AQA GCSE
Assessment and Qualifications Alliance
AQA is the largest GCSE awarding body in England — around half of all GCSE entries are AQA. Its specifications are widely taught and its mark schemes are the most-published, which makes AQA practice papers especially abundant.
Overview
AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) is an independent education charity and the largest of the four major English GCSE awarding bodies. Most state schools in England use AQA for at least one of their core GCSEs.
AQA's GCSEs sit under the same DfE national subject content as the other boards, but AQA's specific paper structure, question style and mark schemes have notable conventions — particularly its preference for clearly numbered question stems and stepped mark allocations.
On English Literature, AQA pairs a Shakespeare play with a 19th-century novel on Paper 1 (the most popular combinations being Romeo and Juliet + A Christmas Carol, or Macbeth + A Christmas Carol). Paper 2 covers modern prose/drama, poetry anthology and unseen poetry.
Subjects on AQA
GCSE Maths
Subject guide| Paper | Duration | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (non-calculator) | 1h 30m | All topics. 80 marks. 33⅓%. |
| Paper 2 (calculator) | 1h 30m | All topics. 80 marks. 33⅓%. |
| Paper 3 (calculator) | 1h 30m | All topics. 80 marks. 33⅓%. |
Foundation tier targets grades 1–5; Higher tier targets grades 4–9. Same paper structure applies to both tiers.
GCSE English Language
Subject guide| Paper | Duration | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 — Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing | 1h 45m | One fiction extract, 4 reading questions (4, 8, 8, 20 marks), then one extended creative writing task (40 marks). |
| Paper 2 — Writers' Viewpoints and Perspectives | 1h 45m | Two non-fiction texts (one 19th-century, one 20th/21st-century), 4 reading questions, then one extended transactional writing task. |
Untiered. Spoken Language assessed separately as Pass/Merit/Distinction endorsement.
GCSE English Literature
Subject guide| Paper | Duration | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 — Shakespeare and the 19th-century novel | 1h 45m | Two questions: one on Shakespeare (extract + wider play), one on the 19th-century novel. 64 marks. 40%. |
| Paper 2 — Modern texts and poetry | 2h 15m | Three sections: modern prose/drama, anthology poetry comparison, unseen poetry. 96 marks. 60%. |
Closed-book on all texts. Set texts are chosen by the school from AQA's prescribed list.
What's distinctive about AQA
- •AQA's mark schemes use level-based descriptors (Levels 1–6 typically) rather than analytical mark-by-mark schemes. Examiners place a response in a level then award marks within it.
- •AQA publishes detailed Examiners' Reports after each session, which highlight common student errors. These reports are an underused study resource for grade 7+ students.
- •AQA's question stems are notably consistent year-on-year. 'How does the writer use language to…' on Paper 1 Q2 of English Language has appeared in essentially the same form for years.
Other exam boards
FAQ
- How popular is AQA?
- AQA is the largest GCSE awarding body in England, accounting for around half of all GCSE entries each year.
- Which English Literature set texts are most common on AQA?
- On Paper 1: Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth (Shakespeare) paired with A Christmas Carol or The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (19th-century novel). On Paper 2: An Inspector Calls is by far the most-taught modern drama.
- What are the assessment objectives for AQA English Literature?
- AO1 (response with textual evidence, 45%), AO2 (language/form/structure analysis, 25%), AO3 (context, 15%), AO4 (writing accuracy, 5%). The remaining marks (10%) come from SPaG on specific questions.
- Does AQA Maths require a specific calculator?
- Any standard scientific calculator is allowed on Papers 2 and 3. Graphical calculators are permitted. Calculators with symbolic algebra (CAS) or wireless connectivity are not allowed.
- How does Revisio align to AQA mark schemes?
- Revisio's AI marking is configured to AQA's level-based descriptors for English Literature and English Language. Mock papers follow AQA's question structure and timing. The diagnostic identifies weaknesses by AO so revision is targeted.