In autumn 2016, Pearson will be running training sessions to support you with marking the new
A Level History exam papers. This face-to-face training is for teachers who are delivering
the new Edexcel A Level History, for first assessment in 2017.
It has been designed to support you with marking the Edexcel GCE History specimen papers, allowing
you to use the specimen paper as a mock for your students.
During the training, you will cover different types of questions across Papers 1 to 3 for
a number of different topics. The training will help you to:
Understand the assessment requirements of the new specification.
Explore the structure of the three examination papers, especially the new types of questions.
Review examples of student responses. Gain an understanding of how to apply the
new types of mark schemes accurately. Understand how Edexcel can support you.
Ask questions and share good practice. The session will examine the three assessment
objectives and will apply these to a number of student answers.
This video provides a taster of what will be on offer for the full face-to-face training
session. We will look at: How AO1 is applied to a depth essay from Paper
2. How AO2 will be examined by studying an answer
to a Paper 3 source question. And how the new assessment objective, AO3,
which covers interpretations of the past, will be assessed on Paper 1, Section C, Question
5. Open up the accompanying exemplar responses
pack. A link to the pack is provided with this video. Look at the AO1 exemplar answer
to Paper 2, Section B, on France in revolution, 1774 to 1799:
How significant was Robespierre's [WJ1]role in the development of the Reign of Terror,
1793 to 94? This question is assessed by AO1.
Assessment Objective 1 states that candidates must:
Demonstrate, organise and communicate knowledge and understanding to analyse and evaluate
the key features related to the periods studied, making substantiated judgements and exploring
concepts - as relevant of: cause, consequence, change, continuity, similarity, difference
and significance. For this question, candidates need to examine
and explain Robespierre's role in the development of the Reign of Terror, and the role of other
individuals and key events. Their conclusion should evaluate the stated factor and the
extent of its significance. Look at the student's response. The knowledge
is broadly accurate, though the paragraph on events in the Vendee is confused and essentially
inaccurate. The introduction is not a strong one: the
candidate states that Robespierre's contribution is quite significant, but we are not told
in what way this might be so. Paragraphs 2 to 4 are essentially descriptive,
dealing with the fall of the Girondins[WJ2], the events of the 7th of June 1793, and the
development of a new political system from mid-1793. These points are not strongly linked
to the Terror, nor to Robespierre's role in them.
The remaining paragraphs attempt to address Robespierre's role in 1793 to 94, but the points made are largely descriptive with little in the way of explanation.
The conclusion adds little to the answer, and leaves the reader uncertain as to the
nature and significance of Robespierre in these years.
When examiners come to assess a student's performance, they apply the generic mark scheme
which Edexcel has published in the Sample Assessment Materials and additional specimen
papers. Each level of attainment consists of a number of different strands, and examiners
consider each strand when deciding which level is the best fit to an answer.
This response on Robespierre's role in the development of the Terror displays the following
qualities: Analysis is limited to some key features of
the period, but there are several descriptive passages that are not shown to relate to the
question's focus. Knowledge displayed is mostly accurate and
relevant, but range and depth are lacking here, and there are only implicit links to
the focus of the question. There is an attempt to reach an overall judgement,
but with limited substantiation. There are attempts made to organise the answer,
but the structure is not secure. The answer is therefore placed within Level
2. The training meeting will explain in more
detail how to apply the mark scheme, and how to award a mark within that level. We will
also give advice on scripts where some strands belong in one level while others are assessed
in a different level. We will now move on to consider the answer
to a source question for Paper 3. In the source questions, Assessment Objective
2 is examined. Candidates are asked to: Analyse and evaluate appropriate source material,
primary and/or contemporary to the period, within its historical context.
For Paper 3 source questions, a single source is provided of around 350 words.
