A British Society in the Past — WJEC-CBAC Other Life Skills Qualification Foundations for Learning Revision

    This subtopic focuses on exploring a specific period in British history, allowing learners to understand the key social, economic, and cultural features th

    Topic Synopsis

    This subtopic focuses on exploring a specific period in British history, allowing learners to understand the key social, economic, and cultural features that shaped people's lives. Learners will develop skills in identifying similarities and differences between the past and present, and will be assessed on their ability to use historical sources to draw informed conclusions about that society.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

    Examiner Marking Points

    A British Society in the Past

    WJEC-CBAC
    vocational

    This subtopic focuses on exploring a specific period in British history, allowing learners to understand the key social, economic, and cultural features that shaped people's lives. Learners will develop skills in identifying similarities and differences between the past and present, and will be assessed on their ability to use historical sources to draw informed conclusions about that society.

    18
    Learning Outcomes
    22
    Assessment Guidance
    22
    Key Skills
    20
    Key Terms
    24
    Assessment Criteria

    Assessment criteria

    WJEC Entry Level Diploma In Humanities (Entry 2)
    WJEC Entry Level Diploma In Humanities (Entry 3)
    WJEC Entry Level Award In Humanities (Entry 2)
    WJEC Entry Level Award In Humanities (Entry 3)
    WJEC Entry Level Certificate In Humanities (Entry 2)
    WJEC Entry Level Certificate In Humanities (Entry 3)

    Topic Overview

    The WJEC Entry Level Diploma in Humanities (Entry 2) is a vocationally-related qualification designed to introduce students to key concepts in humanities subjects such as history, geography, and religious studies. It forms part of the Foundations for Learning programme, which aims to develop essential skills and knowledge for further study or employment. This diploma focuses on building foundational understanding through practical, real-world contexts, encouraging students to explore how human societies have developed, how people interact with their environment, and how beliefs and values shape communities.

    Studying this diploma helps students develop critical thinking, communication, and research skills. It covers topics like local history, maps and places, and religious festivals, allowing students to connect classroom learning to their own lives. The qualification is assessed through portfolio work rather than exams, making it accessible for learners who benefit from continuous assessment. By the end of the course, students will have a clearer understanding of the world around them and be better prepared for Level 1 qualifications or entry-level employment.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Chronology: Understanding the order of events in history, using timelines and dates to sequence key moments.
    • →Place and Space: Recognising how physical and human features define locations, using maps and aerial photographs.
    • →Beliefs and Values: Exploring how different religions and cultures express their beliefs through festivals, rituals, and daily life.
    • →Sources and Evidence: Learning to identify primary and secondary sources, and understanding how they help us learn about the past.
    • →Change and Continuity: Identifying what has changed over time and what has stayed the same in communities and environments.

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • This unit aims to help learners to understand key features that affected people’s lives in Britain in the past. This will be through a study of a short period of British history. In particular learners will be taught about similarities and differences between past and present and be encouraged to use historical sources to find out about this society.
    • This unit aims to help learners to understand key features that affected people’s lives in Britain in the past. This will be through a study of a short period of British history. In particular learners will be taught about similarities and differences between past and present and be encouraged to use historical sources to find out about this society.
    • know features of a British society in the past, know similarities and differences between a British society in the past and their own society., be able to use historical sources to find out about a British society in the past
    • Identify key features of daily life in at least one British society from the past.
    • Compare aspects of a past British society with their own society to determine similarities and differences.
    • Extract information from primary and secondary historical sources to describe past ways of life.
    • Interpret simple historical sources to make basic inferences about past events or conditions.
    • Present findings about a past society in a structured format using appropriate vocabulary.
    • Identify key features of everyday life in a past British society.
    • Compare aspects of life in the past with the present day.
    • Use historical sources to gather information about the past.
    • Describe similarities and differences between past and present.
    • Recognise that life in the past was different in many ways.
    • Describe at least two aspects of daily life in a chosen British historical period.
    • Identify one difference and one similarity between the past society and present day.
    • Use a given historical source to extract simple information about people’s lives.
    • Match at least two artefacts or images to their likely uses in the past.
    • State one reason why historians use sources.

