At a glance
- Cambridge codes
- 0470 (A* to G), 0977 (9 to 1)
- Edexcel code
- 4HI1 (9 to 1)
- Cambridge structure
- Unchanged for 2026 to 2028
- Coursework
- Cambridge optional; Edexcel none
- Edexcel series
- May/June and November
Cambridge IGCSE History 0470 / 0977: assessment
Candidates take Papers 1 and 2, plus either Component 3 or Paper 4. Same structure in the 2024 to 2026 and 2027 to 2028 syllabuses.
| Component | Length | Marks | Weighting | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 Structured Questions | 2 hours | 60 | 40% | Two of eight core content questions, plus one depth study question; each in parts (a), (b), (c) |
| Paper 2 Document Questions | 1 hour 45 minutes | 40 | 30% | One question in five parts on up to seven sources, on the prescribed topic for that series |
| Component 3 Coursework | School based | 40 | 30% | One piece of up to 2,000 words on a depth study |
| Paper 4 Alternative to Coursework | 1 hour | 40 | 30% | One depth study question in two parts |
Cambridge Paper 2 prescribed topics
The source paper changes focus each series. Check which option (19th or 20th century) your child's school teaches.
| Series | Option A (19th century core) | Option B (20th century core) |
|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | How was Italy unified? | How effectively did the United States contain the spread of communism? |
| June 2027 | Overseas empires in the nineteenth century | How secure was the USSR's control over Eastern Europe, 1948 to c.1989? |
| November 2027 | Were the revolutions of 1848 important? | Was the Treaty of Versailles fair? |
Depth studies on Papers 1 and 4 are: the First World War, Germany 1918 to 1945, Russia 1905 to 1941, the USA 1919 to 1941, and the Second World War in Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE History 4HI1: assessment
Two exams, no coursework, no compulsory topics. Exams in May/June and November.
| Paper | Length | Marks | Weighting | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 Depth Studies | 1 hour 30 minutes | 60 | 50% | Two depth studies from eight (for example Germany 1918 to 1945, the USSR 1924 to 1953, the French Revolution) |
| Paper 2 Investigation and Breadth Studies | 1 hour 30 minutes | 60 | 50% | One historical investigation from five, and one breadth study in change from eight (for example the Middle East 1917 to 2012, China 1900 to 1989) |
What students find hard in IGCSE History
The difficulty is rarely remembering what happened. It is answering the question that was asked. Explain questions need causes linked to the outcome, not a story of events. The highest-mark questions on both boards (Cambridge part (c), Edexcel's 16-mark questions) ask how far the student agrees, so the answer must weigh at least two factors and reach a supported judgement. Students who know a lot often write narrative and stay in the middle band.
Source questions are the second weak spot. Cambridge Paper 2 rewards students who read a cartoon or speech for its message and purpose, use their own knowledge to test it, and compare sources directly. The common errors are describing what a cartoon shows rather than what it means, and judging reliability by stock phrases (it is biased because it is a primary source) instead of by content and context. Edexcel asks similar questions about the utility of sources in its investigations.
Timing loses marks too. A student who spends 25 minutes on a 4-mark part has no time for the 10-mark part where the grade is decided.
How one-to-one History lessons work
A tutor who teaches your child's board and options starts with a past-paper answer and marks it against the official levels mark scheme, showing where the argument stops. Lessons then work on structure: planning a 10-mark or 16-mark answer in two minutes, writing paragraphs that link each point back to the question, and building a conclusion that actually judges. Source practice happens on the shared whiteboard, annotating cartoons and extracts together.
Knowledge gaps are fixed with short timelines and key-term lists for the school's chosen depth studies, tested at the start of each lesson. For Cambridge students, the tutor prepares the specific prescribed topic for your child's series. The best time to start is Year 10, while topics are being taught; in Year 11 the focus moves to timed answers and source papers.
Common questions
Does the Cambridge History syllabus change for 2027?
No significant change. Cambridge publishes a 2027 to 2028 syllabus with the same papers and depth studies. What changes each series is the prescribed topic for the Paper 2 source questions.
Is IGCSE History mostly memorisation?
Less than people think. Knowledge is needed, but most marks reward explanation, source analysis and judgement. A student with good facts but no argument usually lands in the middle of the mark range.
What is the difference between Cambridge and Edexcel History?
Cambridge has a 19th or 20th century core, a source paper on a prescribed topic, and optional coursework. Edexcel has no compulsory topics, two equal 90 minute papers and no coursework. Your child sits the board and options the school chose.
How should my child revise for source questions?
Practise with real past-paper sources, asking each time: what is the message, why was it produced then, and how does my own knowledge support or challenge it. Writing the answer, then comparing it with a mark scheme, is far better than rereading notes.
How much do History lessons cost?
$15 a lesson, one rate for every subject and level. Choose a weekly plan of 1 to 5 sixty-minute lessons, billed monthly. The first lesson is a free trial.
Sources
Dates and figures on this page come from these official and published sources. Always confirm deadlines on the official page before acting on them.