WJEC (Eduqas) vs AQA GCSE History: How the Two Specifications Compare

What does each GCSE History specification require?

Ofqual requires every GCSE History specification to include British history and world history content, spanning different time periods from the medieval era to the modern day. Both specifications require students to:

• Study breadth and depth across multiple historical periods
• Develop skills in source analysis — evaluating the utility, reliability, or content of primary and secondary sources
• Write extended analytical essays arguing a historical judgement
• Study at least one period of British history and at least one of world history

Neither AQA nor WJEC Eduqas includes coursework — both qualifications are entirely exam-assessed.

How is AQA GCSE History structured?

AQA (specification code 8145) is organised into four distinct components, each assessed in a separate exam:

• Component 1 (Paper 1): A thematic study AND a British historic environment study — two shorter papers in one exam session
• Component 2 (Paper 2): A period study AND a British depth study — two shorter papers in one exam session
• Component 3 (Paper 3): A modern depth study — extended reading and essay questions

Each component is assessed by a written examination. Students study topics chosen by their school from lists of options in each component. For example, a school might choose Health and the People (thematic), Elizabethan England (British depth), Cold War (period study), and Germany 1890–1945 (modern depth).

How is WJEC Eduqas GCSE History structured?

WJEC Eduqas (available in England as Eduqas) uses a two-component structure:

• Component 1: Studies in Depth — two depth studies, each covering a focused historical period. This component includes source-based questions and extended writing.
• Component 2: Studies in Breadth and Outline — a thematic study covering a long span of time alongside a narrative outline study.

Eduqas typically includes more source analysis questions as a proportion of total marks than AQA, and its breadth study covers a longer chronological span than AQA's thematic studies.

How do source analysis questions compare?

Both boards require students to evaluate and use historical sources in their answers, but the approaches differ.

AQA uses source questions primarily in the historic environment and British depth study components. Students are asked to evaluate the utility of sources (how useful they are for a particular historical enquiry), considering provenance, content, and context. AQA's source questions are worth a specific number of marks that students must address within a structured answer.

Eduqas incorporates source analysis across both components and places particular emphasis on students' ability to infer from sources — drawing out what can and cannot be concluded from a source's content and provenance. Eduqas questions may ask students to compare two sources or explain how a source supports a given argument.

How does extended writing compare?

Both boards require essay-style answers that argue a historical judgement. Both reward answers that:

• Use specific historical knowledge accurately
• Structure an argument with a clear line of reasoning
• Show evaluation — not just what happened, but why it happened, what was significant, or to what extent a factor was important

AQA's 16-mark essays require a clear argument supported by evidence, with a considered conclusion. Eduqas extended writing questions similarly reward structured argument over descriptive narrative.

Which topics does each board cover?

The specific historical periods studied under each specification differ. AQA's topic list includes options such as Germany 1890–1945, Russia 1894–1945, the American West, the Cold War, Norman England, and Migration to Britain. Eduqas topics include Medieval Britain, the Elizabethan Age, America 1919–1941, and others.

Because the school selects topics, the same student sitting AQA might study completely different periods than a student sitting Eduqas — and both sit a valid GCSE History of equal standing.

Frequently asked questions

Is WJEC Eduqas GCSE History harder than AQA?

Neither specification is harder than the other overall. Both are GCSE History qualifications under the same Ofqual framework. Grade distributions are calibrated across all awarding bodies through comparable outcomes. The differences are in topic mix, source analysis style, and the structure of exam questions rather than in the level of difficulty.

Does it matter which board I sit for A-level History?

No. A-level History teachers start from scratch — they do not assume students have studied any particular GCSE topics. Both AQA and Eduqas GCSE History develop source analysis and historical writing skills that apply equally to any A-level specification.

Why does WJEC operate as Eduqas in England?

WJEC (Welsh Joint Education Committee) is primarily based in Wales and develops qualifications for Welsh schools. When it offers qualifications in England, it uses the brand name Eduqas — a separate qualification code and sometimes a slightly different specification — to distinguish its English-market qualifications from those it offers in Wales. Both are developed by the same organisation and use closely related specifications.

Do both boards test source skills equally?

Both boards assess source skills as part of GCSE History, but the proportion of marks allocated to source-based questions varies. Eduqas has historically given source analysis a higher share of marks in some components. AQA places source analysis primarily within the historic environment and British depth study sections. Neither approach is better — they reflect different pedagogical priorities in how students learn to work with historical evidence.

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