Assessment and progression at KS4

Effective assessment in KS4 history should do more than measure students’ knowledge or predict examination grades. It should help teachers identify how securely students understand the history they are studying, how effectively they can apply their historical thinking and where they need to improve in order to make progress at GCSE.

This section provides practical guidance on assessment and progression in GCSE history. Explore the principles of effective assessment, designing meaningful assessment tasks, assessment for learning, judging students’ work, target setting and planning for progression across Key Stage 4. The aim is to help teachers use assessment purposefully to identify strengths and misconceptions, provide effective feedback and develop the knowledge, historical understanding and examination skills students need to succeed at GCSE.