GCSE History
The one compulsory digital demand is Unit 2, a 3 hour historical enquiry completed on screen through the WJEC e-assessment platform, where learners read the question, timeline and sources on screen and plan, write and refine an extended answer. Evaluating sources and interpretations runs through every unit, and accessing sources digitally is encouraged but not assessed. The biggest thing KS3 should build is fluent on-screen reading and typing of structured, source-based extended answers under time.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Level 1 and Level 2
- First taught
- September 2026
- Amount of digital work
- Medium
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this qualification is assessed
- Unit 1: An in-depth study on Welsh history: Written examination 1 hour, 30%
- Unit 2: An in-depth study on European and/or World history: On-screen non-examination assessment 3 hours, 20%, marked by WJEC
- Unit 3: A study of a period in world history: Written examination 1 hour, 30%
- Unit 4: A changing society: Non-examination assessment 4 hours 15 minutes, 20%, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC
Skills that use Creating digital content
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Reading sources on screen and typing an extended answer
Unit 2 is taken entirely on WJEC's e-assessment platform, where the question, narrative, timeline and items are provided on screen and learners type a focused response in up to 3 hours, in one or several sessions.
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils type a short paragraph answer to a History question in Word each half term, using spellcheck and keyboard shortcuts to edit it.
- Year 8
- Pupils read a set of sources on screen beside a Word document and type a timed 20 minute answer without printed copies.
- Year 9
- Pupils sit a 45 minute on-screen mock enquiry in which the question, timeline and sources are only available on screen and the answer is typed.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Section 3.2, Unit 2 overview, page 57; Summary of assessment, page 6
“Learners will complete the assessment of Unit 2 digitally through WJEC’s e-assessment platform.”
Progression step 3
I can use keyboard commands such as shortcuts.
I can use a range of software to select, produce and edit a range of multimedia components for a purpose, such as:
- text and images, e.g. format text (bold, underline, italics, highlight); insert and edit text boxes; columns; use refine tools (spellchecker, find and replace); word wrap; crop; alter size and shape; alter images; add effects; trim and split sound and video clips; transitions; onion skin
- presentation, e.g. page orientation; animations; transitions; remove and alter images; use background; use action buttons to create hyperlink; embed objects.
Progression step 4
I can explore and develop a range of formal text document structures for different audiences and purposes.
Progression step 5
I can create formal text documents for a professional audience, incorporating the use of collaborative review tools into activities.
Good to know
- Unit 1 and Unit 3 are each a "Written examination: 1 hour" (Summary of assessment, pages 5 and 6), with no on-screen element.
- Only Unit 2 is described as "On-screen non-examination assessment: 3 hours" (page 5). Unit 4 is listed as "Non-examination assessment: 4 hours 15 minutes" (page 6) and the specification does not state whether it is completed on screen or on paper.
- Accessing sources digitally and visits "in person or digitally" are learning experiences where "the experiences will not be directly assessed" (page 55).
- The Unit 2 question is only released "within WJEC’s e-assessment platform from the start of the assessment window" (page 57), so learners first meet it on screen.
- Appendix A ticks the Digital Competence strands of Citizenship, Interacting and Collaborating, and Producing for Units 2 and 4 only, and Data and Computational Thinking for no unit (page 63).
Links with other qualifications
Evaluating the reliability of online sources overlaps with Geography Unit 4 research, and on-screen extended writing overlaps with other subjects using WJEC e-assessment.
Source: WJEC GCSE History specification, Teaching from 2026, For award from 2028, Version 6, June 2026.