Exam Board Specifications for GCSE and A-Level
The specification is your roadmap to exam success. It tells you exactly what topics you need to know, what assessment objectives examiners are looking for, and how each paper is structured.
AQA Specifications
AQA is the UK's largest exam board. Their specifications are comprehensive and well-structured, with clear assessment objectives and detailed content guidance. Use the links below to find your subject specification.
Edexcel (Pearson) Specifications
Edexcel specifications are detailed and include clear content guidance, assessment objectives, and sample papers. They also offer "specification at a glance" summaries for quick reference.
OCR Specifications
OCR provides clear specifications with detailed content guidance. Their Computer Science specifications are particularly popular and well-structured.
WJEC / Eduqas Specifications
WJEC (for Wales) and Eduqas (for England) provide comprehensive specifications. Note that Eduqas is WJEC's brand for England qualifications - the content is similar but specifications may differ slightly.
How to Use Specifications for Revision
Create a topic checklist from the specification
The specification lists every topic you need to know. Turn this into a checklist. As you revise each topic, tick it off. This prevents you from missing entire topics and gives you a clear view of your progress. Some students even print the specification and annotate it with RAG (Red/Amber/Green) ratings for each topic.
Understand assessment objectives (AO1, AO2, AO3)
Assessment objectives explain what examiners are testing. AO1 typically tests knowledge recall. AO2 tests application and analysis. AO3 tests evaluation and judgement. The specification tells you the weighting of each AO - use this to focus your revision. If AO2 is 50% of the marks, you need to practice applying your knowledge, not just memorising it.
Check which topics are examined on which paper
Most subjects have multiple papers (Paper 1, Paper 2, etc.). The specification shows which topics appear on which paper. This helps you target your revision as exam dates approach. For example, if Paper 1 covers topics A-D and Paper 2 covers E-H, you can focus on A-D first if Paper 1 is earlier.
Use the specification to identify gaps in your knowledge
Read through the specification for a topic you think you know. If anything is unfamiliar or unclear, that's a gap. The specification uses very precise language - if the spec says "explain the effects of," then you need to be able to explain effects, not just state facts. Use the specification to test yourself: can you genuinely cover everything listed?
Cross-reference with past paper mark schemes
After completing a past paper, compare the mark scheme wording to the specification. You'll notice that mark schemes often use the same key terms as the specification. This helps you understand what language and depth examiners expect. If the specification says "analyse," then mark schemes reward analysis - not just description.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an exam specification? +
Where can I download specifications for free? +
Do specifications change every year? +
What is the difference between a specification and a syllabus? +
More Exam Resources
Revise every topic in the specification with UpGrades
Once you have your specification, use UpGrades to systematically work through every topic with adaptive practice questions. Our platform aligns with all major exam board specifications.
Start revising