Programme of Study & Syllabus
Contents
The Syllabus, Examinations and Assessment
How Your Work is Assessed on the Course
The Transition from AS to A Level - Some Tips
Download your Programme of Study Download Download your Programme of Study
Welcome to your Wolsey Hall Cambridge AL History course. Please take the time to read carefully through this page as it explains how the course is structured, how to get the most out of your studies and how your work will be assessed. At the end of this page, you will find details of the reading you will need to do from your textbooks and also how each module links to the CAIE syllabus and the final examinations.
This course will lead you step-by-step through the syllabus by way of video links, resources, assignments and, of course, the textbook, so that by the end, you will be confident and fully prepared for your final examinations.
"Human nature will not change. In any future great national trial, we shall have as weak and as strong, as silly and as wise, as bad and as good. Let us therefore study this as philosophy to learn wisdom from" – Abraham Lincoln (speaking of The American Civil War of 1861 to 1865).
History is the study of the past, but understanding it means we can plan for, and shape, the future of society. Studying History at A Level teaches you crucial analytical and evaluative skills which enable you to make connections between the world of today and the world of the past. You will appreciate a diverse range of historical sources and study the methods used by historians to understand the past, weighing up different interpretations. When we analyse important historical events, we learn about the consequences of people’s actions and we can apply this knowledge to our own situation, thus deepening our understanding of current affairs, and learning valuable lessons for the future.
In the Cambridge AL course, we cover Topic 2: The Holocaust (Paper 3) and the European option, Depth Study 1: European History in the Interwar Years, 1919-41 (Paper 4).
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Show your appreciation and knowledge of a range of periods and themes in the past;
- Relate with empathy to people living in different places and at different times;
- Demonstrate a greater awareness of historical concepts such as cause and effect, similarity and difference, and change and continuity;
- Assess different interpretations of particular historical debates;
- Explain how the past has been subsequently reconstructed and presented by historians;
- Think independently and make informed judgements on a wide range of issues;
- Present clear and logical arguments;
- Deploy the vocabulary to discuss history conceptually and show how different aspects link together;
- Demonstrate a level of mastery of history to help you enter higher education.
The Syllabus, Examinations and Assessment
This Wolsey Hall course is designed to prepare you for the Cambridge AL History examinations which you will sit at a Cambridge exam centre. It is vitally important that you become familiar with the syllabus which can be found below:
READ – Syllabus 2021-23 (CAIE) Download READ – Syllabus 2021-23 (CAIE)
READ – Syllabus 2021-23 Update (CAIE) Download READ – Syllabus 2021-23 Update (CAIE)
READ – Syllabus 2024-25 (CAIE) Download READ – Syllabus 2024-25 (CAIE)
READ – Syllabus 2026-27 (CAIE) Download READ – Syllabus 2026-27 (CAIE)
The examination code for AS and A Level History is: 9489
In addition to the two AS papers, which you may have taken in an earlier exam sitting, for the AL in History, you will sit two papers:
- Paper 3: Interpretations Question – This paper is worth 20% of your overall A Level grade. Length: 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The paper carries 40 marks in total and consists of one question. Candidates answer one interpretations question on one of the options given in the syllabus.
For Paper 3, you will study Topic 2: The Holocaust.
- Paper 4: Depth Study – This paper is worth 30% of your overall A Level grade. Length: 1 hour and 45 minutes.
The paper carries 60 marks in total and consists of two questions. Candidates answer two questions on their chosen depth study.
For Paper 4, you will study the European option, Depth Study 1: European History in the Interwar Years, 1919-41, consisting of the following topics:
- Theme 1: Mussolini’s Italy, 1919-41
- Theme 2: Stalin’s Russia, 1924-41
- Theme 3: Hitler’s Germany, 1929-41
All components are externally assessed.
The syllabus is examined in the June and November examination series. This syllabus is also available for examination in March for students in India only.
