2012
CHANGES TO
HY1 FOR
TEACHING
FROM
SEPTEMBER
2012 WITH
THE FIRST
EXAM IN MAY
2013
HY1 CHANGES
Changes to the GCE History AS units, HY1 and HY2
have been accredited by the examinations regulator,
OFQUAL.
These changes result from a Government scrutiny of
the subject in 2009.
They apply for first teaching from September 2012.
The first examinations in the amended style will be
available in May 2013.
HY1 CHANGES
THE SPECIFICATION HAS CHANGED FOR ALL
HY1 UNITS. Please ensure that you are teaching
the new specification – only available online.
The amended
specification and the
amended specimen
assessment
materials are
available now on the
WJEC website
www.wjec.co.uk
HY1 CHANGES
Each period study for HY1 now offers a choice from
four topic areas.
Some of these are additional content areas, some
have been created by splitting existing topic areas.
Some of the other general topic areas have had their
content amended slightly to make the coverage
clearer.
There are NO changes to the content of the Period
Study at HY4 – these changes apply only to HY1.
HY1 CHANGES
An example of the specification layout for HY1 showing
FOUR topic areas: the original template has been retained.
HY1 CHANGES
A summary of the main changes to the Period Studies.
Period Study
Summary of new topic areas
Wales and England 14851603
Introduction of a fourth general topic:
Social and economic change in Wales and England, 1525-1588.
Wales and England 16031715
The current general topic 2 has been split into two new topics:
Changes in government: Civil War, Regicide and Republic, 1637-1660
The Restoration and the reign of Charles II, 1660-1685
Wales and England 17801886
The current general topic 2 has been split into two new topics:
Popular protest, 1815-1848
The campaigns for social reform, 1815-1848
Wales and England 18801980
Introduction of a fourth general topic:
The changing role and status of women, 1880-1929
Europe 1515-1621
Introduction of a fourth general topic:
Spain during the reign of Charles V, 1516-1556
Europe 1696-1815
Introduction of a fourth general topic:
International relations, 1710-1756
Europe 1815-1917
Introduction of a fourth general topic:
The Eastern Question, 1815-1856
Europe 1878-1989
Introduction of a fourth general topic:
Germany 1878-1919
HY1 CHANGES
The nature of the questions and the expectations of
the Examiners have not changed – though the mark
scheme has. The question paper will still be worth
120 UMS marks.
More time will be allowed for the paper to meet
concerns that 90 minutes left no time for thinking and
planning. We are adding 10 minutes THINKING TIME
to the paper in the hope that candidates will spend the
extra time to consider and plan a response to the exact
questions set. The HY1 examination will last for 1
hour and 40 minutes from the Summer of 2013.
HY1 CHANGES
In each question on the examination paper, key
words which relate to historical concepts will be
highlighted. For example:
4. The changing role and status of women, 1880-1929
(a) Explain why women were granted the right to vote by 1928. [24]
(b) Was the First World War mainly responsible for the changing role
and status of women 1880-1929?
[36]
There is no other change to the style or layout of
the question papers – an example of which follows:
HY1 CHANGES
An example of the HY1 examination paper showing the instruction
page and all four questions on the reverse.
HY1 CHANGES
The mark schemes for HY1 have changed considerably but
we have retained three levels in both Part (a) and Part (b).
The current arrangement of splitting the assessment objective up
into strands of AO1a and AO1b has been replaced by an
amalgamated version: Assessment Objective 1.
This is the official description of Assessment Objective 1:
Candidates recall, select and deploy historical knowledge appropriately, and
communicate knowledge and understanding of history in a clear and effective
manner. Candidates demonstrate their understanding of the past through
explanation, analysis and arriving at substantiated judgements of
key concepts such as causation, consequence, continuity,
change and significance within an historical context;
the relationships between key features and characteristics of the
periods studied.
HY1 CHANGES
The mark scheme is laid out as follows for Part (a) and Part (b).
HY1 CHANGES
The mark scheme then has a generic grid
showing the three levels.
In each level there is a general description of
the type of response expected and then each
level is divided into LOW, MID and HIGH
responses with a description of the
characteristics at each point and the mark
range available.
Here is a Part (a):
HY1 CHANGES
A LEVEL 3 GRID IS
SHOWN NEXT FOR
CLARITY
HY1 CHANGES
LEVEL 3 OF THE PART (a) GRID. Note that the demands of the mark scheme has
not changed – we have been required to amalgamate AO1a and AO1b.
HY1 CHANGES
Then there is a section showing the INDICATIVE
CONTENT for each sub question – the general
introduction here is not a get out clause: it is simply
a reflection of the range of possible content.
HY1 CHANGES
HY1 CHANGES
The mark scheme for Part (b) follows the same structure.
THE THREE LEVELS OF
THE PART (b) GRID.
HY1 CHANGES
INDICATIVE CONTENT FOR QUESTION 4(b)
NOTE: This content is not prescriptive and candidates are not expected to mention all the material referred to
below. Each answer will be assessed on its merits according to the generic mark scheme as well as the
indicative content.
QUESTION:
To what extent was the First World War mainly responsible for the changing role and status of women
1880-1929?
Candidates are expected to reach a substantiated and supported judgement about whether the First World War
was mainly responsible for the changing role and status of women 1880-1929.
The impact of the First World War on the changing role and status of women should be analysed and
evaluated in relation to issues such as:
• introduction of legislation which gave women more access to work
• the response of women to the war effort
• the changing attitudes of many men as a result of the war
• the general demand for more political reform
The impact of the First World War on the role and status of women should be evaluated against other factors
responsible for the changing role and status of women in this period. Some of the issues to discuss may
include:
• the change in attitude of the various governments across the period
• the overall impact of the suffrage movements
• the economic emancipation of women
• social and cultural change in general
• changing educational opportunities
• impact of specific individuals and campaigners
• the high points of the extension of the franchise in 1918 and 1928