    Assessment Criteria

    Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

    • Award credit for accurately identifying at least two key features of daily life in the chosen historical period (e.g., housing, work, or leisure).
    • Award credit for clearly stating at least one similarity and one difference between the past society and the present day, with supporting details.
    • Award credit for using information from a historical source (e.g., a picture or written account) to support a point about people's lives in the past.
    • Award credit for clearly identifying at least one similarity and one difference between the past society and present-day Britain, supported by simple reasoning.
    • Award credit for correctly naming a specific historical source (e.g., a census record, a diary, a photograph) and explaining in basic terms what it shows about people's lives.
    • Award credit for using period-appropriate vocabulary (e.g., 'Victorian', 'evacuee', 'workhouse') accurately to show understanding of the era.
    • Award credit for making a straightforward connection between a source and its usefulness in finding out about the past, even if the explanation is brief.
    • Award credit for correctly identifying at least two features of a British society in the past (e.g., coal fires, horse-drawn carts, children working).
    • Award credit for stating one similarity and one difference between the past society and their own society (e.g., both had schools, but in the past children left earlier).
    • Award credit for using a historical source (e.g., a photo or object) to find one piece of information about the past society (e.g., 'This photo shows children working in a factory').
    • Award credit for correctly naming at least two distinct features of the chosen past society (e.g., food, clothing, transport).
    • Credit the identification of a minimum of one similarity and one difference between past and present daily life.
    • Expect the learner to demonstrate how they used a specific source (e.g., photograph, artefact, diary) to obtain information.
    • Reward clear presentation of findings, such as a poster or short written account, that logically organises the compared aspects.
    • Acknowledge the use of basic historical terms (e.g., 'source', 'evidence', 'past', 'present') in context.
    • Award credit for correctly identifying at least two features of the past society from a given source.
    • Credit responses that clearly distinguish between past and present by using appropriate vocabulary (e.g., ‘long ago’, ‘in the olden days’).
    • Award marks for making a simple comparison, such as ‘they used candles, we have electric lights’.
    • Credit use of a source to support an answer, e.g., pointing to a detail in a picture.
    • Award credit for correctly identifying a feature of the chosen historical period (e.g., type of housing, transport).
    • Credit evidence that demonstrates a clear comparison between a past and present aspect of life.
    • Look for the use of at least one source to support a statement about the past.
    • Accept oral or pictorial responses if literacy is a barrier, as long as historical content is demonstrated.
    • Credit for recognising that historical sources provide information about the past.

    Assessment Guidance

    Guidance for achieving higher grades

    • 💡Always refer explicitly to the historical source provided; quote or describe it to strengthen your answer.
    • 💡When comparing past and present, focus on a specific aspect like technology or housing rather than making vague statements.
    • 💡Use simple but accurate historical vocabulary (e.g., 'artefact', 'in the past') to demonstrate your understanding of the period.
    • 💡Always link your comparisons to a specific source—say which source shows the similarity or difference, and briefly describe what you see or read.
    • 💡When using a source, state whether it is primary or secondary and explain why that matters for understanding the past society.
    • 💡Practice describing everyday life (housing, work, leisure, family) in both the past and present before the assessment so you can recall details quickly.
    • 💡If asked to discuss change, focus on one clear example and explain why it happened, rather than listing many unrelated changes.
    • 💡Encourage learners to look for clues in sources such as clothing, buildings, and technology to identify the time period.
    • 💡Remind learners to use simple comparison words like 'then' and 'now' to structure their answers.
    • 💡Practice with a variety of sources (photos, objects, written extracts) so learners become confident in extracting information.
    • 💡Always back up your answers with specific examples from the historical sources you have studied.
    • 💡Use comparison language such as 'similarly', 'however', or 'in contrast' to structure your analysis of similarities and differences.
    • 💡Practise extracting key phrases from short source extracts to avoid copying large sections and to show understanding.
    • 💡Before writing, make a simple plan to organise your points about the past society and how it relates to today.
    • 💡When comparing, always use the words 'in the past' and 'today' to make differences clear.
    • 💡If you are given a picture or object, look carefully and describe what you see before explaining.
    • 💡Remember that sources can tell us about how people lived.
    • 💡Always refer directly to at least one source when explaining what you have learned about the past.
    • 💡Use specific examples from the period you studied to make your comparisons clear.
    • 💡If tasked with comparing, structure your answer with one similarity and one difference clearly labelled.
    • 💡For portfolio evidence, include captions or simple labels on any images or sources you use.
    • 💡Practice using vocabulary like 'in the past', 'now', 'similar', 'different', and 'because' to show understanding.
    • 💡Use specific examples from your local area when discussing history or geography. For instance, mention a local landmark or event to show you can apply concepts to real places.
    • 💡When writing about religious festivals, include details about what people do, why they do it, and how it makes them feel. This shows deeper understanding beyond just naming the festival.
    • 💡Organise your portfolio work clearly with headings and dates. Assessors look for evidence of progress, so keep all drafts and notes to show how your ideas developed.

