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This lesson is about exam technique, not new content. By this stage you should know the period 1558–88 — queens and governments, religious settlement, Mary Queen of Scots, the plots, the Armada, education, leisure, poverty and exploration. What this lesson teaches is how to convert that knowledge into marks under timed conditions.
The Early Elizabethan England depth study is assessed in Paper 2, Section B of the Edexcel GCSE History (1HI0) specification. Section B is worth 32 marks plus 4 marks for spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG) — a total of 36 marks — and you have roughly 50 minutes to complete it.
If you can allocate time correctly, structure your answers to match the mark scheme, and avoid the common pitfalls, you can add a full grade to your result without learning a single new fact.
Section B contains three questions, always in the same order.
| Question | Type | Marks | Suggested time | Assessment Objectives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q4(a) | Describe two features of X | 4 | ~5 minutes | AO1 |
| Q4(b) | Explain why X happened | 12 | ~15 minutes | AO1 + AO2 |
| Q4(c) or Q4(d) | "How far do you agree..." — choose ONE of two | 16 | ~25 minutes | AO1 + AO2 |
Plus 4 SPaG marks awarded on Q4(c)/(d). You can add roughly 5 minutes of planning and checking time inside the 50-minute total.
AO1 is knowledge and understanding of the period. AO2 is explanation and analysis of causes, consequences, change, continuity, similarity and difference.
Candidates lose marks most often not by not knowing but by not finishing. A rough internal clock:
This is a short knowledge question. The mark scheme awards 2 marks per feature: one for identifying the feature, one for expanding it with specific detail.
Question: Describe two features of the Religious Settlement of 1559.
Answer: One feature was the Act of Supremacy. This made Elizabeth Supreme Governor of the Church of England and required clergy to swear an oath recognising her authority, rather than the Pope's.
A second feature was the Act of Uniformity. This required the use of the 1559 Book of Common Prayer in every parish, with a fine of one shilling for non-attendance at church — a deliberately moderate fine.
Features of a good Q4(a):
This is the central causation question. The mark scheme rewards answers that identify multiple causes, develop each with specific evidence, and link them clearly to the question.
Aim for three developed paragraphs, each covering one cause. A suggested template:
The highest-marking Q4(b) answers trace a causal chain, not a list. A chain says: "A happened, which caused B, which caused C, which produced the outcome."
Example chain for "Explain why the Spanish Armada failed in 1588":
"Philip's appointment of the Duke of Medina Sidonia — a reluctant commander with no naval experience — meant that the Armada commander had limited ability to adapt the plan when it went wrong. This vulnerability was exposed when communication with Parma broke down at Calais: Medina Sidonia anchored his ships in a vulnerable line, which the English exploited with fireships on 28 July. The Armada scattered in panic, losing its crescent formation, which allowed the faster English ships to attack individual vessels at Gravelines. Command weakness therefore turned a logistical problem into a tactical disaster."
Each step is linked; each step has a specific detail (Medina Sidonia, 28 July, Gravelines); the final sentence returns to the question.
This is the big mark. You choose one of two statements and argue how far you agree, using specific evidence for and against.
The expected structure is an essay of roughly 4–5 paragraphs:
The Edexcel mark scheme uses a levels-based progression:
Question: "The religious settlement was the most important achievement of Elizabeth's reign 1558–69." How far do you agree?
Grade 4 answer (Level 2 style, ~5–8 marks):
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