AQA GCSE Computer Science (8525)
Exam structure at a glance for AQA GCSE Computer Science: every paper with its time, marks and weighting, plus tiers, practicals and the links you need.
- Board
- AQA
- Specification code
- 8525
- Tiers
- No tiers (one paper set for all)
- First teaching
- 2025
- First exams
- 2027
- Exam papers
- 2 · 3 h 45 min in total
- Last checked
- 2026-10-20
The national curriculum content behind this GCSE: KS4 Computing programme of study.
Plan the whole year: open this course in the Year Planner – every lesson dated around your term dates, with a coverage check. Free.
Track your class against these statements with Classfern Pro. What's in Pro Join the waiting list
Papers and weightings
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight | What it is (our summary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Computational thinking and programming skills | 2 h | 90 | 50% | Computational thinking, code tracing, problem solving, algorithm design and writing, testing and refining code. Multiple choice, short and longer answers. |
| Paper 2: Computing concepts | 1 h 45 min | 90 | 50% | Data representation, computer systems, networks, cyber security, relational databases and SQL, and the impacts of digital technology. Multiple choice, short, longer and extended answers. |
Times are exam lengths; weightings are shares of the whole GCSE. Summaries are in our own words.
Good to know
- Version: Current version: first teaching September 2025, first exams May/June 2027 (scheme of assessment page).
Not yet confirmed by us: AQA pages read call both papers 'written exam' and do not say whether Paper 1 is on screen or which programming languages may be used; check the specification.. Check the specification.
Key dates
Summer 2027 exam series
- Entries deadline: Sun, 21 February 2027
- First exam: Mon, 10 May 2027
- Last GCSE exam: Fri, 18 June 2027
- Contingency day: Wed, 23 June 2027
- GCSE results day: Thu, 19 August 2027 (from a provisional board timetable)
Sources: JCQ key dates June 2027 (final (JCQ key dates)); JCQ key dates and timetables; JCQ timetable commentary. Check each board's final timetable for paper dates. Last checked 2026-10-20.
Specification, past papers and grade boundaries
- AQA: Specification at a glance (board website)
- AQA: Past papers and mark schemes (board website)
- AQA: Grade boundaries (board website)
Facts checked against: aqa.org.uk, aqa.org.uk.
More packs
Exam facts (paper names, times, marks, weightings, tiers, codes) are taken from each exam board's own specification pages and summarised in our own words; no specification text, papers or mark schemes are reproduced. Exam details checked against the board's specification on 2026-10-20. Always check the current specification on the board's website.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (Ofqual and DfE pages on GOV.UK). Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department for Education, Ofqual, JCQ, AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR or WJEC Eduqas.
Questions teachers ask
How long are the AQA GCSE Computer Science exams?
Paper 1: 2 h; Paper 2: 1 h 45 min.