OCR GCSE History B (J411) — History Around Us
Think of a medieval castle. A towering stone keep might be famous across the country for surviving a major siege, but to the people living in its shadow, it was important for a completely different reason: it was where they paid their taxes and went to market. To evaluate a site under Criterion (i) of the specification, you must assess its whole story and make a reasoned judgement about its Historical significance.
To build a balanced evaluation, historians use specific criteria to judge a site's significance over time. The "5Rs" framework is the standard tool for assessing why a site matters.
Significance is also measured by impact (how many people were affected or the extent of physical change) and duration (how long a specific usage lasted).
A site's importance is rarely static. A fortress might have high national importance in the 12th century but only local importance as a romantic ruin in the 19th century. When evaluating a turning point, use the "Before and After" formula.
First, state the status quo before the change, such as a site acting as a nationally significant monastic farm. Next, identify the catalyst using a physical feature to evidence the change, like the removal of religious transepts.
Finally, evaluate the shift to explain its new type of importance. For example, the site may have lost its national religious significance but gained local importance as a status-symbol home for a wealthy family.
You can strengthen your evaluation by discussing the Typicality of the site (Criterion j). If a site's layout or materials are uniquely atypical compared to similar sites, it often has higher national importance as a rare survival.
You must also consider the site's Legacy and modern usage (Criterion m). This involves looking at how the site is presented to the public today, its official heritage status, and its role as a tourist attraction.
To reach the top band (Level 5, 17–20 marks), you must provide a balanced evaluation with at least three sustained explanations weighing local against national significance.
Body Paragraphs: Follow a clear, step-by-step structure: State your point about importance, provide historical context (AO1), and identify a specific physical feature as evidence (AO3). Then, analyze how this feature proves your point (AO2) and compare it to another site to discuss its typicality.
The Conclusion: Making a Reasoned Judgement: The final step is to provide a Reasoned judgement. You must weigh your arguments to definitively state whether the site is more significant locally or nationally. A strong verdict explains why one type of significance outweighs the other:
Remember that History Around Us is uniquely focused on the physical environment. If you do not explicitly refer to physical remains as evidence in your evaluation, your answer will be strictly capped at Level 2 (8 marks).
Students often list every date and event that happened at the site. Examiners call this 'cataloguing' and it scores poorly; instead, select 2-3 specific features and evaluate their importance in depth.
In 20-mark questions on this topic, examiners expect you to explicitly use the words 'local' and 'national' — answers that discuss importance without these specific terms cannot score above Level 1 (1–4 marks).
You must explicitly reference specific physical features of the site as evidence in your answer; failing to do so will cap your mark at Level 2 (maximum 8 marks).
Use the 'Before and After' formula to structure paragraphs about turning points, making sure to link the shift in importance to a visible alteration in the physical remains.
To reach Level 5, you must provide a final Reasoned judgement. This isn't just a summary; you must weigh your arguments (e.g., arguing national significance is greater due to impact, even if local significance lasted longer in duration).
Historical significance
A measure of a site's importance based on its impact at the time and its enduring legacy, often evaluated through impact, duration, and resonance.
Local importance
The impact a site has on its immediate surroundings, such as the development of a town, local economy, or community identity.
National importance
The role a site plays in broader British history, such as strategic military value, connections to royalty, or involvement in major nationwide events.
Commemoration
The ways in which a site is remembered and honoured, such as through statues, plaques, or official heritage status.
Typicality
The extent to which a site is representative of other similar sites from the same historical period.
Legacy
The long-term impact of the site's history on the present day, shaping the local landscape, modern usage, or national narrative.
AO1
Assessment Objective 1: Demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the key features and characteristics of the historical periods studied.
AO2
Assessment Objective 2: Explaining and analysing historical events and periods using second-order concepts like significance, change, and continuity.
AO3
Assessment Objective 3: Analysing, evaluating, and using sources (specifically the physical remains of the site) to make substantiated judgements.
Reasoned judgement
A final conclusion that weighs different arguments against each other to reach a justified verdict.
Put your knowledge into practice — try past paper questions for History B
Historical significance
A measure of a site's importance based on its impact at the time and its enduring legacy, often evaluated through impact, duration, and resonance.
Local importance
The impact a site has on its immediate surroundings, such as the development of a town, local economy, or community identity.
National importance
The role a site plays in broader British history, such as strategic military value, connections to royalty, or involvement in major nationwide events.
Commemoration
The ways in which a site is remembered and honoured, such as through statues, plaques, or official heritage status.
Typicality
The extent to which a site is representative of other similar sites from the same historical period.
Legacy
The long-term impact of the site's history on the present day, shaping the local landscape, modern usage, or national narrative.
AO1
Assessment Objective 1: Demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the key features and characteristics of the historical periods studied.
AO2
Assessment Objective 2: Explaining and analysing historical events and periods using second-order concepts like significance, change, and continuity.
AO3
Assessment Objective 3: Analysing, evaluating, and using sources (specifically the physical remains of the site) to make substantiated judgements.
Reasoned judgement
A final conclusion that weighs different arguments against each other to reach a justified verdict.