Assessment Objectives
The assessment objectives (AOs) for AS and A Level History are as follows:
- AO1: Recall, select and deploy historical knowledge appropriately and effectively.
- AO2: Demonstrate an understanding of the past through explanation, analysis and a substantiated judgement of key concepts: causation, consequence, continuity, change and significance within an historical context, the relationships between key features and characteristics of the periods studied.
- AO3: Analyse, evaluate and interpret a range of appropriate source material.
- AO4: Analyse and evaluate how aspects of the past have been interpreted and represented.
Wolsey Hall offers a unique model of offline and online resources to our homeschooling students – a model which we have developed based on our many years’ experience of providing homeschooling courses to students.
Textbooks
Each subject specialist team carefully selects the best textbooks for you to use as you study. The textbooks for your AL History course are:
Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust (Access to History), by Alan Farmer (Revised 2nd edition, Hodder Education, 2009); ISBN: 9780340984963
European Dictatorships 1918-1945, by Stephen J. Lee (4th edition, Routledge, 2016); ISBN: 9780415736145
Throughout the course, we recommend that you complete all of the questions and exercises in the textbooks – the table below will highlight which pages you should read for each module.
Resources
In addition to your textbooks, we have sourced a range of additional resources to support your learning. The resources are clearly marked out in the module pages and you should make use of these alongside your textbooks to ensure that you get the very best out of your course.
You will also find a range of key resources in the General Resources section of the course. These are items which relate to the course as a whole, rather than to specific modules, and as such, you should make regular use of them. For AL History, these are:
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- CAIE Learner Guide for AS and AL History
- CAIE Specimen Papers and Mark Schemes for 2021
- Optional Further Reading List
- AL History Dos and Don’ts for Paper 3
- A Level Essay Guide for Paper 4
All the files required for your course are uploaded onto our Learning Management System, Canvas. Once you have read through this page and downloaded the Programme of Study (POS) then you are ready to begin the course.
The key course content is covered in eleven core modules, each of which has an assignment at the end of it. These modules will help you to get the most out of your textbooks. Each module is subdivided into topics so that you can study the course in manageable chunks. Each topic is set out as follows:
- Read and Make Notes – this section includes the page references for reading and note-making from your textbook.
- Tasks – this section identifies key questions you should be able to answer once you have completed the reading.
- Links – throughout the course there will be links to a range of resources that will enhance your understanding of key concepts and will give you an opportunity to apply your knowledge.
- Research, Explore and Stretch Activities – in some topics, you will find additional activities which involve carrying out further research on key topics or completing extra worksheets to test what you have learnt so far.
- Consolidate– these sections contain tasks and/or resources which draw together key material you have covered.
- Terminology – you will keep track of new terminology by making flashcards for revision as you progress through the course.
You must also work through the extensive guidance on essay-writing skills and key concepts provided at the start of the course in Module Zero: Introductory Skills and the revision tips and activities in Module Twelve: Revision and Exam Practice once you have completed the course, to help you to prepare for your final examinations.
How Your Work is Assessed on the Course
Your progress will be assessed by completing an assignment at the end of each module. We recommend that you do NOT look at the assignments until you've studied all the topics in the module. This will ensure that you focus on everything you need to know for the exam. If you focus only on what you need to know to do well in the assignment, you will miss important elements in each module that you need to know and understand.
The assignments have been designed to help you prepare for your final examination – many of the questions are based on past exam papers. Answering exam-style questions is crucial in developing your exam technique, understanding exactly what the examiner is looking for in each case and ensuring you are confident when you tackle the real exams. We do not expect you to complete your assignments without referring to your notes or textbook and early on it is important to utilise as you are learning new ideas and concepts, however, we encourage you to rely less on these as you progress through the course. By your final assignment, you should be able to work without needing to refer back to your textbook regularly, as you will not have access to it in the exam.
