What does it take to get a H1 in Higher Level History?
Elizabeth Hearst, a past pupil from The Institute of Education who achieved a H1 in Leaving Cert higher level history, tells us how she got top marks.
Practice writing essays
It’s difficult to get an essay written in 42.5 minutes, but with practice you can learn how it’s done. We did weekly class tests, which I found really helped.
Study past papers
Familiarise yourself with the paper and the past questions that have been asked.
Make a plan
In the exam, it’s much easier if you know the structure of what you’re going to write, before you write it. Those 42.5 minutes go by incredibly quickly, so knowing your structure is key. When making my plan, I wrote out each important point that I wanted to make, in each of the essays that I prepared.
Writing essays
Aim for 3-5 quotes per essay. Examiners love this, as it shows depth rather than reeling off facts. Include interesting nuggets of information in all paragraphs. Write short paragraphs. Each paragraph is marked out of 12, so writing 2 short paragraphs and each scoring 6’s, is better than one long paragraph which could be awarded 9.
Reaction to 2023 History Exam
Each year, our exceptional teachers give their take on the Leaving Certificate higher level exam papers. Read what Susan Cashell, history teacher at The Institute of Education, had to say about the 2023 exam below.
Each year, our exceptional teachers give their take on the Leaving Certificate higher level exam papers.
See what Stephen Tonge, History teacher at The Institute of Education, had to say about the 2024 Higher Level Paper in this short video.
To view reactions to previous year’s Irish exam papers please browse videos below or visit our YouTube channel.
Sample Notes
Students who attend The Institute of Education are provided with exclusive, exam-focussed study notes to support their home study and revision. Below are a sample of the high-quality history notes they receive.
Top Tips
Susan Cashell, history teacher at The Institute of Education, shares her secrets to exam success.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
How can you attempt this exam if you haven’t written under pressure? You should be doing a test two times every week. If this is not possible in your class, do it at home. Even if you find this difficult at the beginning you will get better at it.
Write fast!
This is an exam that rewards those who write fast and a lot ! You do not have a hope of a high grade if you only write three pages for an essay. Aim to write five.
Timing
Running out of time? Never spend longer than 42.5 minutes on a question. If you run out of time, leave a blank page and go on to the next question. If there is time you can go back. If you are under pressure near the end of the essay, make bullet points for the last two paragraphs and write out the conclusion.
Toilet breaks
Never bring fizzy drinks into the exam, sip water. Remember if you leave the exam hall for a toilet break the examiner will have to stamp your script when you leave and when you return. What a waste of your valuable writing time. You could have written that conclusion!
Research Study Report
Take the RSR seriously as it is worth 20% of your overall mark!
