About the exam
WJEC GCSE History Exam structure
An independent guide to the current WJEC Made-for-Wales GCSE History, preserving every school-selected option inside one qualification map.
Issuer and path
WJEC GCSE History Study Guide is administered through WJEC CBAC Ltd. Check official resources before booking, retesting, or relying on a stale requirement.
Unit 1: An in-depth study on Welsh history
30 scored + 0 pretest
One centre-selected Welsh depth option, with compulsory questions on knowledge, concepts, sources and interpretations.
Unit 2: An in-depth study on European and/or World history
20 scored + 0 pretest
One centre-selected depth option developed into a five-stage, on-screen historical enquiry marked by WJEC.
Unit 3: A study of a period in world history
30 scored + 0 pretest
One centre-selected world breadth option, with compulsory questions on development across an extended period.
Unit 4: A changing society
20 scored + 0 pretest
A centre-designed 75-100 year study in Great Britain and/or Ireland supporting an externally set historical enquiry.
Before teaching or assessing a selected route
Confirm qualification medium, unit entry codes, the centre's one medieval/one early modern/one modern combination, the exact Unit 4 non-overlap map, and the live assessment-year materials and controls.
Official Outline Coverage Map
Coverage is mapped to official outline item counts so content depth can be checked without hard-coding a single exam.
| Topic | Official outline items | Your questions | Your flashcards | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Rhys ap Gruffudd, Prince of Deheubarth c.1132-1197 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 1.2 Owain Glyndŵr c.1354-1416 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 1.3 Wales and the early Tudors, c.1485-c.1547 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 1.4 Wales in the era of the Civil War, 1603-1660 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 1.5 Rebellions and Protest in Wales c.1831-c.1891 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 1.6 Wales in the early to mid-twentieth century c.1914-c.1959 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 2.1 Genghis Khan c.1162-c.1227 | 0 | 20 | 5 | Strong |
| 2.2 The Black Death c.1330-c.1360 | 0 | 20 | 5 | Strong |
| 2.3 The Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs c.1492-c.1525 | 0 | 20 | 5 | Strong |
| 2.4 Süleyman I c.1520-c.1566 | 0 | 20 | 5 | Strong |
| 2.5 The Third Reich c.1933-c.1945 | 0 | 20 | 5 | Strong |
| 2.6 Afghanistan c.1979-c.2001 | 0 | 20 | 5 | Strong |
| 3.1 The Vikings c.750-c.1066 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 3.2 The Crusades c.1095-c.1291 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 3.3 The Songhai Empire c.1464-c.1591 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 3.4 The Mughal Empire c.1526-c.1707 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 3.5 Russia and the Soviet Union c.1861-c.1953 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 3.6 Changes in US society c.1880-c.1980 | 0 | 30 | 5 | Strong |
| 4.1 Undertaking a historical enquiry into a changing society | 0 | 121 | 10 | Strong |
How to use this guide
How to study WJEC GCSE History
Confirm the exact option route, build chronology across its five content areas, analyse evidence in context and reach a concept-led historical judgement.
1. Locate the selected route
Identify the WJEC unit, entered option, period, dates, place, assessment form and command word before recalling content.
2. Build chronology and context
Place the event or issue within the option's five specified areas and distinguish directly assessed content from background.
3. Apply a historical concept
Use evidence to explain cause and consequence, continuity and change, similarity and difference, or significance and impact.
4. Interrogate evidence and interpretations
Analyse content, provenance and context; compare arguments and supporting evidence rather than relying on generic reliability labels.
5. Synthesize and judge
Organise evidence around the precise question, weigh alternatives, reach a substantiated conclusion and reflect on its limits where required.
Made-for-Wales option map
One route, three periods, no option binding
All official choices remain visible, but each learner studies the one Unit 1, one Unit 2 and one Unit 3 option selected by the centre.