The assignments allow you to think critically about what you have learned and will enable your tutor to see how well you are progressing. Your tutor will mark your assignments and provide you with detailed feedback. Once you have had your marked assignment returned, you will be able to access the mark scheme and/or a specimen answer (an A-grade piece of work). You should always reflect carefully on your tutor’s feedback and apply it in your future assignments.
You should read the assignment questions carefully and answer them to the best of your ability, providing relevant examples where necessary. If you don’t do well in your first assignment, don’t worry; your tutor is there to provide advice.
We ask that you do not submit multiple assignments at the same time. For you to see a steady improvement in your marks, it is very important that you reflect on your tutor’s feedback before beginning each new assignment, so that you can incorporate their tips for improvement into each new piece of work.
To get the best out of your course, before submitting each new assignment, you must:
- Complete all the reading, notes and activities in the preceding module;
- Read carefully through all of your tutor’s comments on your last assignment;
- Use the mark scheme and/or any exemplar or specimen answers provided to help you plan for the next assignment.
We cannot guarantee that tutors will be able to mark multiple assignments within the 3-5 working day window and your work may be returned to you to complete again in light of more recent feedback.
All assignments are submitted via Canvas – you should consult the Canvas Guide for more information.
The Transition from AS to A Level - Some Tips
You will find that you are applying many of the same skills that you built up during your AS studies, but the demands in terms of research and note-taking, and in planning and supporting your answers, are inevitably greater.
- Research and reading – the module pages set out what you need to read in the textbooks and a wide array of supplementary material for you to explore. Clearly, the more time and interest you devote to this process, the broader your knowledge and understanding will become. The textbooks provide a good framework for your studies, but are no longer sufficient by themselves.
- Your reading will centre on a series of key topic questions, taken from the Cambridge syllabus. These should be the headings for your notes. Make sure that what you have written supplies a clear and detailed answer to each question as you proceed. Try experimenting with a few different ways of taking notes, such as mind maps, tables and spider diagrams. Build up an overall a glossary of relevant terms, a who’s who of important people and a timeline of crucial events as separate documents.
- The longer, multi-faceted essays expected at A Level in Paper 4 require careful planning. First, read the question and pick out the key words. List key arguments that support and challenge the idea in the question. Under each argument, you can put down examples that come to your mind. Decide what point will you be making in each paragraph. What is the most logical order to create an effective answer to the particular question? Have it clear in your head what your overall argument is before you start writing. Consult the links from History Today provided in General Resources for more detailed guidance.
- In your introduction, explain exactly what you understand by the title, and list the factors you will consider, showing your overall verdict. Keep this very brief, however. Conclusions are important for high marks, and need to reflect a balanced but consistent approach, and directly address the words of the question.
- Each point will need to be supported with some precise evidence. Bear this in mind during your reading and note-taking; include useful and memorable quotations, statistics and examples you can deploy in your essays.
- For the first time, an understanding of historiography – that is, the debate between historians about the best interpretation of events – is a crucial part of your work, in preparation for Paper 3.
When you study a Wolsey Hall course, you are never alone. There are lots of people who are willing to help you. Everyone is on your side!
- Tutors: At Wolsey Hall, all our tutors are friendly and knowledgeable. They are subject experts and you should not be shy about asking them questions about your course. You will meet your tutor at the start of your course and you should contact them via Canvas messaging if you have any questions.
- Student Progress Managers: You have already been assigned a Student Progress Manager who can help with your Assignment Schedule.
- Exams Officers: Wolsey Hall’s Exams Officers are here to help students with any queries regarding exam centres.
- Canvas Help Desk: Canvas is a great virtual learning environment, but we understand that sometimes, even the best things can go wrong! If you have any problems with Canvas (e.g. uploading assignments or unable to access resources) you should submit a Canvas Help Ticket.
For information about how to create and submit a Help Ticket, please refer to the Canvas Guide.
We hope you’ll enjoy your course and studying at Wolsey Hall. We wish you the best of luck in your studies and success in your examinations. Please do let us know how you get on when you receive your examination results!
The Wolsey Hall Team