AQA GCSE Maths (8300)
The largest GCSE Maths exam board, with over 1.5 million candidates each year. Everything you need to revise to the AQA specification — paper structure, grade boundaries, style of questions and the topics that come up every year.
Paper structure
Three papers, 240 marks total
Paper 1
Non-calculator
80 marks · 1 hr 30 min
Paper 2
Calculator
80 marks · 1 hr 30 min
Paper 3
Calculator
80 marks · 1 hr 30 min
All three papers are taken in May/June or in the November resit window. Foundation tier (grades 1–5) and Higher tier (grades 4–9) sit different question sets.
Recent grade boundaries
What each grade has typically taken
Higher tier · out of 240
| Grade | Marks |
|---|---|
| 9 | 195–210 |
| 8 | 170–185 |
| 7 | 142–162 |
| 6 | 115–138 |
| 5 | 90–115 |
| 4 | 60–90 |
Foundation tier · out of 240
| Grade | Marks |
|---|---|
| 5 | 145–168 |
| 4 | 105–130 |
| 3 | 75–95 |
| 2 | 50–70 |
Ranges from recent published boundaries. Actual 2026 boundaries are released on results day (21 August 2026). See our 2026 boundaries forecast.
AQA style
What makes AQA papers distinctive
Heavy real-world context
AQA frames many questions around everyday situations — pricing, measurements, surveys. The maths is the same as on other boards, but the phrasing is less abstract. Practising context-heavy questions pays off.
Progressive build per paper
Each AQA paper opens with 1–2 mark accessible questions and builds to 5–6 mark multi-step problems. The hardest questions are clustered at the back of each paper.
Generous method marks
AQA mark schemes credit correct method even when arithmetic slips. Always show your working — a correct method with a wrong final answer usually earns most of the available marks.
Non-calculator test of number sense
Paper 1 has no calculator. Mental arithmetic, fractions and standard form are foundational. Many students underperform on Paper 1 because they only revise with a calculator.
Practise calibrated to AQA mark schemes.
Instant marking that awards method, accuracy and follow-through — the way AQA examiners do.
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