Unit 1 Medieval Wales Options
Choose either Rhys ap Gruffudd or Owain Glyndŵr when Unit 1 supplies the route's medieval period.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 1 Early Modern Wales Options
Choose either the early Tudors or the Civil War when Unit 1 supplies the route's early modern period.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 1 Modern Wales Options
Choose either rebellions and protest or early-to-mid twentieth-century Wales when Unit 1 supplies the modern period.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 2 Medieval European and World Options
Choose either Genghis Khan or the Black Death when Unit 2 supplies the route's medieval period.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 2 Early Modern European and World Options
Choose either the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs or Süleyman I when Unit 2 supplies the early modern period.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 2 Modern European and World Options
Choose either the Third Reich or Afghanistan when Unit 2 supplies the route's modern period.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 3 Medieval World Options
Choose either the Vikings or the Crusades when Unit 3 supplies the route's medieval period.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 3 Early Modern World Options
Choose either the Songhai Empire or the Mughal Empire when Unit 3 supplies the route's early modern period.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 3 Modern World Options
Choose either Russia and the Soviet Union or changes in US society when Unit 3 supplies the route's modern period.
Choose a topic to open below
Unit 4 Changing Society Enquiry
Design a non-overlapping 75-100 year British and/or Irish thematic study and complete the controlled historical enquiry.
Choose a topic to open below
1.1 Rhys ap Gruffudd, Prince of Deheubarth c.1132-1197
Trace Rhys's family claim, warfare, accommodation with Henry II, renewed conflict and historical legacy in Deheubarth.
Key rules
Rule 1
1.1.1 The family background of Rhys ap Gruffudd
Exam cue: Use this as the Unit 1 Welsh depth only if the centre selected option 1.1 and medieval is not used in Units 2 or 3.
Rule 2
1.1.2 The importance of warfare in shaping South Wales between 1146 and 1170
Exam cue: Build a precise chronology across the five specified areas, then connect evidence to the historical concept named by the task.
Rule 3
1.1.3 Establishing a peace with Henry II, c.1170-1189
Exam cue: Use provenance, content and context to analyse sources; compare the construction and evidence of interpretations before judging them.
Rule 4
1.1.4 Reasons for and impact of further warfare between 1189 and 1196
Exam cue: Confirm the selected option, build chronology, apply the named historical concept, use contextualised evidence and reach a substantiated judgement.
Rule 5
1.1.5 The death and legacy of Rhys ap Gruffudd
Exam cue: Confirm the selected option, build chronology, apply the named historical concept, use contextualised evidence and reach a substantiated judgement.
Rule 6
Apply continuity and change, similarity and difference, significance and impact, and cause and consequence to the selected historical topic.
Exam cue: Define the historical concept, apply explicit criteria and compare factors or phases before reaching a qualified judgement.
Rule 7
Analyse historical sources in context and distinguish them from later historical interpretations.
Exam cue: Identify what the source says, who produced it, when and why, then connect contextual knowledge to the question rather than assigning generic reliability.
Common traps
Studying this option when it is not part of the centre's entered combination, or blending it with the alternative option in the same period.
Prevention: Study only the centre-entered option and verify that Units 1-3 use medieval, early modern and modern exactly once.
Repeating a medieval, early modern or modern period across Units 1-3 instead of forming the required three-period route.
Prevention: Study only the centre-entered option and verify that Units 1-3 use medieval, early modern and modern exactly once.
Treating unassessed background as a direct question target, or confusing a contemporary source with a later interpretation.
Prevention: Do not import outgoing WJEC or Eduqas structures, combine alternative options, confuse sources with interpretations or treat background content as directly assessed.
Memory anchors
Deheubarth
Rhys's dynastic claim and recovery of Deheubarth frame the whole depth study.
Warfare, 1146-1170
Norman weakness, Welsh alliances and Henry II's interventions shaped Rhys's rise.
Peace with Henry II
Accommodation brought recognised authority and a new political relationship after c.1170.
Renewed conflict
Richard I's accession and changing Marcher relations help explain warfare after 1189.
Legacy
Judge Rhys by territorial power, cultural patronage, succession and Deheubarth's position after his death.
Next best moves
Quick check-up
Use a short quiz to confirm the rule pattern is actually sticking.
Check-up Questions
Which feature most limited Rhys's position at the start of his career?
What would best corroborate the reconstruction's claim about Norman control?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Open another topic next
Official resources
Verify the details with the official sources
Use these links for eligibility, scheduling, handbook rules, and issuer updates. Our guide helps you study; official sources tell you what the testing partner currently requires.
WJEC GCSE History Made-for-Wales qualification page
The current hub for Specification V6, revised sample materials, option guidance and qualification notices.
WJEC GCSE History Specification V6
Approved current specification for teaching from September 2026 and award from 2028.
Made-for-Wales GCSE History start-date update
Official notice moving first teaching from September 2025 to 2026 while retaining the approved specification content.
