HISTORY-B-SCHOOLS-HISTORY-PROJECT-J411 · Cambridge OCR GCSE (9–1)
HISTORY-B-SCHOOLS-HISTORY-PROJECT-J411/11
The People's Health, c.1250 to present with The Norman Conquest, 1065–1087
History B Schools History Project · June 2023 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: OCR
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.5 / 5
210
270 min
History Around Us (Site Study)
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
210
Duration
270 min
Session difficulty
3.5 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
The June 2023 OCR History B (J411) examination suite represents a balanced but demanding assessment.
Paper 1 requires students to navigate a massive thematic chronological timeline alongside a highly specific Norman depth study.
Paper 2 (History Around Us) continues to act as a major differentiator, punishing candidates who fail to rigorously tie local site descriptions to structural architectural features.
Paper 3 tests complex source evaluation and interpretations where simple face-value reading fails to access upper mark bands.
Question difficulty map
How candidates performed on each question in this series
No data available in official reports
Assessment objectives
Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary
Skill weighting
Shows the skill mix this paper tested most heavily.
Historical
Weight: 7100%Recall
Weight: 686%Causal Analysis
Weight: 571%Explanatio
Weight: 457%Interpretation
Weight: 343%Source-Based Evaluation
Weight: 229%
Method marks watchlist
Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost
No data available in official reports
Recurring mistakes across years
Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject
No data available in official reports
Question choice intelligence
Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)
No data available in official reports
Level exemplars
What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like
No data available in official reports
Grade & admission context
How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards
Report type
Examiner report — national grade boundaries and question-level commentary
Level 9
Approx. 75% of maximum mark
Level 8
Approx. 67% of maximum mark
Level 7
Approx. 58% of maximum mark
Level 6
Approx. 51% of maximum mark
Level 5
Approx. 43% of maximum mark
Level 4
Approx. 36% of maximum mark
Level 3
Approx. 26% of maximum mark
Level 2
Approx. 16% of maximum mark
Deep insights
What top candidates did
Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series
No data available in official reports
Command word playbook
How to match each command word to the expected response style
Match the expected response style for “Name” questions.
Match the expected response style for “Give” questions.
Match the expected response style for “summary” questions.
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
Match the expected response style for “useful” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 1.4
Min per mark: 1.4
Min per mark: 1.3
Min per mark: 1.2
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
History Around Us (Site Study)
50 marks this session
England on the eve of the conquest (The Norman Conquest, 1065–1087)
20 marks this session
Industrial Britain, c.1750–c.1900 (The People’s Health, c.1250 to present)
19 marks this session
Raiders and Invaders (Viking Expansion, c.750–c.1050)
18 marks this session
MCQ trap analytics
Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary
No data available in official reports
Topic heatmap across years
Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject
Mark intensity
History Around Us (Site Study)
Resistance and response (The Norman Conquest, 1065–1087)
Dictatorship (Living under Nazi Rule, 1933–1945)
England on the eve of the conquest (The Norman Conquest, 1065–1087)
Industrial Britain, c.1750–c.1900 (The People’s Health, c.1250 to present)
Raiders and Invaders (Viking Expansion, c.750–c.1050)
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
J411/11: The People's Health with The Norman Conquest: J411/21: History Around Us: J411/31: Viking Expansion with The First Crusade:
Marks you can still earn
Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit
No data available in official reports
Practise what examiners flagged
Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app
History Around Us (Site Study)
50 marks this session
Practise in RevuiEngland on the eve of the conquest (The Norman Conquest, 1065–1087)
20 marks this session
Practise in RevuiIndustrial Britain, c.1750–c.1900 (The People’s Health, c.1250 to present)
19 marks this session
Practise in RevuiRaiders and Invaders (Viking Expansion, c.750–c.1050)
18 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
The June 2023 OCR History B (J411) examination suite represents a balanced but demanding assessment.
- 2Message
Paper 1 requires students to navigate a massive thematic chronological timeline alongside a highly specific Norman depth study.
- 3Message
Paper 2 (History Around Us) continues to act as a major differentiator, punishing candidates who fail to rigorously tie local site descriptions to structural architectural features.
