AS Level History
03 July 2017
Withdrawal of some options from AS Level History A (H105)
A number of options from within OCR’s AS Level History A are being withdrawn on a staggered basis from summer 2017 and summer 2018. This is due to a pronounced and continued nationwide decline in entries for AS Level qualifications, which is occurring across all subjects. In order to ensure OCR retains a viable and robust AS Level qualification in History, we will be limiting the topic options that can be taken as part of the AS Level qualification.
OCR, as a not for profit organisation, has invested heavily to ensure that a comprehensive and diverse range of topics is included in our GCE History qualification. We recognise the value in allowing teachers to make the most of their own specialisms and to have the choice to construct the best course for themselves and their learners. Please note that A Level optionality is not affected, and all current options will continue to be offered as part of the A Level qualification. While we regret the loss of flexibility and optionality at AS Level, it is of course important that our AS qualification is viable and robust.
The following AS Level options are being withdrawn from Summer 2017 and will not be available for examination in summer 2018:
| Entry code | Option title |
|---|
| Y134 | England 1377-1455 |
| Y231 | The Rise of Islam c.550-750 |
| Y232 | Charlemagne 768-814 |
| Y235 | Exploration, Encounters and Empire 1445-1570 |
| Y236 | Spain 1469-1556 |
| Y239 | African Kingdoms c.1400-c.1800: four case studies |
| Y241 | The Rise and Decline of the Mughal Empire in India 1526-1739 |
| Y247 | Japan 1853-1937 |
These AS Level options will not have a resit opportunity because they had zero entries in Summer 2017.
The following AS Level options are being withdrawn from Summer 2018, with a resit only assessment available in Summer 2019:
| Entry code | Option title |
|---|
| Y131 | Alfred and the Making of England 871-1016 |
| Y132 | Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest 1035-1107 |
| Y133 | England 1199-1272 |
| Y135 | England 1445-1509: Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII |
| Y139 | The Making of Georgian Britain 1678-c.1760 |
| Y140 | From Pitt to Peel: Britain 1783-1853 |
| Y141 | Liberals, Conservatives and the Rise of Labour 1846-1918 |
| Y142 | Britain 1900-1951 |
| Y233 | The Crusades the Crusader States 1095-1192 |
| Y234 | Genghis Khan and the Explosion from the Steppes c.1167-1405 |
| Y237 | The German Reformation and the rule of Charles V 1500-1559 |
| Y238 | Philip II 1556-1598 |
| Y240 | Russia 1645-1741 |
| Y242 | The American Revolution 1740-1796 |
| Y244 | France 1814-1870 |
| Y245 | Italy and Unification 1789-1896 |
| Y246 | The USA in the 19th Century: Westward Expansion and Civil War 1803-c.1890 |
| Y248 | International Relations 1890-1941 |
| Y250 | Italy 1896-1943 |
| Y254 | Apartheid and Reconciliation: South African Politics 1948-1999 |
We will offer resit opportunities for the above qualifications where they have entries in Summer 2018. If any of the above options do not have entries in Summer 2018, we will not offer a resit opportunity. Please note that the final deadline for entries is 21 February 2018. If we have received zero entries for an option at this point we will not offer a resit opportunity for that option. All available resit opportunities will be confirmed in March 2018.
For further information on deadlines for submitting entries and entry amendments/withdrawals, please see Entry Codes: 14-19 Qualifications.
From September 2018, centres wishing to continue to offer a fully co-taught AS History alongside their A Level History should teach one of the following four British History options:
- Y136 England 1485-1558: the Early Tudors
- Y137 England 1547-1603: the Later Tudors
- Y138 The Early Stuarts and the Origins of the Civil War 1603-1660
- Y143 Britain 1930-1997
In combination with one of the following five non-British options:
- Y243 The French Revolution and the rule of Napoleon 1774-1815
- Y249 Russia 1894-1941
- Y251 Democracy and Dictatorships in Germany 1919-1963
- Y252 The Cold War in Asia 1945-1993
- Y253 The Cold War in Europe 1941-1995
The subject page for AS Level History on our website and the AS History specification will be updated to reflect the changes in this notice. This will be available from 16th August. Comprehensive help and advice on switching to the above options will be available on the OCR website, including schemes of work, resource lists, and candidate exemplars.
If you are considering teaching A Level only and you are unsure how this decision may affect your centre, please get in touch with us.
If you have any queries about this notice, please call our Customer Contact Centre on 01223 553998.
Qualifications