HISTORY-A-EXPLAINING-THE-MODERN-WORLD-J410 · Cambridge OCR GCSE (9–1)
HISTORY-A-EXPLAINING-THE-MODERN-WORLD-J410/11
International Relations & China
History A Explaining the Modern World · June 2022 · Variant 1
Relative difficulty
Analysis source: OCR
Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.
3.4 / 5
150
195 min
Establishing Communism in China 1950–1965
Cohort performance
Session statistics from official examination reports
Total marks
150
Duration
195 min
Session difficulty
3.4 / 5
Key examiner messages
Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise
The June 2022 series represents a moderate to challenging test for GCSE candidates.
While the short-answer questions and direct explanations offered accessible starting points, the source interpretation questions and high-tariff essays required highly developed analytical skills.
The main differentiator was the ability to apply strict historical context to evaluate source purpose rather than relying on rote-learned provenance rules.
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 KAO2:
Weight: 4100%Explanation AO3:
Weight: 375%Source
Weight: 250%Utilisation
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 9
Approx. 79% of maximum mark
Level 8
Approx. 72% of maximum mark
Level 7
Approx. 64% of maximum mark
Level 6
Approx. 56% of maximum mark
Level 5
Approx. 47% of maximum mark
Level 4
Approx. 38% of maximum mark
Level 3
Approx. 28% of maximum mark
Level 2
Approx. 18% 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
Give reasons and link mechanism to outcome; each point needs a because/so chain.
State features in sequence or list observable properties — do not explain causes unless asked.
Match the expected response style for “useful” questions.
Time traps
Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks
Min per mark: 1.5
Min per mark: 1.5
Syllabus traceability
Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session
Establishing Communism in China 1950–1965
28 marks this session
c.1750–c.2010 (War and British Society)
28 marks this session
Economic impact of empire on Britain 1688–c.1730
20 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
Economic impact of empire on Britain 1688–c.1730
Conflict and co-operation 1918–1939 (International Relations: the changing international order 1918–1975)
Conflict and co-operation 1918–1939
The Cold War in Europe 1945–1961: Rising Tensions
Cold War confrontations and conflict 1954–1975 (International Relations: the changing international order 1918–1975)
Establishing Communism in China 1950–1965
c.1750–c.2010 (War and British Society)
English expansion and its impact on the British Isles c.1688–c.1730 (The Impact of Empire on Britain 1688–c.1730)
Difficulty trend
How session difficulty has shifted across recent years
Paper comparison
Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session
J410/01 China 1950-1981: The People and the State: J410/10 War and British Society c.790 to c.2010: J410/11 Impact of Empire / Urban Environments:
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
Establishing Communism in China 1950–1965
28 marks this session
Practise in Revuic.1750–c.2010 (War and British Society)
28 marks this session
Practise in RevuiEconomic impact of empire on Britain 1688–c.1730
20 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 2022 series represents a moderate to challenging test for GCSE candidates.
- 2Message
While the short-answer questions and direct explanations offered accessible starting points, the source interpretation questions and high-tariff essays required highly developed analytical skills.
- 3Message
The main differentiator was the ability to apply strict historical context to evaluate source purpose rather than relying on rote-learned provenance rules.
Teacher briefing pack
One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review
June 2022 2022
History A Explaining the Modern World
The June 2022 series represents a moderate to challenging test for GCSE candidates. While the short-answer questions and direct explanations offered accessible starting points, the source interpretation questions and high-tariff essays required highly developed analytical skills.
The June 2022 series represents a moderate to challenging test for GCSE candidates.
While the short-answer questions and direct explanations offered accessible starting points, the source interpretation questions and high-tariff essays required highly developed analytical skills.
The main differentiator was the ability to apply strict historical context to evaluate source purpose rather than relying on rote-learned provenance rules.
- Total marks
- 150
- Duration
- 195 min
- Session difficulty
- 3.4 / 5
Session analysis
The June 2022 series represents a moderate to challenging test for GCSE candidates. While the short-answer questions and direct explanations offered accessible starting points, the source interpretation questions and high-tariff essays required highly developed analytical skills. The main differentiator was the ability to apply strict historical context to evaluate source purpose rather than relying on rote-learned provenance rules.
Updated Jun 14, 2026
Paper breakdown
J410/01 China 1950-1981: The People and the State: J410/10 War and British Society c.790 to c.2010: J410/11 Impact of Empire / Urban Environments:
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.
71% 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 Essay
56·3·37%
Explanation
(Explain)
48·5·32%
Source/Utility Analysis
40·4·27%
Short Answer
(Describe)
6·2·4%
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.
J410/11 Section A
0.67 m/minJ410/11 Section B
0.67 m/minTotal marks
50
Total time
75 min
Avg pace
0.67
Cumulative marks ladder
The line is your running mark total question by question; dashed lines are the estimated grade cut-offs. See which question the line crosses your target grade at, so you know how far you must answer cleanly and which questions decide a band.
Next-year prediction
Topics worth watching next year, with the reason shown directly below each bar.
War and British Society: Medieval conflicts and domestic defensive struggles
4%4%
China: Agricultural Collectivisation and Commune Reforms (1950s/1970s)
4%4%
Difficulty Verdict
The June 2022 series represents a moderate to challenging test for GCSE candidates. While the short-answer questions and direct explanations offered accessible starting points, the source interpretation questions and high-tariff essays required highly developed analytical skills. The main differentiator was the ability to apply strict historical context to evaluate source purpose rather than relying on rote-learned provenance rules.
Examiner notes & key calculations
- The "Bias" Trap: In J410/11 Question 4, many candidates dismissed Source D or E as "biased because they are a vicar / gossip magazine" without investigating how that bias actually made the source highly useful for understanding contemporary attitudes.
- Treating Sources in Isolation: For J410/11 Question 2 (worth 20 marks), low-scoring candidates evaluated Sources A, B, and C as individual units rather than synthesizing them to address the central claim about support for the slave trade.
- Chronological Slippage: In J410/01 Question 2, some candidates wrote extensively about Mao's policies instead of focusing strictly on Deng Xiaoping's social and educational reforms between 1976 and 1981.
Exam tips
Paper format
- Duration
- 1h 45min
- Total marks
- 105
- Weighting
- 50%
- Question types
- Short description / outline, Causal explanation, Evaluation of historical interpretation, Explanation of interpretation difference (plus SPaG), Short description, Impact explanation, Source comparison, Thematic essay
Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.