AQA Chemistry Paper 1 and Paper 2: GCSE dates, marks and how to revise

Key takeaways

• →AQA GCSE Chemistry (8462) has two papers. Each lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, carries 100 marks and counts for 50% of the GCSE. Paper 1 covers topics 1 to 5 and Paper 2 covers topics 6 to 10.
• →In 2027, Paper 1 is on Monday 17 May and Paper 2 on Tuesday 15 June, both in the morning.
• →Students are supplied with a periodic table. AQA’s list of 2027 exam sheets, such as the Physics Equations Sheet, does not include GCSE Chemistry.
• →Questions on the required practicals count for at least 15% of the marks, so learn all eight practicals, and practise with AQA’s past papers and mark schemes.

1. The two papers at a glance

AQA GCSE Chemistry (8462) is assessed by two written papers. Paper 1 covers topics 1 to 5. Paper 2 covers topics 6 to 10.^[1]

The papers are the same size. Each lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, is worth 100 marks and counts for 50% of the GCSE.^[1]

Added together, that makes 200 marks. AQA calls this the total scaled mark, and it sets the grade boundaries against it.^[2]

Combined Science: Trilogy (8464) is a separate qualification with its own chemistry papers. Each is 70 marks and 1 hour 15 minutes, and counts for 16.7% of that GCSE.^[3]

2. What each paper covers

AQA’s full specification numbers the topics as sections 4.1 to 4.10, so topic 1 is section 4.1.^[4]

Paper 1 covers atomic structure and the periodic table (topic 1), bonding, structure and the properties of matter (2), quantitative chemistry (3), chemical changes (4) and energy changes (5). Quantitative chemistry is the topic on calculating amounts of chemicals.^[1]

Paper 2 covers the rate and extent of chemical change (topic 6), organic chemistry (7), chemical analysis (8), chemistry of the atmosphere (9) and using resources (10).^[1]

AQA says Paper 2 questions may draw on fundamental concepts and principles from sections 4.1 to 4.3: atomic structure, bonding and quantitative chemistry. So keep revising them.^[1]

3. Foundation and Higher tiers

Both papers are set at the Foundation and Higher tiers, with the same length and marks.^[1]

Students are entered for Foundation (entry code 8462F) or Higher (8462H). Ask your child’s teacher which tier suits them.^[5]

Foundation covers grades 1 to 5. Higher covers grades 4 to 9, so grades 4 and 5 can be reached on either tier.^[5]

A Higher student who just misses a grade 4 is given an allowed grade 3. Below that, the result is U, which means unclassified.^[5]

4. What the questions are like

AQA says both papers use four types of question: multiple choice, structured, closed short answer and open response.^[1]

The longer questions need extended answers. AQA says these can be written prose, extended calculations, or a mix of both.^[2]

Marks go to three skills. About 40% reward knowing and understanding science, about 40% reward applying it, and about 20% reward analysing information, such as interpreting data.^[2]

Required practicals are tested in the exam. AQA lists eight that every student must carry out. They cover making a salt, titration, electrolysis, temperature changes, rates of reaction, chromatography, tests for ions, and analysing and purifying water.^[6]

AQA says exam questions on these practicals count for at least 15% of the overall marks.^[6]

AQA’s specification also says working scientifically skills, such as using apparatus and techniques, are assessed across all papers.^[7]

A calculator is expected. AQA’s June 2023 Paper 1 Higher paper lists a ruler and a scientific calculator on its cover, and tells students to show clearly how they work out calculations.^[8]

5. The periodic table and equations

AQA’s specification says students will be supplied with a periodic table for the exam.^[7]

The cover of AQA’s June 2023 Paper 1 Higher paper lists the periodic table as enclosed with the paper.^[8]

Practise with our GCSE periodic table page, so finding an element feels quick on the day.

