GCSE maths and sciences
Higher and Foundation maths, combined science and the separate sciences, with the twenty-one required practicals in combined science taught as written technique.
Exam boards · AQA GCSE and A Level
AQA, taught against the specification you are sitting
AQA is the largest exam board in England, and its papers have a recognisable voice: particular command words, particular mark scheme wording and required practicals that decide real marks. Our tutors plan from the AQA specification and drill on AQA papers only.
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GCSE and A LevelYears 10 to 13
9️⃣
9 to 1GCSE grading
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NovemberEnglish and maths resits
Why the board matters
An AQA paper is not a generic GCSE paper
Content overlaps heavily across UK boards, but the questions do not. AQA's required practicals, its set texts in English Literature and the way its mark schemes award method all differ from Edexcel and OCR, and a student revising from another board's papers is practising for someone else's exam.
Every course here starts by confirming the specification code and tier from the school's own documents. That takes five minutes, and it prevents the most expensive mistake in tutoring, which is teaching the right subject for the wrong board.
- Specification code and tier confirmed before the plan is written
- AQA past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports only
- Required practicals taught as examinable content, not as a lab memory
- Resit strategy for November English Language and maths where it applies
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Spec confirmed
AQA papers
Practicals
Course at a glance
How an AQA course is structured with us.
BoardAQA, England
QualificationsGCSE (9 to 1) and AS and A Level (A* to E)
Exam seriesMay and June, with November resits in GCSE English Language and maths
TieringFoundation and Higher in GCSE maths and the sciences
International routeOxfordAQA International GCSE and A Level, a separate board used by some international schools
Session length55 minutes, or 85 minutes as a double
Planning inputYour school's specification list, so codes and tiers are never assumed
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Tier honesty
Set texts
Resits
Professional expert tutoring
AQA subjects and codes
Codes are checked against the year your child sits, since AQA revises specifications from time to time.
GCSE English and humanities
English Language and Literature taught to AQA's papers and your school's set texts, plus the humanities most often entered with AQA.
AS and A Level
A Level sciences with the practical endorsement in view, maths by component, and essay subjects marked to AQA's level descriptors.
If your child's school says "AQA" but you are outside the UK, check whether it is actually OxfordAQA International. The two boards publish different specifications and papers, and the tutor needs to know which one.
How a course actually runs
How an AQA course runs
Specification, diagnosis, then the papers.
01
Confirm the specification and tier
From the school's documents, not memory. At GCSE the tier decision caps or opens the available grades, so it is checked on day one.
02
Diagnose on an AQA paper
A section of a recent AQA paper, marked live in the free trial, with each refused mark explained against the AQA mark scheme.
03
Teach, then write under time
One topic taught, one timed section written and marked each week. Required practicals and set texts are woven in rather than saved for later.
04
Read the examiner reports
AQA publishes reports on how each paper was answered. The tutor uses them to show the student exactly where a cohort lost marks.
05
Spring run-in or November resit
From March the course becomes papers only. For resit candidates, a narrow November block targets the grade 4 boundary.
Not sure of the board or tier?
Send a photograph of the school's course list or a past paper it issued. The board and code are printed on the front.
Where marks are won and lost
Where AQA candidates lose marks
From AQA examiner reports and the scripts our tutors mark.
| Subject | What AQA rewards | The usual leak |
|---|---|---|
| Maths 8300 | Clear method on multi-step problems across three papers | Correct answers with no working, which lose most of the method marks |
| Combined Science 8464 | Required practical method, variables and analysis | Describing a practical that nobody could repeat from the description |
| English Language 8700 | Analysis of language and structure, and controlled writing | Retelling the extract instead of analysing how it works |
| English Literature 8702 | Argument about set texts, with context used sparingly | Context pasted in as a paragraph rather than used to make a point |
| A Level Psychology 7182 | Evaluation and research methods | Describing studies at length when the question asks for evaluation |
Scheduling and fees
Booking AQA sessions
One weekly slot per subject suits most families during term.
Free trial
A 45-minute live class with the tutor you would actually be assigned. They set a short diagnostic task, mark it live, and tell you where the gaps are. No card details.
Weekly slot
One fixed 55 minute session a week, billed monthly in advance, with the same tutor across the year.
Exam sprint
A block of eight sessions in the six weeks before the summer series, built on AQA papers and examiner reports.
November resit block
A focused block for GCSE English Language and maths resits, aimed at the grade 4 boundary.
Cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before your slot and the class is credited back to your tuition balance. Later cancellations are charged in full. Trial classes are always free. The full terms are in the refund policy. Fees for each plan are on the pricing page.
Questions parents ask first
AQA, answered plainly
How do I know if my child is on AQA?
Check the front of any past paper the school has issued, or ask the subject teacher. The board and the specification code, such as 8300 for maths, are printed there.
Is AQA different from OxfordAQA?
Yes. OxfordAQA is a separate international board with its own International GCSE and A Level specifications. Many schools outside the UK use it, so confirm which one before planning.
Can you help with the required practicals?
Yes. Students cannot run the experiments at home, but the exam tests method, variables, results and analysis in writing, and that is exactly what we teach.
Do you cover November resits?
Yes, for GCSE English Language and maths. The resit block is narrow by design and aims at the grade 4 boundary.
Can a private candidate sit AQA exams?
Yes, through an exam centre that accepts private candidates. Centres set their own fees and deadlines, so start looking early. We can help you plan the timeline.
More answers sit on the full FAQ page.
AQA admissions open
Book an AQA trial
Tell us the subject, the specification code if you have it and the tier. The trial includes a marked section from a real AQA paper.
Contact us