    Common Mistakes

    Common errors to avoid in your coursework

    • Confusing the historical period with another era (e.g., mixing Victorian and Tudor features).
    • Offering subjective opinions rather than fact-based observations about the past society.
    • Failing to link evidence from sources directly to the claims made about the past.
    • Applying modern attitudes and values to historical contexts, such as expecting past societies to hold the same views on gender roles or children's rights.
    • Stating similarities and differences without any supporting evidence or reference to a source, leading to overly generalised comparisons.
    • Misidentifying the type or origin of a historical source, e.g., calling a secondary source a primary one, which weakens the reliability of their point.
    • Assuming that all aspects of life were worse in the past without considering positive differences or context.
    • Confusing the past society with a modern or fictional setting (e.g., thinking Victorians had cars).
    • Stating only differences without acknowledging any similarities (e.g., 'Everything was different').
    • Describing a source without extracting specific information about the past (e.g., 'It's a black and white photo').
    • Assuming that all aspects of past life were identical to today without checking evidence.
    • Using sources uncritically without considering who created them or why.
    • Confusing fact with opinion when extracting information from sources.
    • Presenting disconnected facts without making clear comparisons between past and present.
    • Assuming that life in the past was exactly the same as today.
    • Confusing the sequence of past and present, thinking a modern item existed then.
    • Struggling to extract information from a source without guidance.
    • Learners often assume that life in the past was identical to today except for technology.
    • They may confuse different historical periods (e.g., mixing Victorian with Tudor).
    • Some believe all sources are equally reliable and do not question them.
    • Learners might describe similarities when asked for differences, or vice versa.
    • They may struggle to see beyond clothing and transport when identifying changes.
    • Misconception: History is just a list of dates and facts. Correction: History is about understanding why events happened and their impact on people's lives, not just memorising dates.
    • Misconception: Geography is only about naming countries and capitals. Correction: Geography also involves understanding how people interact with their environment, including issues like weather, land use, and sustainability.
    • Misconception: All religious festivals are the same. Correction: Each religion has unique festivals with specific meanings, stories, and practices; for example, Diwali (Hinduism) celebrates light over darkness, while Ramadan (Islam) is a month of fasting and reflection.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •Basic literacy and numeracy skills at Entry 1 level, as the course involves reading simple texts and using numbers for timelines or map scales.
    • •An interest in exploring the world around you, including local history, different cultures, and environments.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    • This unit aims to help learners to understand key features that affected people’s lives in Britain in the past. This will be through a study of a short period of British history. In particular learners will be taught about similarities and differences between past and present and be encouraged to use historical sources to find out about this society.
    • This unit aims to help learners to understand key features that affected people’s lives in Britain in the past. This will be through a study of a short period of British history. In particular learners will be taught about similarities and differences between past and present and be encouraged to use historical sources to find out about this society.
    • know features of a British society in the past, know similarities and differences between a British society in the past and their own society., be able to use historical sources to find out about a British society in the past
    • Features of past societies
    • Comparative analysis: past and present
    • Using historical evidence
    • Source evaluation skills
    • Understanding daily life in the past
    • Daily Life in the Past
    • Differences Between Past and Present
    • Using Historical Evidence
    • Work and Home Life
    • Transport and Communication
    • Food and Clothing
    • Daily life and routines
    • Work and employment
    • Social class and community
    • Childhood and education
    • Using historical evidence
    • Similarities and differences

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