GCSE exam boards, explained
5 min read · updated 2026-09-01
England's GCSEs are run by competing exam boards: AQA, Edexcel and OCR are the biggest. The content is nationally regulated, but question style, paper structure and grade boundaries differ, which is why board-specific practice matters.
Who they are
AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance), Edexcel (run by Pearson) and OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA) are the three boards most schools use for GCSEs. Schools pick a board per subject, so a child might sit Edexcel maths, AQA English and OCR science in the same year.
How they differ in practice
The required knowledge is broadly the same, but question phrasing, paper structure, timing and the mix of multiple-choice versus long-form differ. Grade boundaries are also set independently by each board after each series. A student drilled on Edexcel papers walks into an OCR paper with a real disadvantage.
How to find your child's board
Ask the school or your child's teacher: each subject department will name its board. Then download that board's specification and past papers from its website (all three publish them free). Every EagleTeach session follows the child's own board and specification.
FAQs
Is one exam board easier than another?＋
Boards are regulated to the same standard, so difficulty is comparable. 'Easier' usually means a better fit with how your child is taught, which the school has already chosen.
Can we switch exam boards as a private candidate?＋
Private candidates can enter with a board that suits them, but they must sit exams at an accepting exam centre. Resit students often do exactly this.
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