These assessment pointers are for judging standards of student performance in Year 8 History. They
are examples of what students may demonstrate rather than a checklist of everything they should do.
For reporting, they are used to make on-balance judgments about achievement based on what has
been taught and assessed during the reporting period. They can also be used to guide the pitch of
assessment tasks, develop marking keys and inform assessment feedback.
JUDGING STANDARDS IN YEAR 8 HISTORY
Reporting against the Achievement Standard
YEAR 8 HISTORY ACHIEVEMENT STANDARD
By the end of Year 8, students recognise and explain patterns of change and continuity over time. They explain the causes and effects of events and developments. They
identify the motives and actions of people at the time. Students explain the significance of individuals and groups and how they were influenced by the beliefs and values of
their society. They describe different interpretations of the past.
Students sequence events and developments within a chronological framework with reference to periods of time. When researching, students develop questions to frame an
historical inquiry. They analyse, select and organise information from primary and secondary sources and use it as evidence to answer inquiry questions. Students identify and
explain different points of view in sources. When interpreting sources, they identify their origin and purpose, and distinguish between fact and opinion. Students develop texts,
particularly descriptions and explanations, incorporating analysis. In developing these texts, and organising and presenting their findings, they use historical terms and
concepts, evidence identified in sources, and acknowledge their sources of information.
YEAR 8 HISTORY ASSESSMENT POINTERS
Continuity and change,
Cause and effect
A
B
C
D
E
Excellent achievement
High achievement
Satisfactory achievement
Limited achievement
Very low achievement
Recognises and clearly explains
patterns of change and
continuity over time, using
relevant evidence to support
statements.
Recognises and explains
patterns of change and
continuity over time, using
evidence to support statements.
Recognises and explains
patterns of change and
continuity over time.
Explains some patterns of
change or continuity over time.
Builds a coherent explanation of
causes and effects of events and
developments.
Explains causes and effects of
events and developments,
making direct connections.
Explains causes and effects of
events and developments.
Explains causes and effects of
events and developments;
however, lacks clarity and
historical relevance.
2013/37200v5 [PDF 2013/37557] Published: 22 May, 2015
Includes simple examples of
causes and effects of events and
developments which are not
always relevant.
Evidence, Use of sources
and Contestability
Historical inquiry
A
B
C
D
E
Excellent achievement
High achievement
Satisfactory achievement
Limited achievement
Very low achievement
Analyses and uses relevant and
reliable evidence from sources
to support a response or
argument, and/or answer
inquiry questions.
Explains and uses relevant
evidence from sources to
support a response or
argument, and/or answer
inquiry questions.
Uses evidence from sources to
support a response or
argument, and/or answer
inquiry questions.
Makes a simple judgement, but
uses minimal evidence to
support a response or
argument, and/or answer
inquiry questions.
Addresses a response or
argument, and/or answers
inquiry questions superficially,
without using evidence from the
sources.
Locates, compares, selects and
uses relevant evidence from a
range of primary and secondary
sources to support a detailed
response.
Locates, selects and uses
relevant evidence from a range
of primary and secondary
sources to support a response.
Selects and uses evidence from
a range of primary and
secondary sources to support a
response.
Provides a simple response;
however, makes little use of the
evidence gathered from primary
or secondary sources.
Shows little or no use of
evidence from primary and/or
secondary sources.
Examines relevant primary and
secondary sources to select and
organise facts and information.
Compares and contrasts primary
and secondary sources to select
and organise facts and
information.
Identifies and uses primary and
secondary sources to select and
organise facts and information.
Draws basic conclusions from
primary and secondary sources
to select facts and information.
Uses minimal facts or
information from few primary
and/or secondary sources.
Identifies, interprets and
analyses the usefulness, origin
and purpose of a source.
Identifies and interprets the
origin and purpose of a source.
Identifies the origin and purpose
of a source.
Refers to the origin or purpose
of a source, without providing
any detail.
Examines and clearly explains
points of view of a range of
primary and secondary sources,
highlighting bias and
contestability.
