Paper 2 Section B Exam Preparation

This lesson is a consolidated guide to the Edexcel GCSE History (1HI0) Paper 2 British Depth Study: Anglo-Saxon and Norman England 1060–88. Everything in lessons 1 to 9 has been written with this paper in mind, but here the focus is purely technical. How is the paper structured? What are the examiners looking for in each question? How should an answer be timed, planned, and written under pressure? And — most importantly — how do you turn solid subject knowledge into marks in the right band?

The single most important thing to understand is that Paper 2 Section B does not reward knowing more facts than anyone else. It rewards using specific facts in answer to a specific question, with explicit reasoning and, on the 16-mark questions, an explicit judgement. A candidate who knows half of what another candidate knows but who writes analytically, using named evidence and a clear line of argument, will out-score the encyclopaedic candidate every time.

1. The Shape of Paper 2 Section B

1.1 Overall structure

Paper 2 of the Edexcel GCSE History (1HI0) lasts 1 hour 45 minutes and is split into two sections. Section A is a Period Study (choose one from a list — e.g. Superpower Relations 1941–91, Cold War 1945–72, etc.); Section B is the British Depth Study. Anglo-Saxon and Norman England is one option in Section B; others include Medieval England 1066–1189, Early Elizabethan England 1558–88, and so on.

Section B (the British Depth Study) is worth 32 marks out of 64 for the whole paper (the other 32 are Section A). You should plan to spend 50 minutes on Section B.

1.2 Question 4 — the British Depth Study question

Section B is a single question — always Question 4 — broken into three or four sub-parts. For Anglo-Saxon and Norman England the structure is:

Sub-question	Command	Marks	AOs	Suggested time
Q4(a)	"Describe two features of…"	4	AO1	5 minutes
Q4(b)	"Explain why…"	12	AO1 + AO2	15 minutes
Q4(c) or Q4(d) (choose one)	"How far do you agree…" or "How significant was…"	16 (inc. 4 SPaG)	AO1 + AO2	25 minutes

Total for Section B: 4 + 12 + 16 = 32 marks, roughly 50 minutes.

1.3 Assessment Objectives

• AO1 — demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the key features and characteristics of the period.
• AO2 — explain and analyse historical events using second-order concepts: causation, consequence, continuity and change, similarity and difference, significance.

Q4(a) is pure AO1 (knowledge). Q4(b) requires AO1 + AO2 (explaining causation). Q4(c)/(d) requires sustained AO1 + AO2 across a whole essay plus a supported judgement.

1.4 Edexcel level language

Edexcel mark schemes use a consistent vocabulary for the levels. Learn it, because the examiner is trained to look for these qualities.

Level	Descriptor
Level 1	Basic or simple statements with limited relevance
Level 2	Simple description, some accurate information
Level 3	Explained, with accurate and specific information
Level 4	Developed explanation, sustained analysis, with precise information
Level 5 (16-mark only)	Sustained analytical argument with explicit, substantiated judgement

2. Q4(a) — Describe Two Features (4 marks)

2.1 What the question looks like

"Describe two features of the Harrying of the North." "Describe two features of Domesday Book." "Describe two features of motte-and-bailey castles."

2.2 Mark scheme

Each feature scores 2 marks: 1 for identifying the feature, 1 for supporting detail. Four marks total.

2.3 Technique

Write one sentence of identification and one of supporting detail for each feature. Do not write more. Do not narrate. Do not explain why the feature mattered — that is Q4(b) territory.

2.4 Worked example — features of the Harrying of the North

Feature 1: One feature of the Harrying of the North was the systematic devastation of Yorkshire, Durham and parts of Cheshire during the winter of 1069–70. William's forces burnt villages, slaughtered livestock, and destroyed ploughs and grain so thoroughly that famine killed many thousands in the following spring.

Feature 2: A second feature was the long-term economic devastation of the region. Sixteen years later, large tracts of Yorkshire were still recorded as wasta (waste) in Domesday Book, showing that the Harrying had broken the region's agricultural base for a generation.

Two features, one identifying sentence and one supporting sentence each, precise dates and terminology. Four marks.