Open the accompanying exemplar pack to the Paper 3, Section A response on The Making
of Modern Russia. The question under discussion asks students
to: Assess the value of the source for revealing
the extent of support for the Bolsheviks in Russia and their attitude to democracy. Explain your answer, using the source, the information given about its origin and your own knowledge about the historical context. This slide shows what candidates are required to demonstrate in their evaluation of the extract. They must consider the two enquiries in the question: the extent of Bolshevik support and the party's attitude towards democracy. They must also consider the information given on the origins of the source, and finally deploy their own knowledge in evaluating the source. Look at the AO2 response in the accompanying pack. The exemplar script here has an introduction which makes a judgement on both enquiries. The candidate continues with a consideration of Bolshevik support by referring to the 'labouring classes'. Analysis of this point is reasonably secure. Contextual knowledge is deployed to support the discussion on the Bolsheviks and the Social Revolutionaries. Some evaluative comments are not very convincing, notably that 'the information is unreliable'. Analysis and evaluation of the Bolsheviks' attitude towards democracy is somewhat less secure, though there is some analysis of what
the source reveals about the reasons for the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly, which
would mean that the Bolsheviks would not have to compromise with other parties in carrying
out their policies. The conclusion considers reasons why the source
might be valuable, but offers only undeveloped comment suggesting that the speed of the actions
taken in 1918 could undermine its accuracy. The answer displays the following qualities:
There is some understanding of the source material, and one or two relevant points are
selected for investigation. Own knowledge of the historical context is
deployed to explain inferences (for example, attitudes to democracy).
The nature and the purpose of the material is addressed, along with the position of its
author. Judgements are drawn, but the justification
for these is not extensive. Once again, the script must be assessed against
the level descriptors and the strands within each level.
The answer therefore shows understanding and some analysis of the source, some evaluation
taking into account the purpose and position of the author, and it reaches some judgements.
However, evaluation of the material is not extensive, and some comments on reliability
are not secure. The candidate is a little more confident in considering Bolshevik support
rather than their attitude towards democracy. All these considerations fit the level 3 descriptor.
Our final candidate response is an answer to the interpretations question in Paper 1.
Paper 1, Section C targets a new assessment objective, AO3, where candidates:
Analyse and evaluate, in relation to the historical context, different ways in which aspects of
the past have be en interpreted. In these questions, candidates are asked to
examine two extracts on an issue which is subject to different interpretations by historians.
They must analyse and evaluate the material in both extracts, and use their own knowledge
of the issue, to reach a judgement on how convincing they find the point of view given
in the question. Take a look at the extracts in the accompanying
exemplar pack. The question under discussion is from Paper 1, Option C, Britain in the
years 1625 to 1701: In the light of different interpretations,
how convincing do you find the view that the Revolution Settlement of 1688 to 89 did not
clarify the powers of the monarch? To explain your answer, analyse and evaluate
the material in both extracts, using your own knowledge of the issues.
In the answer offered here, the candidate begins by looking at both extracts, highlights
the contrast between them, and draws a tentative conclusion at the start.
In the two following paragraphs the answer considers both extracts separately, with some
detailed analysis, especially of Extract 1. There is some reference to the usefulness
of the extracts, which is taking us away from the focus of the question.
The conclusion attempts to reach a judgement based on the evidence of both extracts, and
with some references to own knowledge. The generic level descriptors for Section
C are published in the Sample Assessment Materials and specimen papers, and should be used in
assessing the answer: There is an understanding of the extracts,
both of which have been analysed and compared. The candidate has considered issues raised
in the extracts, and has discussed these with some integration of own knowledge. However,
there is some lack of depth in reference to one or two aspects.
The answer does reach a supported overall judgement, and understands that the issue
of monarchical powers is a matter of continued debate.
All these features suggest that the answer is a Level 4 response.
This presentation is simply a taster of what you can expect from the mock marking training
sessions which will be offered later this year. We will be looking in more detail at:
The three assessment objectives. How to choose a level which fits candidates'
answers. Perhaps most importantly, how to reach an
accurate decision on which mark within a level is appropriate.
To book a place on the training go to the Pearson Edexcel Training page and select A
Level History! If you have any questions about the training,
get in touch with the History subject advisor.
[WJ1]Pronunciation link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-OmUDGpP6o [WJ2]Pronunciation link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UezzH7YMpWs