How to Revise for A Level History: Tactics That Work

Published

25 February 2025

Last updated

25 February 2025

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A Level History can feel overwhelming. You’re expected to master a vast amount of content, think critically, and craft well-argued essays under time pressure. If you’re feeling lost or unsure how to start, you’re not alone. Learning how to revise A Level History effectively is key to managing the workload and making your revision more efficient.

But don’t worry! With the right approach, you can conquer your revision and walk into that exam room confident and prepared.

Here are my 10 top tactics to help you succeed in A Level History:

Understand the assessment objectives
Organise your content
Use practice essays and plans
Create a “living” source bank
Focus on key historiographical debates
Test yourself with timed quizzes and flashcards
Mix up your revision methods
Review and reflect regularly
Ask for help
Stay positive and balanced

Tactic 1: Understand the assessment objectives

Before diving into the material, make sure you know what examiners are looking for. A Level Examiners tend to look for clear argumentation, evidence-based analysis, and source evaluation.

Download your exam board’s specifications from AQA, Edexcel, or OCR and highlight the assessment objectives.

Make a checklist to ensure your revision covers everything from constructing arguments to analysing primary sources.

Tactic 2: Organise your content

A Level History covers broad time periods and multiple themes.

Nathan Martin, an A-Level History Teacher from King Edward VI College, states, “Students can find the quantity of content daunting. There can be a feeling of, ‘how am I going to remember all of that content?’”.

Nathan suggests that A Level History students should “regularly review their revision notes. Condense them and turn them into mind maps, flow charts, flashcards, and card sorts.

“Revising as you go throughout the course, rather than saving it all to the end, will make the vast amount of content seem more manageable.”

Additionally, you can take a thematic approach—such as focusing on political changes, social movements, or economic developments—which can help you see connections and patterns, making it easier to recall information under exam conditions.

Tactic 3: Use practice essays and plans

Essay writing is at the heart of A Level History exams.

Regularly practising past exam papers and essay questions helps you develop the skill of structuring arguments and improving your time management. I found that those students who regularly practice exam questions achieve better grades.

You should start planning your essays by writing the:

introduction
line of argument
outline of the paragraphs
evidence
analysis of the extracts (if relevant)
conclusion

Once you’re comfortable planning, progress to full essays. But remember to time yourself when writing any practice essays. Many students forget to practice this vital skill when revising and often struggle to complete the questions in the required time.

Reviewing examiner comments and mark schemes can also help you refine your technique, showing you where to add depth or clarity.

Tactic 4: Create a ‘living’ source bank

From my A Level History teaching experience, students find analysing sources and extracts challenging. Therefore, as you revise, compile a “source bank” of key primary and secondary sources to help combat this challenge. For each source, note its origin, purpose, reliability, and any key interpretations it supports.

Regularly updating this collection ensures you have a rich set of examples to draw upon in your essays. Practice analysing these sources critically, identifying their strengths and limitations so that you can use them effectively to support your arguments.

Flowchart titled "Task: Evaluating Historical Sources" with a focus on analysing a DNVP deputy's opposition to the Versailles Treaty during the Weimar Republic.

Caption: An image of a source inference grid for A Level History

Tactic 5: Focus on key historiographical debates

Historiography—understanding what different historians argue about a particular topic—is an important element of A-Level History.

Make a list of major historians and their interpretations of key events. This not only helps you show higher-level understanding but also gives your essays an analytical edge.

For instance, know which historians argue that certain reforms were revolutionary and which see them as superficial. Being able to reference and evaluate these debates will impress examiners.

Tactic 6: Test yourself with timed quizzes and flashcards

Quick recall exercises are a great way to reinforce factual knowledge. Use flashcards, online quizzes, or even ask a friend or family member to test you.

These quizzes should focus on:

important dates
key events
key individuals
turning points
subject-specific terms and definitions

Setting a time limit challenges your memory under pressure and helps you build confidence in recalling key facts.

Tactic 7: Mix up your revision methods

Don’t rely solely on one method—variety keeps revision fresh and more engaging. Try creating:

mind maps to visualise connections
colour-coded notes for easy reference
recording yourself summarising topics and listening back.

Different approaches can help cement the material in your memory. Mixing things up also prevents revision from becoming monotonous and helps maintain your motivation over time.

Tactic 8: Review and reflect regularly

Set aside time each week, or at the end of a unit, to review what you’ve covered and identify areas that need more attention.

RAG rating your knowledge and understanding can prevent misunderstandings from becoming a larger issue.

Take short quizzes, re-read your notes, analyse relevant sources, and revisit challenging topics until they feel familiar. Regular reflection allows you to track your progress and adjust your focus as the exam date approaches.

Table detailing topics in post-WWI Germany: war impact, peace settlement, social issues, and political instability with descriptions and RAG rating columns.

Caption: An image of a table showing a knowledge review and RAG rating system for A Level History

Tactic 9: Ask for help

Asking for help is difficult, and many students will never ask for help. However, if you do ask for help, your grades will improve and the likelihood of you achieving your desired grade will dramatically increase.

Help can come in many forms, from your friends, family, teachers, or online resources. Asking for help will help you to overcome the significant challenges that students face in A Level History.

Tactic 10: Stay positive and balanced

Finally, remember that revision isn’t all about hard work; it’s about working smart. Take regular breaks, stay active, and get plenty of rest. Keeping a positive mindset and maintaining a good balance between study and relaxation will help you stay motivated and keep stress at bay.

With consistent effort and these strategies in place, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle your A Level History exams.

Improve Your Grades with Save My Exams

Save My Exams offers a range of resources to help you excel in your exams. In A Level History, we offer a large collection of past exam papers and mark schemes from a range of exam boards, including AQA, Edexcel, OCR, CIE, and WJEC.

Our resources are aligned and designed to match your specifications, so you have targeted support for the different exam boards you’re studying.

Explore Our A Level History Revision Resources