Identifies and clearly explains
points of view of a range of
primary and secondary sources.
Identifies and explains points of
view of a range of primary and
secondary sources.
Identifies points of view of
primary and secondary sources.
Identifies points of view of few
primary and secondary sources.
Develops a wide range of open,
relevant and appropriate
questions to frame an historical
inquiry.
Develops a wide range of
relevant questions to frame an
historical inquiry.
Develops a range of questions to
frame an historical inquiry.
Writes questions which restrict
the depth of an historical
inquiry.
Attempts to write inquiry
questions; however, simply
states information or uses
irrelevant information.
Demonstrates thorough and
concise note-taking skills,
organising and summarising
facts and information to answer
inquiry questions.
Demonstrates concise notetaking skills, organising and
summarising facts and
information to answer inquiry
questions.
Demonstrates simple notetaking skills, organising and
summarising facts and
information to answer inquiry
questions.
Demonstrates minimal notetaking skills which may have
some link to the inquiry
questions to present facts
and/or information.
Presents minimal relevant facts
or information with no link to
inquiry questions.
A
B
C
D
E
Excellent achievement
High achievement
Satisfactory achievement
Limited achievement
Very low achievement
Historical inquiry
Selects, uses and acknowledges
a range of relevant primary and
secondary sources.
Selects, uses and acknowledges
relevant primary and secondary
sources.
Selects, uses and acknowledges
primary and secondary sources.
Uses and acknowledges few
primary and/or secondary
sources.
Perspectives and
interpretations, Empathy
and Significance
Uses evidence to analyse and
interpret perspectives and
different interpretations of the
past.
Interprets and identifies
different interpretations of the
past.
Identifies perspectives and
describes different
interpretations of the past.
Identifies a perspective or
different interpretation of the
past.
Examines the significance,
motives and actions of
individuals and groups and/or
historical events and explains
how they were influenced by
the beliefs and values of their
society.
Clearly explains the significance,
motives and actions of
individuals and groups and/or
historical events and describes
how they were influenced by
the beliefs and values of their
society.
Explains the significance,
motives and actions of
individuals and groups and/or
historical events and identifies
how they were influenced by
the beliefs and values of their
society.
Suggests the significant impact
of historical events and/or
people, but does not provide
elaboration about how they
were influenced by the beliefs
and values of their society.
Describes some features of a
period and recounts the actions
of groups; however, does not
refer to its significance.
Accurately sequences and
articulates relevant historical
events and developments within
a chronological framework with
specific reference to periods of
time.
Accurately sequences relevant
historical events and
developments within a
chronological framework with
specific reference to periods of
time.
Sequences historical events and
developments within a
chronological framework with
reference to periods of time.
Sequences few historical events
and developments with some
reference to periods of time;
however, does not use a
chronological framework.
Sequences a minimal number of
historical events or
developments; however, does
not provide any reference to
periods of time or provide any
chronological framework.
Accurately uses precise and
relevant historical terms and
concepts.
Accurately uses relevant
historical terms and concepts.
Uses a range of historical terms
and concepts.
Uses some historical terms and
concepts.
Uses minimal or no historical
terms or concepts.
Accurately organises and
presents relevant facts and
information in a range of
communication forms relevant
to the historical context.
Organises and presents relevant
facts and information in a range
of communication forms
relevant to the historical
context.
Organises and presents facts
and information in a range of
communication forms relevant
to the historical context.
Presents some facts and
information relevant to the
historical context.
Presents some facts and
information, with little or no
relevance to the historical
context.
Develops a logical, wellreasoned text, describing,
explaining and analysing
historical facts and information.
Develops a logical text,
describing, explaining and
analysing historical facts and
information.
Develops a text, describing,
explaining and analysing
historical facts and information.
Develops a simple text,
describing or explaining
historical facts and information.
Develops a simple text, including
irrelevant historical facts and/or
information.
Chronology, terms and
concepts
Explanation and
communication
Uses few primary and/or
secondary sources; however,
does not acknowledge them.