AQA A-level History (7042)
Exam structure at a glance for AQA A-level History: every paper with its time, marks and weighting, plus the facts and links you need.
- Board
- AQA
- Specification code
- 7042
- Level
- A level
- First teaching
- 2015
- Exam papers
- 2 · 5 h in total
- Last checked
- 2026-10-20
Plan the whole year: open this course in the Year Planner – every lesson dated around your term dates, with a coverage check. Free.
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Papers and weightings
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight | What it is (our summary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Component 1: Breadth study | 2 h 30 min | 80 | 40% | About 100 years of change (options 1A-1L): a compulsory 30-mark interpretations question, then two 25-mark essays from three. |
| Component 2: Depth study | 2 h 30 min | 80 | 40% | A shorter period of major change (options 2A-2T): a compulsory 30-mark primary sources question, then two 25-mark essays from three. |
| Component 3: Historical investigation Non-exam assessment | not stated | 40 | 20% | Personal study of 3,500-4,500 words on a question set in about 100 years, not overlapping the exam options; teacher-marked, AQA-moderated. |
Times are exam lengths; weightings are shares of the whole qualification. Summaries are in our own words.
Good to know
- Non-exam assessment: Historical investigation, 3,500-4,500 words, 40 marks, 20%.
- AS level: 7041 – Separate AS qualification; components not stored yet. (AS marks do not count towards the A level)
Not yet confirmed by us: First teaching / first exam years not shown on the page read (2015 / 2017 expected).. Check the official documents.
Key dates
Summer 2027 exam series
- First exam (GCSE and A level): Mon, 10 May 2027
- Contingency day: Wed, 23 June 2027
- Special consideration deadline: Wed, 30 June 2027
A levels are linear: all exams are sat at the end of the two-year course. Source: JCQ key dates June 2027. Check each board's final timetable for paper dates and results day.
Specification, past papers and grade boundaries
- AQA: Specification at a glance (board website)
- AQA: Specification (PDF, board website)
- AQA: Past papers and mark schemes (board website)
- AQA: Grade boundaries (board website)
Facts checked against: aqa.org.uk.
More packs
Exam facts (paper names, times, marks, weightings, codes) are taken from each awarding body's own specification and summarised in our own words; no specification text, papers, mark schemes or booklets are reproduced. Exam details checked against the board's specification on 2026-10-20. Always check the current specification on the board's website.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (Ofqual and DfE pages on GOV.UK). Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department for Education, Ofqual, JCQ, AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR or WJEC Eduqas.
Questions teachers ask
How long are the AQA A-level History exams?
Component 1: 2 h 30 min; Component 2: 2 h 30 min.