GCSE Maths
Revision
for
AQA Foundation
AQA Foundation covers grades 1 to 5 across three 80-mark papers. Past papers show which topics stand between you and a grade 4 or 5.
Your exam at a glance
How to Improve with AQA Past Papers
The four-step revision loop. Turn mistakes into marks.
Do a paper
Begin with the latest AQA Foundation series. Paper 1 is the non-calculator one.
Mark it
Use the AQA mark scheme to see which method marks you missed on each question.
Fix weak topics
Choose the two or three topics losing you the most marks towards a grade 4 or 5.
Test again
Try the next set of three papers and see if those marks have come back.
AQA Foundation Past Papers
Past papers are the fastest way to see where the marks are going.
AQA Foundation Grade Boundaries
See recent grade 4 and 5 boundaries and what marks you usually need.
Grade boundaries by year
June series · /240What your current score usually means
Based on 2023–2025 · out of 240Not yet secure for a recent grade 4
Recent grade 4 boundary zone
Solid 4 territory, building toward 5
Recent grade 5 boundary zone
Strong Foundation performance
Topics Worth the Most Marks
on AQA Foundation
Pick the topic costing you the most marks and start there.
Number
Weak number work means lost marks everywhere else. Lay a strong foundation here.
Learn your times tables up to 15×15. They save time on non-calculator Paper 1.
AQA Foundation GCSE Maths FAQs
Quick answers to the most common revision questions.
Start with one past paper. AQA Foundation covers grades 1 to 5, so a marked paper quickly shows which topics stand between you and a grade 4 or 5.
Number, Ratio, and Algebra together make up around 70% of the exam. Focusing on these three areas gives you the best chance of improving your grade quickly.
Most students see a clear improvement after completing 5 to 8 papers properly. That means timed, marked, and with every mistake reviewed.
Untimed first, so you can learn each method properly. Then move to the real limit of 1 hour 30 minutes for each 80-mark paper.
Only papers from 2017 onwards are useful for full-paper practice, because they match the current GCSE Maths format. Earlier papers are only great for extra practice.
Foundation tier covers grades 1 to 5, 4 is a standard pass and 5 is a strong pass. If you want to achieve grade 6 or higher, you need to sit the Higher tier exam.
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