These assessment pointers are for judging standards of student performance in Year 9 History. They
are examples of what students may demonstrate rather than a checklist of everything they should do.
For reporting, they are used to make on-balance judgments about achievement based on what has
been taught and assessed during the reporting period. They can also be used to guide the pitch of
assessment tasks, develop marking keys and inform assessment feedback.
JUDGING STANDARDS IN YEAR 9 HISTORY
Reporting against the Achievement Standard
YEAR 9 HISTORY ACHIEVEMENT STANDARD
By the end of Year 9, students refer to key events and the actions of individuals and groups to explain patterns of change and continuity over time. They analyse the causes and
effects of events and developments and make judgments about their importance. They explain the motives and actions of people at the time. Students explain the significance
of these events and developments over the short and long term. They explain different interpretations of the past.
Students sequence events and developments within a chronological framework, with reference to periods of time and their duration. When researching, students develop
different kinds of questions to frame an historical inquiry. They interpret, process, analyse and organise information from a range of primary and secondary sources and use it
as evidence to answer inquiry questions. Students examine sources to compare different points of view. When evaluating these sources, they analyse origin and purpose, and
draw conclusions about their usefulness. They develop their own interpretations about the past. Students develop texts, particularly explanations and discussions,
incorporating historical interpretations. In developing these texts, and organising and presenting their conclusions, they use historical terms and concepts, evidence identified
in sources, and they reference these sources.
YEAR 9 HISTORY ASSESSMENT POINTERS
Continuity and change,
Cause and effect
A
B
C
D
E
Excellent achievement
High achievement
Satisfactory achievement
Limited achievement
Very low achievement
Selects and uses relevant key
events and actions of individuals
and groups to discuss patterns
of change and continuity over
time, and draws conclusions.
Selects and uses relevant key
events and actions of individuals
and groups to explain patterns
of change and continuity over
time.
Refers to key events and actions
of individuals and groups to
explain patterns of change and
continuity over time.
Refers to an event or action of
individuals and groups to
identify patterns of change;
however, the discussion is
restricted.
Analyses the causes and effects
of events and developments and
makes judgements about their
importance, using detailed
supporting evidence.
Analyses the causes and effects
of events and developments and
makes judgements about their
importance, with a high degree
of accuracy.
Analyses the causes and effects
of events and developments and
makes judgements about their
importance.
Outlines the causes and effects
of events and developments and
makes few judgements about
their importance or link
between the two.
2013/37201v5 [PDF 2013/37558] Published: 22 May, 2015
Links a change to a simple and
sometimes irrelevant cause.
Evidence, Use of sources
and Contestability
Historical inquiry
A
B
C
D
E
Excellent achievement
High achievement
Satisfactory achievement
Limited achievement
Very low achievement
Locates, compares, selects and
analyses relevant evidence from
a range of primary and
secondary sources to support a
response or argument, and/or
answer inquiry questions.
Locates, selects and uses
relevant evidence from a range
of primary and secondary
sources to support a response or
argument, and/or answer
inquiry questions.
Selects and uses evidence from
a range of primary and
secondary sources to support a
response or argument, and/or
answer inquiry questions.
Provides a simple response or
argument, and/or answer to
inquiry questions; however,
makes little use of the evidence
gathered from primary and/or
secondary sources.
Selects and uses an extensive
range of relevant primary and
secondary sources to interpret,
process, analyse and organise
facts and information.
Selects and uses a wide range of
relevant primary and secondary
sources to interpret, process,
analyse and organise facts and
information.
Uses a range of primary and
secondary sources to interpret
process, analyse and organise
facts and information.
Uses a narrow range of primary
and secondary sources which
are not necessarily relevant to
the context.
Examines a range of primary and
secondary sources to accurately
compare different points of view
by identifying similarities and
differences and draws
conclusions.
Examines a range of primary and
secondary sources to compare
different points of view by
identifying similarities and
differences.
Examines primary and
secondary sources to compare
different points of view by
identifying similarities or
differences.
Uses primary and secondary
sources to identify different
points of view.
Uses few primary and/or
secondary sources to state
different points of view.
Evaluates sources and
thoroughly analyses their origin
and purpose, draws conclusions
and discusses their usefulness
and contestability, identifying
limitations and perspective.
Evaluates sources and analyses
their origin and purpose, draws
conclusions and explains their
usefulness and contestability.
Evaluates sources and analyses
their origin and purpose,
drawing conclusions about their
usefulness.
Refers to the origin or purpose
of a source, without providing
any detail about its usefulness.
