
GCSE Computer Science (8525): first teaching in September 2025
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GCSE Computer Science: specification changes for exams in 2027
We have made updates to the subject content in our Computer Science (8525) specification from first teach in September 2025.
Read about the changes and latest resources we have available here.
Find past papers and mark schemes, and sample papers for new courses, on our website at aqa.org.uk/pastpapers
This specification is designed to be taken over two years.
This is a linear qualification. In order to achieve the award, students must complete all assessments at the end of the course and in the same series.
GCSE exams and certification for this specification are available for the first time in May/June 2027 and then every May/June for the life of the specification.
All materials are available in English only.
Our GCSE exams in Computer Science include questions that allow students to demonstrate their ability to:
Courses based on this specification must encourage students to:
Assessment objectives (AOs) are set by Ofqual and are the same across all GCSE Computer Science specifications and all exam boards.
The exams will measure how students have achieved the following assessment objectives.
Final marks will be calculated by adding together the scaled marks for each component. Grade boundaries will be set using this total scaled mark. The scaling and total scaled marks are shown in the table below.