Frequently Asked Questions

A. AS1 and AS2 will be offered in January and Summer series, first sitting January 2009. A21 will be offered January and Summer first sitting January 2010 and A22 will be offered Summer only first sitting in Summer 2010.

A. This revised GCE History specification will be available for teaching from September 2008. The first AS examination will take place in 2009 and the first A Level examination will take place in 2010.

A. AS Level qualifications will be awarded on a five-grade scale: A – E. A Level qualifications will be awarded on a six-grade scale: A* – E. To be awarded an A*, students will need to achieve a grade A on their full A Level qualification and an A* on the aggregate score of their A2 units.

Students who fail to reach the minimum standard for a grade E will be recorded as U (unclassified) and will not receive a certificate.

A. No, it is not necessary to study the same option in all of the assessment units. The assessment units offer a wide choice of options to give students a varied and flexible course of study.

However, some teachers may wish to follow a coherent study of a particular century. In this case, we recommend the following options:

• Sixteenth century: Option 1 in each unit;
• Seventeenth century: Option 2 in each unit;
• Nineteenth century: Option 3 in each unit except A2 2; and
• Twentieth century: Option 5 in unit AS 1, AS 2 and A2 1 Option 4 in A2 2, and Option 6 in AS 2.

When choosing options, teachers must remember that students are required to study a broad course that covers more than one country and historical period.

A. This qualification will provide assessment evidence for nationally-specified Key Skills Level 3 in:

• Communication
• Information Technology and Communication
• Improving Own Learning and Performance
• Working with Others
• Problem-Solving.