Exam guidance
Each unit of the A level tests different skills but there are some fundamental aspects you must master that are relevant to all units including the coursework. These skills can take time to develop but it is important that you practice them regularly, the best way to do this is through practice essays. Never hesitate to give your teacher a practice essay. We generally aim to have practice essays marked and back to you within two weeks.
All of your A level teachers will use a marking code when marking your essays. JRCS students will be used to this from GCSE but there are some new elements at A level. Here you will find out explanations of what they mean and how to use them correctly.
VCJ - Valid Criteria and Judgement - a very important A level skill and one that students find hard at first.
In an historical essay you will always be required to make a judgement. This judgement needs to be assertive, so no sitting on the fence. You will be asked questions such as 'How far do you agree' or 'How accurate is it to say..' You cannot make a fully substantiated judgement without first establishing valid criteria. Criteria is how we measure the extent of something. For example if you were asked the question, 'What makes a good school?', you would need to consider all the things that make a good school: the criteria. You might say excellent results, good behaviour, innovative teaching, opportunities. So you have established valid criteria and now you need to apply that to the question. Based on the criteria, is school x a good school?
QF - Question Focus
An opening sentence to each paragraph that uses an aspect of the valid criteria and introduces its importance to the essay question.
FE - Factual evidence
You cannot argue anything in history without solid facts and knowledge. A level history requires you to provide detailed and precise knowledge. It also really important for that knowledge to be wide-ranging. If you are answering a question on the economy in Nazi Germany from 1933-45, it wouldn't be enough to just provide knowledge from 1943-45, it would need to provide detailed knowledge from across the whole period.
AN - Analysis
Detailed analysis will form the basis of your argument. Detailed analysis involves you explaining the importance and impact of events, individuals and concepts. A level analysis needs to provide sophisticated and academic language. For example, rather than stating 'this made things get worse' an A level response would use a phrase such as 'this exacerbated the situation'. You will be given an analysis word sheet at the start of the course and every history classroom has an analysis word wall.
EA - Evaluation
This will come at the end of each paragraph.