Welcome to our Autumn 2025 newsletter

We hope the new term has started well for you all after a good summer break. After a joint effort between us here at AQA and the British Philosophical Association (BPA), we're delighted that on A-level results day this year, the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has listed Philosophy as a separate subject on the national results tables, rather than being aggregated with ‘all other subjects.’ A great boost for the visibility of Philosophy to a range of educators, policymakers and universities who we know use these data sets.

We’re looking forward to working with you over the year ahead and receiving the Government’s Curriculum and Assessment review when it’s published. In this email you’ll find all the information to get you started this term.

If any members of your team would like to receive subject-specific updates, they can easily sign up for AQA subject updates, so they’re always informed and part of our community.

Esther Zarifi
Subject Lead – Religious Studies and Philosophy

Sign up to myAQA to get quick access to resources, CPD training and events, Data Insights (our results analysis tool) and much more this autumn term. Make sure you’ve filled in your myAQA profile including your role and subject specialism so we can instantly start connecting you with the tools, training and resources most relevant to you.

• There are plenty of Philosophy training opportunities this term, both live and on demand.
• Join us for live events on Mark Scheme Guidance and Preparing for 2026
• New colleagues in the dept, or in need of a refresher? Check out our Getting Started and Marking Guidance e-learning module.

Keep an eye out for more training events being announced this term.

Find everything you need on myAQA

• Are you looking for set texts? We’ve got all the links you need in our Resource list. Make sure you’ve also downloaded our Subject Vocab lists – there’s a document for each unit that is ready to use in your planning and with your students.
• Data Insights on Centre Services – see how your school, subject, class and individual students have performed and dig deeper into your students’ results.
• Find summer 2025 question papers, mark schemes, and examiners’ reports, all in one place on Centre Services. See what is available and when.
• You can find each of the grade boundaries on our website and the overall results statistics with cumulative pass rates for the whole AQA cohort.

Curriculum Connect: Exploring summer 2025

Join us for this event where we’ll share high-level insights into the data from the summer series, key findings from the examiners reports and areas for improvement to support student progress.

Book your slot on the A-level Philosophy Curriculum Connect: Exploring Summer 2025 session now! 

Our community links

The Association of Philosophy Teachers has recently published a suite of resources designed around the four A-level units. Could you help? They are also looking to build the library further, so get in touch with them if you’d like to contribute Resources@associationphilosophyteachers.org

mySupport

• We’re delighted to introduce our ‘Free at 3’ appointments. If there’s something you’d like to discuss, we’d love to hear from you. Available to drop-in between 3.00 and 4.00 pm, find a date that suits by using the Free@3 link to book your slot in mySupport.
• Log into myAQA for post-results services to find information and deadlines and easy summary guide.

The use of AI within assessments

JCQ’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use in Assessments: Protecting the Integrity of Qualifications document provides teachers/assessors involved in delivering JCQ qualifications with the information they need to manage use of AI in assessments. All relevant staff need to be aware of and familiarise themselves with the new guidance and instructions. If AI misuse is detected or suspected by your school or college, and the declaration of authentication has been signed, the case must be reported.

Remember, if you have any learners who use a word processor, it must have all internet connectivity disabled. This is to help prevent, among other things, the potential misuse of AI in exams.

Using AQA resources for AI tools

AQA does not allow anybody (including schools and colleges) to use any AQA materials to train Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered tools or technologies. This includes question papers, specifications, mark schemes, reports, teaching resources and other such materials. While we understand how useful these tools are, putting any AQA material into an AI tool would be in breach of copyright law, and AQA policy.

Contact our team

Help is never more than a click away. If you have a question, we’ve got the answer.

Email philosophy@aqa.org.uk

Call us on 01483 477 822, 8.00am – 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.