Question 1

What does AQA A-Level History cover?

Accepted Answer

AQA A-Level History (7042) is built around three components: a breadth study of an extended historical period, a depth study of a shorter period of major change, and a non-exam assessment (NEA) in which you carry out an independent historical investigation. Your school or college selects the specific topics from a wide menu of options, so the exact content you study depends on the combination they choose. Popular combinations include Tsarist and Communist Russia, the Tudors, Stuart Britain, Nazi Germany, and the Cold War, and every combination must include both British and non-British history spanning a chronological range of at least 200 years. Our notes walk through the content for your specific topics, helping you build the secure knowledge and analytical skills the exam rewards.

Question 2

Where should I start with A-Level History revision?

Accepted Answer

A-Level History covers a lot of ground across two papers and the NEA, so it is completely understandable to feel unsure about where to begin. We'd suggest opening our notes for whichever of your two components feels least secure and working through the content section by section, building up your knowledge of key individuals, events and developments before moving on to question practice.

It is worth keeping in mind that your Breadth Study and Depth Study each demand slightly different skills: Paper 1 asks you to engage with historical interpretations, while paper 2 focuses on primary sources, and both papers also include essay questions. Spaced retrieval works well here, returning to earlier sections of the notes after a gap to check what has genuinely stuck.

If you are also working on your NEA, we'd suggest keeping that ticking alongside your exam-paper revision rather than leaving it entirely to one side.

Question 3

What's on AQA A-Level History?

Accepted Answer

AQA A-Level History (7042) is assessed across two written exams and a non-exam assessment (NEA), so you're building skills in breadth, depth, and independent research throughout the course.

| Paper | Topics covered | Length | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Component 1: Breadth study | A school-chosen option covering approximately 100 years of historical change, assessed on interpretations and extended essays | 2h 30m | 40% |
| Component 2: Depth study | A school-chosen option focused on a significant period of change, assessed on primary sources and extended essays | 2h 30m | 40% |
| Component 3: NEA (Historical investigation) | A personal study of your own choosing, placed in the context of approximately 100 years; marked by teachers and moderated by AQA | 3,500–4,500 words | 20% |

Your school or college picks which breadth and depth options to study from a wide menu, so the exact content depends on your centre. Both written papers follow the same structure: a compulsory Section A question (30 marks, focused on interpretations or sources) and a Section B where you choose two from three essay questions (25 marks each). Our notes walk through the key themes, individuals, and turning points across the most popular topic combinations, helping you build the confident command of the period that these essay questions reward.

Question 4

Can I use these notes as my AQA A-Level History textbook?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Our notes are designed to give you comprehensive, spec-aligned coverage of AQA A-Level History (7042), so they work as your go-to study resource for the content across your breadth and depth components. Because your school selects a specific combination of options from the wide menu available, you can focus on the relevant sections of our notes for exactly the topics you are studying.

For Component 3, the independent historical investigation, you will also need to read widely beyond any single resource, since engaging with a range of sources and building your own historical argument is central to that piece of work. We'd suggest treating our notes as your core content companion throughout the course, returning to each section regularly with active recall to help the knowledge stick.

Question 5

How do I get a grade A* in AQA A-Level History?

Accepted Answer

The A* in AQA A-Level History reflects outstanding performance across all three components: your breadth study paper, your depth study paper, and your NEA, which carries 20% of the total mark. Grade boundaries are set annually by AQA based on that year's cohort and paper difficulty, so there is no fixed percentage to aim for, though an A* typically sits well above the A boundary. Our notes walk through the content for your chosen options and help you build the analytical depth examiners reward, particularly in the interpretation and source questions and in the Section B essays on both papers. For the highest-level marks, responses need to go beyond description to construct a sustained, well-evidenced argument that engages critically with historical debate and historical significance. Spaced retrieval of your content knowledge alongside regular essay practice will help your arguments feel fluent and precise when it counts most.