AQA A Level History (7042) Past Papers 2026

7042/1 — Component 1 (Breadth Study)

Duration: 2h 30m

7042/2 — Component 2 (Depth Study with primary sources)

Duration: 2h 30m

7042/C — NEA Historical Investigation

Duration: Non-exam coursework (3,500–4,500 words)

Source provenance evaluated through stock formulae rather than purpose

Some students were quite mechanical and would claim that a point was valuable without really explaining why – asserting rather than demonstrating value.

Paper 2

Distinguishing between accuracy and value of a source

there remained some students that confused accuracy with value and did not really try to link their evaluation to the set question. Value cannot exist in the abstract

Paper 2, Paper 3

Identifying the historian's overall argument in extracts (Section A Component 1)

Students need to be reminded to link their evaluations closely to the question focus and not assume that everything written in an extract is ‘an argument’.

Paper 1

Selecting and evaluating contrasting historical interpretations (NEA AO3)

There does seem to be a tendency for students to select very simple interpretations which, whilst accessible, do occasional fail to provide the detailed and supported opinion

Paper 3

Sustaining breadth across long chronological periods

The weakest answers were usually more descriptive and much more selective in their coverage of the time period. Many did not address any opposition before 1905, others kept solidly to 1904-6

Paper 1

Substantiating judgement with criteria, not assertion

Answers which did not have a clear sense of what made Pitt’s reforms to the administration of government his main achievement, or what made another achievement of his more significant

Paper 1, Paper 2

Integrating evidence of change over time in breadth essays

While weaker answers often saw all policies as ending in economic and social failure, the better responses discerned change over time and recognised the improved situation, at least economically, by 1941.

Paper 1

NEA full date-range coverage (especially African-American civil rights, Tudor rebellion, Women's rights)

Some questions seemed to encourage students to only consider a brief part of the chronology, such as civil rights, whilst others encourage a stepping stone approach

Paper 3