make sure your students have the best exam experience.

Summer 2024 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. Last summer we used a similar survey with students and got some fantastic feedback which helped feed into our GCSE History assessment changes.

Timing for training events – survey

The subject advisor team at Pearson Edexcel would like to hear your views about your preferred time of day for when we run our training events.

We would be very grateful if you could complete our survey, which should take no more than a few minutes of your time.

Pearson Edexcel GCSE History: Supporting higher-attaining students

We are running an online event designed for teachers who are delivering our Pearson Edexcel GCSE History qualification and would like training to support higher-attaining students. It will focus on some of the specific mark scheme requirements for extended writing questions that enable student responses to access Level 4 and reach the top of the level, before then exploring strategies for building on these students’ enthusiasm for history more generally.

The event will take place on 01 July 2024 at 16:00-18:00 GMT. Event Fee (GBP): £40 excl. Tax.

HA members resource: making history accessible

Every student has an entitlement to learn history and to high quality history teaching. The HA have created some resources for helping students who struggle with specific aspects of learning history. They have created short guides which explain why pupils struggle with aspects of historical learning, outlining strategies that can help to tackle the issues over time, and suggestions for further reading. There are also some short films to accompany the guides where an experienced colleague further explains the topic in a specific context.

SHP Summer Conference 2024

Booking is now open for the SHP Summer Conference 2024, which takes place at Leeds Trinity University on 29 and 30 June 2024. There will be a fantastic range of workshops for primary and secondary history teachers, led by inspirational teachers and history educators. For more details and to book your place visit the SHP website:

Migration and Black British History resources from the British Library

The British Library are running a programme of events to support History teachers, especially at GCSE and Key Stage 3, focusing on migration and Black British History.

• Online CPD for History teachers: European migrants in 19th-century Britain, 3 July, 4pm – 5.15pm
  
  Get fresh ideas and resources for teaching migration history, with rich sources from the British Library archive. Join historian Panikos Panayi and Justice to History, for this partnership webinar from the Historical Association and the British Library.

• Special livestreamed schools event: Black British history through music, with Jeffrey Boakye, 1 July 10.30am – 11.30am 
  
  Join award-winning author Jeffrey Boakye for an interactive journey, exploring Black British history through music. Inspired by the British Library's exhibition Beyond the Bassline: 500 Years of Black British Music. Perfect for Years 7-10.