BBC Bitesize
Free · short guides, videos and quizzes
Free guides organised by exam board and topic.
GCSE History: past papers and revision
The exam boards for GCSE History, where to find their official past papers, and the revision sites teachers recommend most.
Exam boards and past papers
| Exam board | Qualification | Code | Official links |
|---|---|---|---|
| AQA | GCSE History | 8145 | Past papers · Specification |
| Pearson Edexcel | GCSE History | 1HI0 | Past papers · Specification |
| OCR | GCSE History A (Explaining the Modern World) | J410 | Past papers · Specification |
| OCR | GCSE History B (Schools History Project) | J411 | Past papers · Specification |
| WJEC Eduqas | GCSE History | C100QS | Past papers · Specification |
Which board does my child's school use? Schools choose a board for each subject, and it can differ between subjects. It's usually in the GCSE or A-level options booklet or on the subject's page of the school website, and the front of any mock exam paper shows it. If not, ask the subject teacher. The specification code on the paper matches the code in this table.
Our top picks
Seneca Learning
Free with paid upgrade · adaptive interactive courses and quizzes
Free interactive courses matched to each specification.
Save My Exams
Free with paid upgrade (from £12 a month, or £48 a year) · revision notes, topic questions, past papers and mock exams
Notes and exam questions by topic and board.
More revision sites
Cognito
Free · videos, quizzes, flashcards and exam questions
Short video lessons with quizzes and exam-style questions, strongest for GCSE sciences and maths.
tutor2u
Free with paid upgrade (student workbooks from £2.95) · notes, videos and workbooks
Free topic notes and videos for essay subjects, plus livestreams and revision workshops.
Best YouTube channels
Free video lessons. Watching is a start: pausing to try the questions is what makes it stick.
MrClokeHistory
28.6k subscribers · Edexcel
Rapid revision for each Edexcel unit plus exam skills for every paper.
The History Teacher
25.3k subscribers · Edexcel
Clear explainers on popular GCSE topics such as the Cold War.
Mr Allsop History
23.1k subscribers · Cambridge
Exam tips for Cambridge IGCSE History papers from the teacher behind mrallsophistory.com.
I'm Stuck
39.8k subscribers
Topic explainers across GCSE History, sciences and maths, with some A-level maths and economics.
Good for every subject
BBC Bitesize
Free · short guides, videos and quizzes
Covers almost every school subject from primary to GCSE in short guides matched to the curriculum.
Oak National Academy
Free · video lessons with quizzes
Full video lessons that follow the national curriculum, useful for catching up on a missed topic.
Seneca Learning
Free with paid upgrade · adaptive interactive courses and quizzes
Short interactive courses for most GCSE and A-level specifications, free to use without limits.
Mr Barton Maths
Free · worksheets, starters and exam resources
Teacher-made maths resources including KS2 SATs and GCSE exam material, mainly aimed at teachers.
Quizlet
Free with paid upgrade (Quizlet Plus; UK App Store options £9.99 or £44.99) · flashcards
Making and testing flashcards, especially for language vocabulary and key terms.
Anki
Free (iPhone app AnkiMobile £24.99 one-off) · flashcards (spaced repetition)
Spaced-repetition flashcards for older students willing to make their own cards.
Using past papers well
- Start with topic questions, then move to full papers in the last few months.
- Do papers to time, then mark them with the official mark scheme. The mark scheme shows what examiners reward.
- Read the examiner's report for the same paper: it lists the mistakes most students made.
- Make sure the paper matches your child's board, specification code and tier.
We aren't paid by any of these sites. Prices were checked on each site's own pages and can change. Suggest a site.