Chemistry is different from physics here. AQA’s news page of 1 September 2026 lists the exam sheets for 2027: Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Combined Science: Trilogy and Synergy. GCSE Chemistry (8462) is not on the list.^[9]

AQA’s specification says students should be able to write formulae and balanced chemical equations for the reactions it covers.^[7]

6. When the papers are in 2027

AQA’s 2027 GCSE timetable puts Paper 1 on Monday 17 May 2027 and Paper 2 on Tuesday 15 June 2027. Both are morning papers, for Foundation and Higher.^[10]

AQA’s Chemistry key dates page lists the same two days, under the June 2027 series.^[11]

The timetable also names Wednesday 23 June 2027 as the contingency day, a day set aside in case exams are disrupted.^[10]

7. What changes in summer 2027

AQA says that from summer 2027 its question papers, in all subjects except modern foreign languages, will use fewer question formats and more consistent layouts. All multiple-choice questions will use one tick-box format, and circling words will be dropped.^[12]

AQA’s page does not name Chemistry. It says updated sample papers for some subjects will be on Centre Services later in autumn 2026, so ask your child’s teacher.^[12]

8. How to revise for each paper

Use AQA’s topic list as a checklist. Mark each topic red, amber or green, then spend most of your time on the red ones.

For Paper 1, practise quantitative chemistry questions every week. AQA says Paper 2 may draw on them too.^[1]

For Paper 2, link each topic back to Paper 1 ideas, such as bonding and atomic structure.

Learn the eight required practicals one by one. For each, write a one-page summary of the method, the apparatus, the variables and what the results show.

Each paper has 100 marks in 105 minutes, which is a little over a minute a mark.^[1]

Our GCSE Chemistry guide covers the whole course and how to revise it.

9. Past papers, six-mark questions and grade boundaries

AQA’s past papers page covers past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports. AQA says most are available on its website for a period of three years.^[13]

Teachers can get the newest papers and mark schemes early through Centre Services, so ask your child’s teacher for them.^[13]

Sit a whole paper to time, mark it with the mark scheme, and list the topics that lost the most marks. Then practise those before the next paper.

For calculations, AQA’s June 2023 Paper 2 Foundation mark scheme awards marks for each stage completed correctly, because students are told to show their working.^[15]

Extended response questions are marked by level of response, with two marks in each level. A six-mark question has three levels: Level 1 is 1 to 2 marks, Level 2 is 3 to 4 and Level 3 is 5 to 6.^[15]

Our six-mark questions lesson, “How to answer six-mark questions”, shows a simple plan, write and check method.

AQA publishes grade boundaries at 8.00am on results days. A boundary is the minimum number of marks needed for each grade.^[14]

For GCSE Chemistry, AQA sets them using the total scaled mark out of 200, so you need both papers to know the grade. It sets them after marking, allowing for how hard the papers were, so they can change each year.^[14]

You can also check our grade boundaries page.

Show every step: Write each step of a calculation, even when you are sure of the answer. AQA’s mark scheme gives marks for each stage done correctly.

10. How Brainhub can help

Our GCSE students typically improve by 2 grades over 12 weeks of weekly lessons (Brainhub student records, 2021–2026). That figure is our own data, not independent research.

We teach one-to-one, live online across the UK, with online GCSE lessons from £30 an hour. Every family starts with a free 45-minute assessment, so we can see whether the calculations, the required practicals or the longer written answers need the most work first.

1. 1. How long is each AQA GCSE Chemistry paper, and how many marks is it worth?

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2. 2. When are AQA Chemistry Paper 1 and Paper 2 in 2027?

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3. 3. Which topics are in Paper 1 and which are in Paper 2?

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Your next steps

• Print an AQA past Chemistry Paper 1 and its mark scheme, and sit it in 1 hour 45 minutes with a calculator and the periodic table.
• Mark it against the mark scheme and list the topics that lost the most marks.
• Book a free 45-minute assessment to see which topics and skills to work on first.

Subject guides to go with this

Want one-to-one help? See how our online lessons work.