Why choose OCR GCSE (9-1) History A (Explaining the Modern World)

Clear assessments with sensible, straightforward questions
Clear and easy to use mark schemes with question stems that are clearly explained.

Sources and interpretations done properly
Source skills focus on getting students to think about how historians use primary material, and interpretations are located in their historical debates.

A diverse, meaningful and rich GCSE curriculum
Explore options covering migration history, LGBT+ history and the important roles women have played in explaining the modern world. Students will understand how the twentieth century shaped the world we live in today, and explore a theme explaining modern Britain in its historical context.

Coherent, manageable, and familiar content to help planning and teaching
International relations is a short period study covering about 50 years, with a depth study of an individual country such as Germany or the USA in the 20th century. The link between the thematic study and the British depth study means you can integrate the teaching of both. The study of the historic environment is a fixed site that you can plan and teach year after year.

Content overview

The content overview provides a description of each component, the mark allocation, duration of exam and weighting of assessment.

Support and resources

Free planning and teaching resources include:

• Schemes of work for every component option
• Teacher guides to the historic environment sites (Kenilworth Castle and Spitalfields)

Assessment resources include:

• Past papers
• Practice papers
• Candidate exemplars
• Examiner reports
• ExamBuilder - our free assessment builder platform that allows you to create tailored question papers giving your students the opportunity to practice and build confidence ahead of their exams.
• Active Results - our free online results analysis service that allows you to review your students' exam performance.

Text book and digital resources
We have a range of textbooks published by Hodder Education. All units are also supported by dedicated textbooks written by those who developed the specification. 

Expert Subject Advisors 
For all your specific subject-related queries, you can also get in touch with our friendly, knowledgeable History Subject Advisor team at history@ocr.org.uk

Subject updates
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Professional development and Teacher Networks

All our qualifications are supported with comprehensive training. Check out our professional development page on our website to find out what face-to-face and online courses we have available this term. Further courses will be added throughout the year.

Our free Teacher Networks provide you with a fantastic opportunity to discuss your subject with our Subject Advisors and like-minded colleagues in your local area.

What do other teachers say?

“The detailed feedback and responses I have received, mark schemes that make sense to staff and students, and exams that are fair and don’t catch the student out, are some of the highlights of GCSE History A for me”
Sarah Mackay, Head of History, Kingsway School, Stockport

“History A is the ideal course to equip citizens of the future – the different elements of the course can reinforce each other well. ‘I felt the engaging content, which was really manageable and straightforward, boosted my student performance because they felt confident”
Ian Garrett, history teacher, St. Francis of Assisi School, Walsall