2.5 Common pitfalls

• Writing three features "in case". You will only be marked on the first two.
• Writing one long paragraph instead of two separate features.
• Explaining significance ("this mattered because…") — wastes time and earns no extra marks.
• Using vague words like "bad things happened" instead of specific detail.

3. Q4(b) — Explain Why (12 marks)

3.1 What the question looks like

"Explain why William was able to win the Battle of Hastings in 1066." "Explain why William commissioned the Domesday Book in 1085." "Explain why rebellions against William failed between 1067 and 1071." "You may use the following in your answer. You must also use information of your own."

Edexcel typically provides two stimulus prompts in bold or bulleted form beneath the question. These are suggestions; you must use your own material as well.

3.2 Mark scheme

12 marks split across levels. To reach Level 4 (10–12 marks), you need:

• Developed explanation, not just narrative.
• Precise and accurate information (named people, dates, places, terms).
• Sustained analysis linking each cause to the question.
• Range — typically at least three distinct causes, one of which should be from your own knowledge (not just the stimulus prompts).

3.3 Structure: PEEL paragraphs

A reliable structure for each paragraph:

Element	Purpose
Point	State the cause clearly. "One reason was..."
Evidence	Give specific, named detail. "For example, at Fulford on 20 September 1066..."
Explain	Link the cause to the question. "This meant that..."
Link	Return to the question. "Therefore this was a key reason..."

Three paragraphs of PEEL, plus a short introduction naming the three causes, plus a short conclusion, is a reliable 12-mark structure.

3.4 Worked example skeleton — "Explain why William won the Battle of Hastings"

Intro: William's victory at Hastings on 14 October 1066 was the product of three main factors: his military advantages, the condition of Harold's army, and chance.

Para 1 — military advantages: combined-arms force (archers, infantry, cavalry), feigned retreats after the Breton rout, papal banner lifting morale. Link: without these advantages the shield wall could not have been broken.

Para 2 — Harold's condition: Hardrada invasion, forced march of 185 miles in four days, loss of many housecarls at Stamford Bridge, absence of Edwin and Morcar's forces. Link: a depleted and exhausted army was always vulnerable to prolonged combat.

Para 3 — contingency: the wind's timing (Hardrada striking first gave William a weakened opponent), Harold's death late in the afternoon which collapsed the shield wall, fog and ground at Senlac Hill. Link: even with military advantages, the battle had not been decided by late afternoon — it was these contingencies that turned the tactical effort into victory.

Conclusion: three causes combined. Strong answers often identify which was most important — here, perhaps contingency, because without Harold's death the shield wall had held for nearly eight hours.

3.5 Common pitfalls

• Narrative rather than analysis. Do not retell the story of Hastings; explain why William won.
• Missing links. Each paragraph must end by connecting back to the question.
• Only using the stimulus prompts. The mark scheme specifically rewards use of own knowledge.
• Vague generalisations. Replace "the Normans were better" with specific detail about cavalry, archers, feigned retreats.

4. Q4(c)/(d) — How Far Do You Agree / How Significant (16 marks)

4.1 Choice

You will see two 16-mark questions and must answer only one. They will usually cover different parts of the specification, giving you a choice between, say, the conquest itself (4(c)) and Norman rule/legacy (4(d)). Choose the one where you have the best knowledge.

4.2 What the question looks like

"'The castle was the most important factor in William's control of England.' How far do you agree? Explain your answer." "How significant was the Harrying of the North to William's control of England by 1071?" "'The Battle of Hastings was won because of William's leadership.' How far do you agree? Explain your answer."

4.3 Mark scheme

16 marks, including 4 marks for SPaG (spelling, punctuation, grammar, and use of specialist terminology). The content marks (12) are split across five levels. To reach Level 5 (13–16), you need:

• Sustained analytical argument — not a list of points but a developed case.
• Substantiated judgement — a reasoned conclusion that weighs factors, not just asserts.
• Precise supporting information — named people, dates, places, terms.
• Use of specialist vocabulary: feudalism, wasta, motte-and-bailey, housecarls, fyrd, geld, witan, murdrum, Romanesque.

4.4 The argument → evidence → counter-argument → evidence → judgement structure