A-Level guide · checked October 2026
A-Level Politics, explained simply
How power works in the UK and the US, and the big political ideas behind it all. This page shows how each board sets the three exams, the marks your child really needs for an A*, A or B, and how to write strong politics essays. Pick your exam board and the page changes to match.
- 3 exams
- 6 hours in total
- No coursework
- Grades A* to E
Exam board
Not sure which board? Ask your child's school, or check the front of a mockA practice exam, usually set by school a few months before the real thing. paper.
The exams at a glance
AQA A-Level Politics (7152). 3 papers, 6 hours of exams and 231 marks in total. Each paper is worth 33% of the grade.
Specification: AQA A-Level Politics (7152)
What's in the exams
The shares are each paper's weight in the final grade. OCR's June 2026 grade boundaries list no A-Level in this subject.
- Government and politics of the UK33%
- Government and politics of the USA, and comparative politics33%
- Political ideas33%
How the grading works
How the grading works
Everyone sits the same papers. The marks are added up and the total decides the grade, from A* down to E. Papers mix shorter "explain" questions with essays. Essays reward a clear argument backed by up-to-date examples from UK and US politics.
The marks you really need for each grade
You do not need 90% for a top grade. Grade boundaries are set after the exams are marked, so a grade stays the same standard even when the papers are harder. These are the real AQA boundaries from June 2026:
Source: AQA, A-level grade boundaries June 2026. Boundaries change slightly every year.
Your target score in practice papers
Sit a full set of past papers under timed conditions every few weeks. Work out the percentage for each set, ignore your single worst result (everyone has an off day) and average the rest. Aim for:
83%
to secure a grade A*
71%
to secure a grade A
60%
to secure a grade B
We add 5 percentage points to last year's boundary, because boundaries move a little each year and exam nerves cost marks.
Past paper mock builder
Pick an exam series and we'll set out the full AQA mock: which papers to sit, how long to allow and where to download them. Then type in your marks to see the grade they would have earned.
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Paper 1, June 2026 · Government and politics of the UK · 2 hours
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Paper 2, June 2026 · Government and politics of the USA and comparative politics · 2 hours
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Paper 3, June 2026 · Political ideas · 2 hours
Download the papers and mark schemes: AQA official past papers or Save My Exams past papers. Exam boards keep the most recent series for schools only for a while, so if the newest one isn't there, take the one before.
Enter your marks for each paper to see the grade they would have earned.
What Politics is really about
Where the word comes from
"Politics" comes from the Greek politika, "the affairs of the city", from polis, "city". Aristotle's book Politics, written in Athens around 350 BC, gave the subject its name.
Where it comes from
Britain's system grew over centuries, from Magna Carta, sealed at Runnymede in 1215, to the Bill of Rights in 1689 that limited the monarch's power. Westminster is studied worldwide as a model of parliamentary government, and A-Level students compare it with the US constitution written in Philadelphia in 1787.
Why it's still taught
Politics helps students understand the news and argue persuasively with evidence. It is valued for law, politics, history and international relations degrees, and leads to careers in law, journalism, the civil service, campaigning and government.
How to do well in A-Level Politics
Follow current events
Recent examples are essential for top marks. Read or watch reputable news every week.
Learn key cases and examples
Supreme Court cases, elections and laws make essays specific and convincing.
Know the thinkers
For political ideas, learn what key thinkers such as Locke, Marx and Wollstonecraft argued.
Plan essays with a clear line
Decide your argument before you start and keep coming back to it.
Compare UK and US directly
Comparative questions reward direct, point-by-point comparison rather than two separate descriptions.
Practise timed essays
Politics papers are essay-heavy. Practise writing to time with a clear structure.
The three best places to revise
Our teachers' picks. We have no connection with these sites.
UK Parliament Education
Free resources from Parliament itself on how laws are made and how government works.
Politics Review
A-Level politics articles and examples; some free, full access often through schools.
Tutor2u Politics
Free revision notes and essay guidance for AQA and Edexcel.
Questions parents ask
Not sure where your child stands?
Our free 45-minute assessment often uses a real past paperA real exam from a previous year, used for practice., so you'll know their likely grade and exactly what to work on. Lessons online across the UK, or at our seven London hubs.