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GCSE guide · checked October 2026

GCSE Computer Science, explained simply

Two exams: one on programming and problem solving, one on how computers, networks and data work. This page shows exactly how each board sets the papers, the marks your child really needs for each grade, and how to practise coding. Pick your exam board and the page changes to match.

  • 2 exams
  • Programming and theory
  • No coursework
  • Grades 9 to 1

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 GCSE Computer Science (8525). 2 papers, 3 hours 45 minutes of exams and 180 marks in total. Each paper is worth 50% of the grade.

PaperNotesTimeMarks
Paper 1Computational thinking and programming2 hours90 (50%)
Paper 2Computing concepts1 hour 45 minutes90 (50%)

Specification: AQA GCSE Computer Science (8525)

What's in the exams

Every board splits the course into a programming paper and a theory paper, each worth half the grade.

  • Paper 1: computational thinking and programming50%
  • Paper 2: computing concepts, including SQL50%

How the grading works

How the grading works

Everyone sits the same papers: there is no Foundation or Higher. Programming skills are tested in the exams, not by coursework, though students must be given time to complete programming tasks in class. Edexcel's second paper is taken on a computer, writing real Python code. Marks from both papers are added up to decide the grade.

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:

GradeMarks neededAs a percentageChart
9160 out of 18088.9%
8148 out of 18082.2%
7136 out of 18075.6%
6114 out of 18063.3%
593 out of 18051.7%
472 out of 18040%
354 out of 18030%
237 out of 18020.6%
120 out of 18011.1%

Source: AQA, GCSE grade boundaries June 2026 (same for all three language options). 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:

94%

to secure a grade 9

81%

to secure a grade 7

57%

to secure a grade 5

45%

to secure a grade 4

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.

  1. Paper 1, June 2026 · Computational thinking and programming · 2 hours

  2. Paper 2, June 2026 · Computing concepts · 1 hour 45 minutes

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 Computer Science is really about

Where the word comes from

"Computer" first meant a person who computes, from the Latin computare, "to count up". It was used for people doing calculations by hand for centuries before machines took over the name.

Where it comes from

In London in the 1830s Charles Babbage designed the Analytical Engine, a mechanical computer, and Ada Lovelace wrote what is often called the first computer program for it. A century later Alan Turing's ideas, and his codebreaking work at Bletchley Park, helped lay the foundations of modern computing.

Why it's still taught

Computer Science teaches logical problem solving and how the technology around us works, from phones to the internet. It leads to A-Level Computer Science and on to software engineering, data science, cyber security and many other careers.

How to do well in GCSE Computer Science

Code a little every day

Programming is a practical skill. Short regular practice, even 20 minutes, beats long occasional sessions.

Trace code by hand

Exams ask students to follow code and predict outputs. Practise with trace tables on paper.

Learn the standard algorithms

Searching and sorting algorithms such as binary search and bubble sort appear every year. Know how each works step by step.

Know your board's pseudocode

Each board has its own way of writing pseudocode or reference language in the exam. Practise reading and writing it.

Learn the theory as definitions

Topics such as networks, storage and binary have precise definitions that earn marks. Flashcards work well.

Practise binary and hexadecimal

Number conversions are quick, reliable marks once practised.

The three best places to revise

Our teachers' picks. We have no connection with these sites.

Craig'n'Dave

Free video lessons covering each board's specification, popular in schools.

Isaac Computer Science

Free GCSE and A-Level lessons and questions from the National Centre for Computing Education.

BBC Bitesize

Free revision notes and tests organised by exam board.

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.

Sources