The Historic Environment Rubric
How to answer the Elizabethan historic environment question on any site: the fixed set of aspects to work through, from location and function to design and what it reveals about the age, and the marks the question carries.
Use it, the way the marks are given
Free interactive practice at using the material, which is what the marks are for.
Start revising freeWhat you'll cover
One rubric, any site
The last part of the Elizabethan study is the historic environment, worth 16 marks in Paper 2. AQA sets one historic site each year, such as a theatre or a castle, and it changes from year to year, so you cannot rely on the facts of a single site. Instead you learn a fixed set of aspects to apply to whatever site comes up: its location, its function, its structure, the people connected with it, its design, and what that design reveals about the values of the age. This module teaches that rubric and how to use it.
Historic environment words
Learn these before you plan any answer, because the skill is applying the fixed aspects to any site.
Knowledge against explanation
The 16 marks are split evenly between two skills, so a strong answer does both, not just one.
How to use the rubric
Do not memorise one site and hope. Learn the fixed aspects and work through them for whatever site is given. Say where the site is and what it was for, describe its structure and design, name the people connected with it, and above all explain what its design reveals about the beliefs and fashions of the time. Give facts for the knowledge marks and clear explanation for the rest. The same method works on any site, which is why it is worth practising on more than one.
Match the aspect to what it asks
- location
- function
- people connected
- design
- where the site is and why it is there
- what the site was built and used for
- who designed, owned or lived at the site
- how the site looks and what that reveals
What does the question really test?
Which skill matters most when answering the historic environment question?
- Applying the fixed aspects to whatever site is set.
- Memorising every fact about one chosen site.
- Visiting the site in person before the exam.
- Getting the spelling and grammar perfect.
Aspects of the site
Select the TWO items that are aspects of the site in the fixed rubric.
- The location of the site
- The design of the site
- The weather on exam day
- The price of a modern entry ticket
Work out the AO2 marks
The historic environment question is worth 16 marks, split evenly between AO1 and AO2. Divide the total by 2 to find how many marks are for AO2. What is the answer?
Order how to plan an answer
Put the steps of planning a historic environment answer in order, earliest first.
- Read which site the question is about
- Recall the fixed list of aspects
- Choose the aspects that fit the site best
- Explain how each aspect reflects the age
Complete the facts
The exam sets one historic _____ each year, which changes annually. You apply a fixed set of _____ to it, such as location and design. One aspect is the _____, meaning what the site was used for. Above all you explain what the design reveals about the _____ of the time.
Match the aspect to a question it raises
- structure
- people connected
- design and culture
- function
- what is the site built from and how is it laid out
- who created, owned or used the site
- what do the style and features reveal about the age
- what job or purpose did the site serve
Spot the true rubric facts
Tap the TWO statements that are true about the historic environment question.
- You apply a fixed set of aspects to any site set
- The question is worth 16 marks, split between AO1 and AO2
- You only ever need to learn a single site
- Most of the marks are for spelling and grammar
Apply the rubric
Read each case and choose the best answer.
- The exam sets a grand Elizabethan house as the site. A student has only revised a theatre in detail. What should the student do?
- A student lists lots of facts about the site but never explains what they show. Which marks are they missing?
- A student wants to show what a grand design reveals about the owner. Which aspect are they using?
Explain the rubric approach
Explain how to answer the historic environment question on any site, using the fixed aspects and the marks it carries.
- Explain why you learn the aspects rather than one single site
- Name three aspects of the site from the fixed rubric
- Explain how design can reveal the values of the age
- Explain how the 16 marks are split between knowledge and explanation
- Finish with the key to scoring well on any site set