Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Do you need GCSE to do A level History?

128 replies

stickygotstuck · 23/02/2023 11:33

I had a recent thread about DD's GCSE options. Several posters kindly contributed and the general view was that you could easily do History A level without having done the GCSE.

However, I have spoken to some people since who seem to think that if yhou don't take the GCSE that's that door is closed at at A level.

Which is it?

I'm asking now because, having chosen her options, now DD is not happy with them and is thinking of dropping History.

OP posts:
isittheholidaysyet · 23/02/2023 14:02

My child has just been offered a place at 6th form to Study history A level.

He is home educated and hasn't done history GCSE. He is doing classical civilisation though, which is not the same as its also very literature-y.

He just needs his 5 5s at GCSE. (He is only doing 5 GCSEs)

Original poster
stickygotstuck · 23/02/2023 14:29

Thanks isthistheholidaysyet. Congratulations to DC - and you!

OP posts:
Gwen82 · 23/02/2023 14:31

I did history A level and the degree

Absolutely needed gcse for a level. 100%

Gwen82 · 23/02/2023 14:32

isittheholidaysyet · 23/02/2023 14:02

My child has just been offered a place at 6th form to Study history A level.

He is home educated and hasn't done history GCSE. He is doing classical civilisation though, which is not the same as its also very literature-y.

He just needs his 5 5s at GCSE. (He is only doing 5 GCSEs)

How does he and you feel about him entering education? How long home educated? Sorry derail!

Gwen82 · 23/02/2023 14:33

I adored history at gcse hence wanting to do a level

why did your dd drop it at gcse? Did she not enjoy it?

Original poster
stickygotstuck · 23/02/2023 14:39

Gwen she hasn't 'dropped' it as a subject, only from her list of options for next year.
She is doing it now in y9. In her school they've just chosen their GCSE options now for next year. Which I think it's a year later than some other schools.

OP posts:
Gwen82 · 23/02/2023 14:42

Confused I better read the thread again! 😂

Gwen82 · 23/02/2023 14:43

I think I'll email the History teacher directly to clarify.

sp two threads you’ve started on mumsnet about it

and you’ve asked around for others views

but you haven’t contacted the school to see whether possible? And if so, the history’s teachers thoughts on doing so?

Gwen82 · 23/02/2023 14:44

Or better yet… your daughter could speak with her history teacher about it

ladygindiva · 23/02/2023 14:53

My 24 yo DD did religion philosophy and ethics for A level 7ish years ago. It's not that new and I'm fairly sure it's highly regarded. ( Fwiw she also did history , and found it hard despite breezing an A** at GCSE)

Original poster
stickygotstuck · 23/02/2023 15:31

Gwen not that it matters, really, but I would point out -

  • I only one have one thread on this.
  • School (which has been emailed straight after I said I would) usually takes days to get back to you, so asking in the meantime to get an idea because if DD is going to change her options it needs to be done straight away.
  • Before speaking/dimissing, please consider that there are various reasons why other people's DC might need a bit of help with anything school related (SEN, health issues to name but a couple)

ladygindiva , thanks. It's new to the school and judging by other PPs comments 'newish' in general. I gather it's not that popular from varios people's reactions (including beind advised to drop it as it's 'useless'), so glad you think it's well regarded.

OP posts:
Gwen82 · 23/02/2023 15:38

I had a recent thread about DD's GCSE options. Several posters kindly contributed and the general view was that you could easily do History A level without having done the GCSE.

I read that to mean you did have another thread and on it?! 😐

Original poster
stickygotstuck · 23/02/2023 15:57

Nope.
One was about GCSE options in general and that was a couple of weeks ago.
This one is about History specifically and its A-level requirements.
So related in a way, but not the same.

OP posts:
2bazookas · 23/02/2023 15:58

I passed grade A "A levels" in Geography and Biology from scratch, each after one year of evening classes. I had dropped both at age 14, before O level.

Gwen82 · 23/02/2023 16:07

Our school held quite a few parent and child talks about GCSE options and selection, was really helpful.
Seems not so at your school?

Ah I see… but you see how one would think another thread about the issue given your op

MerryMarigold · 23/02/2023 17:05

I'm unsure why she'd want to do A level if she doesn't like it enough to do GCSE. History A level is really, really difficult (I got a B at A level and I got a First in my degree). You need all the help you can get (GCSE will teach how to study sources etc) PLUS a real love of the subject matter in order to push through the challenge.

Maireas · 23/02/2023 17:15

I teach GCSE and A level History.
We do allow students to take this at A level without doing GCSE, but it's more of a challenge for those students.
They struggle more with source material and structuring answers with appropriate evidence. We've also found that those who haven't done the GCSE are more likely to need intervention, currently making up 4/5 lowest scores on the mock.
However, if she's well motivated and prepared to work hard, there's no reason why she can't do well.

