OCR A Level History A (H505)
Exam structure at a glance for OCR A Level History A: every paper with its time, marks and weighting, plus the facts and links you need.
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- Board
- OCR
- Specification code
- H505
- Level
- A level
- First teaching
- 2015
- First exams
- 2017
- Exam papers
- 3 · 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit group 1: British period study and enquiry | 1 h 30 min | 50 | 25% | One unit from group 1: an enquiry on sources plus a period essay. |
| Unit group 2: Non-British period study | 1 h | 30 | 15% | One unit from group 2. |
| Unit group 3: Thematic study and historical interpretations | 2 h 30 min | 80 | 40% | One unit from group 3: themes over at least 100 years plus interpretations. |
| Non-exam assessment: Topic based essay Non-exam assessment | not stated | 40 | 20% | Essay of 3,000-4,000 words; title proposal sent to OCR; centre-marked, OCR-moderated. |
Times are exam lengths; weightings are shares of the whole qualification. Summaries are in our own words.
Good to know
- Non-exam assessment: Topic based essay (Y100), 3,000-4,000 words, 40 marks, 20%.
- Options: One unit from each of groups 1-3 plus Y100; the units must span at least 200 years; some unit pairs are barred; combinations checked with the OCR Specification Creator.
- AS level: H105 (AS marks do not count towards the A level)
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
- OCR: Specification at a glance (board website)
- OCR: Specification (PDF, board website)
- OCR: Past papers and mark schemes (board website)
- OCR: Grade boundaries (board website)
Facts checked against: ocr.org.uk, ocr.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 OCR A Level History A exams?
Unit group 1: 1 h 30 min; Unit group 2: 1 h; Unit group 3: 2 h 30 min.