OCRGCSE231 resources

OCR GCSE History Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download free OCR GCSE History past papers and mark schemes. 231 resources covering 2020 – 2023. Free PDF downloads.

📅2020 – 2023📄231 resources available✅Free to download

Papers Overview Paper Structure Key Info Key Topics Command Words Grade Boundaries Revision Tips Try AI Tutor ✦

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231 of 231 resources — page 1 of 10

June 2023

6 files

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – The people’s health, c.1250 to present with The Elizabethans, 1580–1603

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – The people’s health, c.1250 to present with The Norman Conquest, 1065–1087

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – Viking expansion, c.750–c.1050 with Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest, 1519–1535

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – Viking expansion, c.750–c.1050 with living under Nazi rule, 1933–1945

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – Viking expansion, c.750–c.1050 with The First Crusade, c.1070–1100

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – Migrants to Britain, c.1250 to present with Britain in peace and war, 1900-1918

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June 2022

3 files

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – The people’s health, c.1250 to present

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – Viking expansion, c.750–c.1050

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Mark scheme – Viking expansion, c.750-c.1050

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November 2021

2 files

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – Viking expansion, c.750–c.1050

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – Britain in peace and war 1900–1918

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November 2020

2 files

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – The people’s health, c.1250 to present with The Elizabethans, 1580–1603

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Question paper – The people’s health, c.1250 to present with The Norman Conquest, 1065–1087

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No date

12 files

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – The Mughal Empire, 1526-1707 with Living under Nazi rule, 1933-1945

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – The Mughal Empire, 1526-1707 with The First Crusade, c.1070-1100

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – The people’s health, c.1250 to present with Britain in peace and war, 1900-1918

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – The people’s health, c.1250 to present with The Elizabethans, 1580-1603

Sample Assessment Materials

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – The people’s health, c.1250 to present with The Norman Conquest, 1065-1087

Sample Assessment Materials

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Viking expansion, c.750-c.1050 with Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest, 1519-1535

Sample Assessment Materials

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Viking expansion, c.750-c.1050 with Living under Nazi rule, 1933-1945

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – Viking expansion, c.750-c.1050 with The First Crusade, c.1070-1100

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – The making of America, 1789-1900 with Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest, 1519-1535

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – The making of America, 1789-1900 with Living under Nazi rule, 1933-1945

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – The making of America, 1789-1900 with The First Crusade, c.1070-1100

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History B (Schools History Project) (9-1) – The Mughal Empire, 1526-1707 with Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest, 1519-1535

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About OCR GCSE History

OCR offers two GCSE History specifications: J411 Explaining the Modern World (History A) and J410 Schools History Project (History B). Both are 9-1 graded across three 1-hour-15-minute papers per level. History A focuses on the modern world: a thematic study (e.g., War and British Society c.790 to c.2010), a period study (e.g., International Relations 1918–1975), and a world depth study (e.g., Living Under Nazi Rule 1933–1945, Mughal India 1526–1707). History B (SHP) is enquiry-led: one thematic study, one period study, one British depth study, plus historic environment study which changes annually and requires fieldwork-style site analysis. Both specifications include source-based questions worth 25–30% of marks.

Exam Paper Structure

Paper 1

First exam paper

⏱ 1h 30min🎯 80 marks📊 50% of grade

Paper 2

Second exam paper

⏱ 1h 30min🎯 80 marks📊 50% of grade

Key Information

Exam Board	OCR
Specification Code	J410 (Schools History Project) and J411 (Explaining the Modern World)
Qualification	GCSE
Grading Scale	9–1
Assessment Type	2
Number Of Papers	2
Exam Duration	1 hour 30 minutes per paper
Total Marks	160–180
Available Sessions	2020 – 2023
Total Resources	231

Key Topics in History

Topics you need to know

Thematic studyPeriod studyWorld depth studyBritish depth studySource analysis (provenance, content, inference)Historians’ interpretations

Exam Command Words

Command word	What the examiner expects
Describe	Give an account of features, events or processes
Explain	Give reasons why something happens, using subject knowledge
Assess	Make a judgement on the importance of a factor, supported by evidence
Discuss	Present different sides of an argument and reach a balanced conclusion
Compare	Identify similarities and differences with clear comparative language
To what extent	Make a judgement about the strength of a claim, with supporting evidence

Typical Grade Boundaries

Grade	Approximate mark needed
Grade 9	76–86%
Grade 8	63–75%
Grade 7	51–62%
Grade 6	43–50%
Grade 5	35–42%
Grade 4	27–34%

⚠️ Typical Higher tier boundaries across two papers. Actual boundaries vary by series — check the awarding body website.

How to Use OCR GCSE History Past Papers Effectively

Source analysis is where History grades are made or lost. For every source question, work through three levels: provenance (who, what, when, why), content (what the source says), and inference (what the source suggests beyond what it directly says). The mark scheme rewards inference — candidates who only describe content cap at Level 2. For 16-mark and 18-mark questions on causation, structure as: introduction with a thesis sentence taking a position; two paragraphs on causes A and B with specific evidence; one paragraph on counter-cause C; conclusion that returns to the thesis with a judgement on relative significance. Memorise dates and statistics. “By 1939, the Nazis had imprisoned around 27,000 communists in concentration camps” outscores “the Nazis imprisoned many people”. Build a date timeline per topic with at least 30 entries. Historians' interpretations are required for Level 4 in interpretation questions. Memorise two competing historians per major topic (e.g., for Nazi Germany: A. J. P. Taylor's intentionalism vs Mommsen's structuralism). Use historians by name and at least once per essay. The historic environment question (History B) requires site-specific knowledge — use the OCR-published study aid for the relevant year.

More OCR GCSE Subjects

Explore other GCSE subjects from OCR

OCR GCSE History Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download Past Papers

June 2023

June 2022

November 2021

November 2020

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About OCR GCSE History

Exam Paper Structure

Key Information

Key Topics in History

Exam Command Words

Typical Grade Boundaries

How to Use OCR GCSE History Past Papers Effectively

More OCR GCSE Subjects

Gateway Science Suite

Twenty First Century Science Suite

Mathematics (9-1)

Mathematics

History B (Schools History Project) (9-1)

Physics

Chemistry

Geography

History A (Explaining the Modern World) (9-1)

Biology

Religious Studies (9-1)

Classical Greek (9-1)

Classical Civilisation (9-1)

Latin (9-1)

English Language (9-1)

English Language

Geography B (Geography for Enquiring Minds) (9-1)

Geography A (Geographical Themes) (9-1)

English Literature (9-1)

English Literature

Citizenship Studies (9-1)

Ancient History (9-1)

Physical Education (9-1)

Economics (9-1)

Business (9-1)

Business

Psychology (9-1)

Design and Technology (9-1)

Music (9-1)

Drama (9-1)

Drama

Food Preparation and Nutrition (9-1)

Computer Science (9-1)

Computer Science

Media Studies (9-1)

Art and Design (9-1)

Geography B (9-1)

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