- 4Message
Paper 3 tests complex source evaluation and interpretations where simple face-value reading fails to access upper mark bands.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2023 2023
History B Schools History Project
The June 2023 OCR History B (J411) examination suite represents a balanced but demanding assessment. Paper 1 requires students to navigate a massive thematic chronological timeline alongside a highly specific Norman depth study. Paper 2 (History Around Us) continues to act as a m
The June 2023 OCR History B (J411) examination suite represents a balanced but demanding assessment.
Paper 1 requires students to navigate a massive thematic chronological timeline alongside a highly specific Norman depth study.
Paper 2 (History Around Us) continues to act as a major differentiator, punishing candidates who fail to rigorously tie local site descriptions to structural architectural features.
- Total marks
- 210
- Duration
- 270 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.5 / 5
Session analysis
The June 2023 OCR History B (J411) examination suite represents a balanced but demanding assessment. Paper 1 requires students to navigate a massive thematic chronological timeline alongside a highly specific Norman depth study. Paper 2 (History Around Us) continues to act as a major differentiator, punishing candidates who fail to rigorously tie local site descriptions to structural architectural features. Paper 3 tests complex source evaluation and interpretations where simple face-value reading fails to access upper mark bands. Overall, it is a robust Grade 9 differentiator.
Updated Jun 14, 2026
Paper breakdown
J411/11: The People's Health with The Norman Conquest: J411/21: History Around Us: J411/31: Viking Expansion with The First Crusade:
Top chapters
Exam structure insights
Marks by chapter
See where the marks were concentrated so revision time goes to the highest-value topics.
Mark accessibility
Estimate which marks were basic, mid-level, or high-difficulty.
62% within easy or medium reach
Command word frequency
Spot common command words so answers match the expected response style.
Question type mix
Compare the mark share of each paper section and question type.
Extended Essay / Site Study
(18-20 marks)
124·6·59%
Interpretation / Source Analysis
(3-15 marks)
42·5·20%
Summary / Short Essay
(9-10 marks)
38·4·18%
Short Answer
6·6·3%
Study ROI
Bigger bubbles recur more often; higher bubbles carry more marks, helping you rank revision priorities.
Time vs marks
Compare marks with suggested time allocation to plan exam pacing.
Paper 1 Section A (…
0.73 m/minPaper 1 Section B (…
0.83 m/minPaper 2 (History Ar…
0.80 m/minPaper 3 Section A (…
0.73 m/minTotal marks
170
Total time
220 min
Avg pace
0.77
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
The Harrying of the North and Saxon Resistance
85%85%
The Danelaw, Integration and Settlement Impacts
80%80%
Public Health since 1900 (Air Quality Legislation & Modern Campaigns)
75%75%
Executive Difficulty Verdict
The June 2023 OCR History B (J411) examination suite represents a balanced but demanding assessment. Paper 1 requires students to navigate a massive thematic chronological timeline alongside a highly specific Norman depth study. Paper 2 (History Around Us) continues to act as a major differentiator, punishing candidates who fail to rigorously tie local site descriptions to structural architectural features. Paper 3 tests complex source evaluation and interpretations where simple face-value reading fails to access upper mark bands. Overall, it is a robust Grade 9 differentiator.
Examiner notes & key calculations
- The Disease Trap: In Paper 1, Q1(b), many candidates lost a simple recall mark by naming diseases like "Cholera" instead of identifying a concrete problem with living conditions (such as overcrowding or lack of ventilation).
- Misunderstanding Difficulty: In Q3, several candidates wrote extensively on why authorities took little or no action instead of explaining why they found it difficult to act (e.g., lack of scientific understanding of miasma versus germs).
- Undeveloped Provenance: In Paper 3, Q7, candidates frequently dismissed sources out of hand based on simplistic provenance (e.g., "the source is written by a Crusader so it is biased"), failing to evaluate how the content remains historically useful despite its perspective.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 1h 45min
- Total marks
- 80
- Weighting
- 40%
- Question types
- Short Answer (AO1), Analytical Summary (AO1/AO2), Explanation (AO1/AO2), Evaluative Essay (AO1/AO2) (Choice of 2), Interpretation Feature Identification (AO4), Enquiry / Research Proposal (AO1/AO2), Interpretations Comparison & Explanation (AO4), Evaluative Essay (AO1/AO2/AO4) (Choice of 2)
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.