Attempts to judge the
usefulness of the source, but
mainly recounts the information
in the source.
Develops a wide range of open,
relevant and complex questions
to frame an historical inquiry.
Develops a wide range of
relevant questions to frame an
historical inquiry.
Develops a range of questions to
frame an historical inquiry.
Writes questions which restrict
the depth of an historical
inquiry.
Attempts to write inquiry
questions; however, simply
states information or uses
irrelevant information.
Interprets, processes,
synthesises, organises and
presents facts and information
from an wide range of primary
and secondary sources to
answer inquiry questions.
Interprets, processes,
synthesises, organises and
presents facts and information
from a range of primary and
secondary sources to answer
inquiry questions.
Interprets, processes, organises
and presents facts and
information from a range of
primary and secondary sources
to answer inquiry questions.
Presents facts and information
from a range of primary and/or
secondary sources to answer
inquiry questions.
Presents few relevant facts
and/or information with no
reference to inquiry questions.
Shows little or no use of
evidence from primary and/or
secondary sources in response
and/or answers to inquiry
questions.
A
B
C
D
E
Excellent achievement
High achievement
Satisfactory achievement
Limited achievement
Very low achievement
Historical inquiry
Selects, uses and correctly
references a wide range of
primary and secondary sources.
Selects, uses and correctly
references a range of primary
and secondary sources.
Selects, uses and references all
primary and secondary sources.
Uses primary and secondary
sources; however, incorrectly
referenced.
Perspectives, and
interpretations, Empathy
and Significance
Analyses different perspectives
about the past to develop a
sophisticated personal
interpretation.
Identifies and describes
different perspectives about the
past to develop a clear personal
interpretation.
Infers the perspective through
recounting the events to
develop a personal
interpretation.
Suggests different perspectives
without detail.
Assesses the motives and
actions of individuals and groups
from a specific time period,
drawing conclusions based on
historical research.
Discusses, with explanation, the
motives and actions of
individuals and groups from a
specific time period.
Explains the motives and actions
of individuals and groups from a
specific time period.
Suggests the significant impact
of historical events and
developments, but does not
provide elaboration.
Explains the short-term and
long-term significance of
historical events and
developments, providing
specific examples
Clearly explains the short-term
and long-term significance of
historical events and
developments.
Explains the short-term and
long-term significance of
historical events and
developments.
Describes the short-term and
long-term significance of
historical events and
developments.
Accurately sequences and
articulates relevant historical
events and developments within
a chronological framework with
specific reference to periods of
time and their duration.
Accurately sequences relevant
historical events and
developments within a
chronological framework with
specific reference to periods of
time and their duration.
Sequences historical events and
developments within a
chronological framework with
reference to periods of time and
their duration.
Sequences few historical events
and developments with some
reference to periods of time and
their duration or some use of a
chronological framework.
Sequences a minimal number of
historical events or
developments; however, does
not provide any reference to
periods of time and their
duration or use a chronological
framework.
Accurately uses precise and
relevant historical terms and
concepts.
Accurately uses relevant
historical terms and concepts.
Uses a range of historical terms
and concepts.
Uses some historical terms and
concepts.
Uses minimal or no historical
terms or concepts.
Examines and accurately
interprets, processes, analyses,
organises and presents facts and
information in a range of
communication forms relevant
to the historical context.
Accurately interprets, processes,
analyses, organises and presents
facts and information in a range
of communication forms
relevant to the historical
context.
Interprets, processes, analyses,
organises and presents facts and
information in a range of
communication forms relevant
to the historical context.
Interprets, processes, and
presents minimal facts and
information relevant to the
historical context.
Presents some facts and
information, with little or no
relevance to the historical
context.
Chronology, terms and
concepts
Explanation and
communication
Uses few primary and secondary
sources and no references are
included.
Describes some features of an
historical event; however, does
not refer to its significance.
Explanation and
communication
A
B
C
D
E
Excellent achievement
High achievement
Satisfactory achievement
Limited achievement
Very low achievement
Synthesises ideas succinctly and
develops a sustained argument
and/or reasoned text,
discussing, explaining and
analysing facts, information and
historical events.
Constructs a logical argument
and/or reasoned text,
discussing, explaining and
analysing facts and information
and historical events.
Constructs an argument and/or
reasoned text, discussing,
explaining and analysing facts
and information and historical
events.
Constructs a simple response,
but little historical detail is
provided and the response is
poorly communicated.
Constructs a simple response
which lacks coherence and is
restricted by the use of
language.