ALittleBitStuck · 23/02/2023 17:17

Different subject but my son is doing A level Geography and didn't do GCSE. He just asked and they said if he did ok in History then he could. It is probably his weakest A level but not problematic.

Original poster
stickygotstuck · 23/02/2023 17:47

Thanks 2bazookas.

Merry, she does like it but, as I said, she wants the chance to do Art now, which she won't have again. Of the four options she's chosen, History is the one she's chosen not to take (in part because she likes the others even more).

Thanks Marieas and ALittleBit , it sounds like it's hard work but possible.

You never know, she may decide not to do History after all at A level, but she wants to know her options.

OP posts:
clary · 23/02/2023 23:17

Hi OP, I am one of the people who has said on threads that it is possible to take A level history without GCSE history (I don't think I or anyone said it was easy btw; seems to me it would be a harder choice, with more work, than if you had taken the GCSE). The notion would be, a student disliked the GCSE topics but loved the A level ones, for example; or maybe developed a love of history during GCSE years but not having chosen it.

I personally know at least two students who did A level with no GCSE. But it does depend on the school and not all will be happy. Also it does somewhat beg the question of why the student didn't take GCSE if they love it so much. Two possible answers are in my first para above.

If a student is just now picking GCSEs and thinks they will probably or even possibly want to take A level history, then just do the GCSE would be my advice tbh.

Art GCSE is a lot of work btw and a massive thief of time. It's a great GCSE in many ways but really most suitable for a student who loves art and does it for fun in their spare time. I wouldn;t describe the GCSE as a fun choice.

RedToothBrush · 23/02/2023 23:44

Speak to the school.

My school has a policy that you couldn't do A level history if you didn't do it for GCSE.

Except I did exactly that.

The reason I was allowed to was because they ultimately said I'd demonstrated with other GCSEs I was capable of it. I did several essay based GSCEs which involved critical thinking - notably media studies. They said that GCSE history was more about teaching the skill of analysing sources and how reliable they were and then putting together critical arguments than building up historical knowledge for A level.

The rule was more in place to stop kids from doing less academic GCSEs or science based GCSEs and expecting they could easily switch. And therefore if you could demonstrate you had the relevant skills and ability they would allow you to switch.

There certainly isn't a blanket ban across the country which prevents you from switching that's come from government. It's not about a lack of knowledge in the same way that if you didn't do biological at GCSE they'd be gaps in your knowledge. It's about skill set not data knowledge.

A high achiever at GCSE in critical thinking subjects which a high amount of general knowledge and essay writing should have the ability to switch.

Fwiw I went on to study history as part of my degree despite not doing it at GCSE. I love history. I never regretted not doing it at GCSE though as much subject choices made sense and helped me later on anyway.

RedToothBrush · 23/02/2023 23:52

I have to be honest RPE and Art possibly aren't the easiest subjects to switch to history a level from.

As I said I did media studies which specifically taught about sources and reliability but in a different way plus I did geography (and also did that for a level after enjoying it so much). Media wasn't available at a level at my school but history was and it was a sensible alternative into media at university. So I had a good case to switch back.

Original poster
stickygotstuck · 24/02/2023 00:03

Hi clary, thanks for popping back.

DD thinks she's just too young to restrict her choices 'forever' already. She'd like to try new things for longer, and prefers width to depth. Fair enough I think. I'm pretty sure that's part of her reason to postpone History, as it were.

I did think that Art would be very time intensive, which for DD is probably harder in many ways, as she needs a lot of down time. But we really don't want to tell her no, it's not our choice. It's hard to know what to say.

Thank you for returning to you too, RedToothbrush. I'm waiting for the HoD to get back to me. I have the feeling that they'll say yes, fine to do the A level without the GCSE. Which in a way would make it harder to talk DD to forget about Art!

Would be good to minimise unnecessary pressure. DD's ability can fluctuate and you need to catch her on a good day.

BTW she's also thinking of swapping French, which she eventually went for, for German!

OP posts:
londonmummy1966 · 24/02/2023 00:21

DD did history A level without doing the GCSE as although she loves history the GCSE content at her school was exclusively very modern and she hates that (loves the Anglo Saxons Plantagenets and Tudors). She did do Civ and that was what let her in through the back door so to speak (partly beacuse they didn't offer CIv at A level). It was hard and I think she struggled with evaluating sources so I'm glad she's doing a history EPQ in her gap year as that should help when she goes to uni.

Ireallydohope · 24/02/2023 01:49

You can do most A Levels without having taken the subject in gcse