GCSE History Delivery Guide
Current qualification structure, assessment objectives, command words and first-assessment schedule.
GCSE History general FAQs
Official answers about period combinations, NEAs, background content and first availability.
Unit 2 on-screen assessment FAQs
Current guidance on the three-hour, twelve-week-window e-assessment and accessibility support.
Unit 1 medieval sample assessment materials
Official sample examination material for the Unit 1 medieval route.
Unit 1 early modern sample assessment materials
Official sample examination material for the Unit 1 early modern route.
Unit 1 modern sample assessment materials
Official sample examination material for the Unit 1 modern route.
Unit 3 medieval sample assessment materials
Official sample examination material for the Unit 3 medieval route.
Unit 3 early modern sample assessment materials
Official sample examination material for the Unit 3 early modern route.
Unit 3 modern sample assessment materials
Official sample examination material for the Unit 3 modern route.
Unit 4 sample assessment materials
Current official sample for the centre-marked and WJEC-moderated changing-society enquiry.
Unit 4 Guidance for Teaching
Official guidance for building a valid 75-100 year thematic study and preparing for the enquiry.
FAQ
Common WJEC GCSE History questions
Is this an official WJEC resource?
No. This is an independent guide aligned to current public WJEC documents. The live specification, Assessment Packs, e-assessment platform, timetables and centre instructions remain authoritative.
Which version of WJEC GCSE History does this cover?
It covers the Qualifications Wales-regulated 3130QS/3130CS Made-for-Wales qualification, Specification Version 6 dated June 2026, for teaching from September 2026 and first award in Summer 2028.
Why does teaching begin in 2026 rather than 2025?
WJEC, Qualifications Wales and Welsh Government moved first teaching of the new History qualification from September 2025 to September 2026. WJEC confirmed that the approved specification content would not otherwise be rewritten because of the delay.
Do I study every option shown in this guide?
No. A centre selects one option for Unit 1, one for Unit 2 and one for Unit 3. This guide keeps all official choices visible so it can serve different schools, but each learner should follow only the option codes entered by their centre.
How must Units 1-3 be combined?
The three selected options must include one medieval, one early modern and one modern unit. A period cannot be repeated across Units 1-3. Within the chosen period for a unit, the centre selects one of two named options.
Are Units 1 and 3 option questions optional in the exam?
No. The centre selects the historical option during course planning and entry. On the examination for that selected option, the questions are compulsory and test knowledge, second-order concepts, sources and interpretations.
How does Unit 2 work?
Unit 2 is a three-hour on-screen historical enquiry marked by WJEC. Learners review the live question and context, analyse supplied items, plan and develop a response, then reflect critically. Centres schedule it between 7 January and 31 March.
When are Unit 2 materials released?
The sources and interpretations are released in the first week of June for assessment in the following academic year and change annually. The live question, narrative and timeline appear in the e-assessment platform when the window opens.
What can a centre choose for Unit 4?
The centre designs a continuous 75-100 year study within Great Britain and/or Ireland using episodes across nine themes. The period may repeat one used earlier, but its historical topics must not replicate or overlap the selected Unit 1, 2 or 3 content.
Does Unit 4 assess all nine themes?
Teaching covers historical topics related to all nine themes and uses two sources and two interpretations per theme. WJEC releases two themes in September for the live assignment in that academic year; the enquiry focuses on those two.
Who marks the two NEAs?
WJEC marks the on-screen Unit 2 assignment. The centre marks Unit 4 using the WJEC materials and WJEC moderates the marks.
Is the background content assessed?
Not directly. Each option's background section gives the context needed to access the topic. Required content is identified by the specification stems and by wording such as 'including'.
What is the difference between a source and an interpretation?
A source is evidence produced in or connected to the historical context being studied. An interpretation is a later construction or argument about the past. Both require attention to content, context, purpose and supporting evidence, but they are not interchangeable.
Is there a Foundation or Higher tier?
No. The qualification is untiered and reports grades A* to G, with U for performance below the minimum award standard.
Can this guide provide a full mock qualification?
No. A static guide cannot reproduce the centre's entered option combination, the live Unit 2 e-assessment, the annual Unit 4 themes or controlled NEA conditions. Full-mock mode is therefore disabled.
Are the 601 planned questions already included?
No. The 601 positions are an internal future-authoring allocation aligned to the 30:20:30:20 unit weights. This module contains study and coverage assets but no question bank or page registration.