AS and A-level Languages: September 2025 updates

Welcome to our Autumn 2025 newsletter

Welcome back! We hope you’ve had a restful summer break and that the new academic year is off to a good start.

Over the past year, we’ve had the pleasure of visiting many AQA schools and colleges, attending events across the country and engaging in meaningful conversations with teachers. These interactions have helped us better understand how we can support you and your students – and we’re excited to build on that.

Thanks to the valuable feedback you shared, we’ve developed a fresh programme of CPD opportunities designed to help you feel confident and well-prepared for the summer 2026 exams. We’re kicking things off with our Curriculum Connect sessions, where we’ll reflect on the 2025 exam series and offer practical advice for teachers, along with guidance to share with students ahead of the 2026 assessments. You’ll find more information on how to book in this email.

We’re looking forward to seeing you at various training events this term and receiving the Government’s Curriculum and Assessment review when it’s published. In this email you’ll find all the information you need 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.

Wishing you a fantastic autumn term!

Chloe Burrows
Subject Support Manager for Languages

my AQA

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.

Once you’re logged into your myAQA account, you can also access Centre Services.

myTraining

Our A-level Paper 1 and 2 Preparing for 2026 events are now available to book on our Professional Development web page. In these free sessions, we’ll delve deeper into the examiner reports for 2026 as well as reviewing some student work from the 2025 exam series. Not to be missed!

You can also take a look at our eLearning modules for A-level French, German and Spanish – focussing on conducting speaking tests successfully – a must for anyone conducting Speaking exams next summer.

myResources

Find everything you need on myAQA

Make sure you’ve got the materials and guidance to create engaging and effective learning experiences. Whether it’s schemes of work, community links or teaching guides, we’ve got what you need.

• Take a look at our new A-level NEA guide available on our website, supporting you with all aspects of the Independent Research Project for AQA A-level Languages.
• 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.

myNetwork

The A-level Curriculum Connects for Autumn 2025 are available to book now on our website – in these free online sessions we’ll be reflecting on the summer 2025 series and helping you and your students to prepare for the 2026 exams.

If you can’t join us live, don’t worry! A recording of the session will be available on-demand for you to watch at a time that suits you.

Our community links

We’re pleased to announce that we’ll be a main sponsor at the 2026 ALL Language World Conference! As keen attendees at the conference each year, we love getting together with languages teachers and sharing great ideas, so we can’t wait to be part of the action again this year. You can find more information on the conference on the Language World 2026 webpage.

mySupport

Free@3

This term we’re delighted to introduce ‘Free@3’ as a new easy way for you to connect online with your Subject Support team. If you've questions about our exams, specifications and resources, or just want to know more about our excellent CPD opportunities, use our booking link to secure your Free@3 slot!

Post-results

Log into myAQA for post-results services to find information and deadlines and an easy summary guide.

AQA A-level Independent Research Project (IRP) advisers

Our NEA IRP adviser service is free and allows you to consult your NEA adviser on proposed topics and titles for the Individual Research Project (IRP), using the IRP approval form on the website, up to the beginning of the speaking test window.

Please note that Advisers cannot communicate with schools and colleges during the test window.

Their details may have changed from last year – so you can find them on Centre Services by going to ‘Pre-exams’ and then clicking on ‘NEA Advisers’. If you do not have an assigned adviser, please contact eos@aqa.org.uk.

Please be aware that contact details are confidential and must not be shared with third parties including students and on social media. Further information about our commitment to data privacy can be found in our privacy notice.

Your AQA Languages Subject Support team

We’re pleased to welcome Rachel Livingstone as a new member of the Languages Subject Support team. Rachel joins us straight from the classroom, bringing a wealth of classroom experience and enthusiasm to her work at AQA. Welcome, Rachel!

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.

Student Advisory Group – recruitment for 2025/26

We’re looking for learners to join our Student Advisory Group to help us make key decisions about the future of exams. We’d love to hear from learners who’ve completed AQA specification GCSEs since 2024, as well as from those taking AQA AS and A-levels. We also really want to hear from students taking our vocational qualifications, or vocational qualifications with any other exam board, as long as they have sat at least one AQA qualification.

Since the Student Advisory group began they’ve; represented the student voice each year at the Parliamentary Youth Reception, shared their views at the Curriculum and Assessment Youth Shadow Panel, fed into our Curriculum and Assessment call for evidence response, given insights on AI in the Classroom at the 2025 Festival of Education, helped with reviewing books for our English literature set texts list, and much more.

So if you know any learners who you think would be interested, please pass this on. Full details of the role and how to apply can be found on our website. Applications open on Monday 8 September and close at 5.00pm on Monday 22 September 2025.

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Contact our team

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

Email mfl@aqa.org.uk

Call us on 01423 534 381 8.00am – 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.