Specifications that use this resource:

Switching to AQA: from Eduqas

Compare our GCSE English Language (8700) to Eduqas.

Although the specifications are different, the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofqual state that they both need to include the following:

  • NEA in the form of a spoken language endorsement, with the same task
    and marking criteria
  • unseen non-fiction and prose fiction texts
  • unseen texts from the 19th, 20th and 21st Century
  • an assessment of critical reading and comprehension
  • an assessment of summary and synthesis skills
  • an equal weighting on the student skills in SPAG
  • a comparison of unseen texts
  • an assessment of writing for impact, purpose and audience.

Key similarities

  • The reading questions focus on one assessment objective at a time.
  • Students are required to respond to one 19th, one 20th and one 21st Century unseen text.
  • Assessments are themed around non-fiction and prose fiction reading and writing.
  • Each question paper has 80 marks.
  • Comparison is assessed on one paper.

Key differences

  • The AQA Papers are equally weighted, putting less pressure on students to do better in one than the other.
  • Eduqas’ two papers are split 60%/40% and have a greater emphasis on persuasive/ instructional writing.
  • AQA’s Paper 1 and 2 are 1 hr 45 mins. Eduqas’ Paper 1 is 1 hr 45, Paper 2 is 2 hrs.
  • The AQA creative writing tasks have a choice of a visual or written prompts. Eduqas only use written prompts.

Assessment comparison

Paper 1

AQA

Eduqas

1hr 45 mins

1hr 45mins

80 marks

80 marks

50% of GCSE

40% of GCSE

Section A

AQA

Eduqas

Four questions on an unseen 20th or 21st Century prose fiction text.

Each question assesses one Assessment Objective.

Five questions on an unseen 20th Century prose fiction text.

Each question assesses one Assessment Objective.

Section B

AQA

Eduqas

One extended writing task from a choice of two creative tasks. Each task has a visual or written prompt and is linked to the topic of the text in Section A.

One extended writing task from a choice of four creative tasks. Each task has a written prompt.

Paper 2

AQA

Eduqas

1hr 45 mins

2hrs

80 marks

80 marks

50% of GCSE

60% of GCSE

Section A

AQA

Eduqas

Four questions on two unseen non-fiction texts, one from the 19th Century and a second from either the 20th or 21st Century.


Each question assesses one Assessment Objective. 

Six questions, some with multiple parts, on two unseen non-fiction texts. One from the 19th Century and one from the 21st Century.

Each question assesses one Assessment Objective.

Section B

AQA

Eduqas

One extended writing task inviting students to share a perspective on a theme linked to the texts in Section A.

Two extended transactional, persuasive and/or discursive writing tasks.