HISTORY-9HI0 · Pearson Edexcel A Level
HISTORY-9HI0/11
Breadth study with interpretations (Option 1A)
History · 2022 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: Pearson Edexcel
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
4.0 / 5
160
360 min
Political authority, consolidation of royal power, and military/financial motivations
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
160
Duration
360 min
Session difficulty
4.0 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
Success in this exam is highly dependent on how effectively students transition from narrative retrieval to explicit evaluation.
In Paper 1 Section C (the Fourth Crusade), top-level candidates won marks by directly contrasting the structural arguments of the two extracts rather than just listing their points.
In the source-based tasks, high marks were achieved by candidates who used their own historical context to probe the limitations and motives of the authors (such as Walter Map or Perkin Warbeck) rather than treating the sources as isolated texts.
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.
ConstructingAO2:
Weight: 4100%Sourcing,
Weight: 375%CoAO3:
Weight: 250%Evaluating C
Weight: 125%
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 A*
Approx. 83% of maximum mark
Level A
Approx. 76% of maximum mark
Level B
Approx. 64% of maximum mark
Level C
Approx. 52% of maximum mark
Level D
Approx. 40% of maximum mark
Level E
Approx. 28% 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 “say” questions.
Match the expected response style for “source” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 2.3
Min per mark: 2.3
Min per mark: 2.3
Min per mark: 2.3
Min per mark: 2.3
Min per mark: 2.3
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Germany and West Germany, 1918–89
0 marks this session
The crusades, c1095–1204
60 marks this session
Anglo-Saxon England and the Anglo-Norman Kingdom, c1053–1106
40 marks this session
England and the Angevin Empire in the reign of Henry II, 1154–89
40 marks this session
Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII, 1399–1509
60 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
The crusades, c1095–1204
Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII, 1399–1509
England and the Angevin Empire in the reign of Henry II, 1154–89
Anglo-Saxon England and the Anglo-Norman Kingdom, c1053–1106
Britain, 1399–1509: Lancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII
Germany and West Germany, 1918–89
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
Paper 1: Breadth study with interpretations (Option 1A: The Crusades):
Paper 2: Depth study (Option 2A):
Paper 3: Themes in breadth with aspects in depth (Option 30):
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
Germany and West Germany, 1918–89
0 marks this session
Practise in RevuiThe crusades, c1095–1204
60 marks this session
Practise in RevuiAnglo-Saxon England and the Anglo-Norman Kingdom, c1053–1106
40 marks this session
Practise in RevuiEngland and the Angevin Empire in the reign of Henry II, 1154–89
40 marks this session
Practise in RevuiLancastrians, Yorkists and Henry VII, 1399–1509
60 marks this session
Practise in RevuiSelf-diagnostic checklist
Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise
- 1Message
Success in this exam is highly dependent on how effectively students transition from narrative retrieval to explicit evaluation.
- 2Message
In Paper 1 Section C (the Fourth Crusade), top-level candidates won marks by directly contrasting the structural arguments of the two extracts rather than just listing their points.
- 3Message
In the source-based tasks, high marks were achieved by candidates who used their own historical context to probe the limitations and motives of the authors (such as Walter Map or Perkin Warbeck) rather than treating the sources as isolated texts.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
2022 2022
History
Success in this exam is highly dependent on how effectively students transition from narrative retrieval to explicit evaluation. In Paper 1 Section C (the Fourth Crusade), top-level candidates won marks by directly contrasting the structural arguments of the two extracts rather t
Success in this exam is highly dependent on how effectively students transition from narrative retrieval to explicit evaluation.
In Paper 1 Section C (the Fourth Crusade), top-level candidates won marks by directly contrasting the structural arguments of the two extracts rather than just listing their points.
In the source-based tasks, high marks were achieved by candidates who used their own historical context to probe the limitations and motives of the authors (such as Walter Map or Perkin Warbeck) rather than treating the sources as isolated texts.
- Total marks
- 160
- Duration
- 360 min
- Session difficulty
- 4.0 / 5
Session analysis
Success in this exam is highly dependent on how effectively students transition from narrative retrieval to explicit evaluation. In Paper 1 Section C (the Fourth Crusade), top-level candidates won marks by directly contrasting the structural arguments of the two extracts rather than just listing their points. In the source-based tasks, high marks were achieved by candidates who used their own historical context to probe the limitations and motives of the authors (such as Walter Map or Perkin Warbeck) rather than treating the sources as isolated texts.
Updated Jun 14, 2026
Paper breakdown
Paper 1: Breadth study with interpretations (Option 1A: The Crusades):
Paper 2: Depth study (Option 2A):
Paper 3: Themes in breadth with aspects in depth (Option 30):
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.
75% 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.
Analytical Breadth/Depth Essay
(AO1)
100·5·63%
Source-Based Analysis
(AO2)
40·2·25%
Interpretations Evaluation
(AO3)
20·1·13%
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 (…
0.44 m/minPaper 1 Section B (…
0.44 m/minPaper 1 Section C (…
0.44 m/minPaper 2 Section A (…
0.44 m/minPaper 2 Section B (…
0.44 m/minPaper 3 Section A (…
0.44 m/minPaper 3 Section B (…
0.44 m/minTotal marks
140
Total time
315 min
Avg pace
0.44
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
Yorkist Constitutional Challenges: Richard Duke of York's Protectorate
85%85%
Military Orders (Knights Templar & Hospitallers) & Third Crusade
80%80%
The Rise of Angevin Legal Reforms & Secular Juridical Control
75%75%
Examiner notes & key calculations
- Formulaic Reliability Judgements: Avoid lazy evaluations like declaring a source 'unreliable because it is biased' or 'useful because it was written by an eyewitness.' Examiners heavily penalise these stereotypical assertions.
- Chronological Drift: In the thematic essays (e.g., Lancastrians and Yorkists), weaker responses slid into telling a story of the reigns rather than directly answering the analytical prompt (e.g., comparing factors of success or financial exploitation).
- Pre-Packaged Essay Responses: Candidates often struggled when they tried to force a generic 'cause' essay on to a question that explicitly asked for a comparative analysis of change over time, such as the evolution of knighthood.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 2h 15min
- Total marks
- 60
- Weighting
- 37.5%
- Question types
- AO1 Thematic Depth Essay, AO3 Historiographical Interpretation Essay
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.