GCSE Psychology exam boards and topics tutors may cover
GCSE Psychology is not the same course on every board. A useful tutor should start by checking the student’s specification before planning lessons, because paper structure, topic choices and research-methods weighting can differ. The examples below show why board awareness matters; final lesson focus should always match the student’s actual school or exam-centre specification.
- AQA GCSE Psychology is linear and splits content across two written papers worth 50% each.
- Pearson Edexcel GCSE Psychology has two externally examined papers, with Paper 2 including Research methods plus optional topics.
- OCR GCSE Psychology has two compulsory externally assessed components and states explicit research-methods and research-methods maths weightings.
- The right tutor should be able to work from the student’s specification, topic list, mock papers and mark scheme.
- AQA GCSE Psychology 8182
- Two written papers of 1 hour 45 minutes, 100 marks and 50% each. Listed topics include Memory, Perception, Development, Research methods, Social influence, Language, thought and communication, Brain and neuropsychology, and Psychological problems.
- Pearson Edexcel GCSE Psychology 1PS0
- Two externally examined papers: Paper 1 is 1 hour 45 minutes, 98 marks and 55%; Paper 2 is 1 hour 20 minutes, 79 marks and 45%, with Research methods plus two optional topics.
- OCR GCSE Psychology J203
- Two compulsory externally assessed components of 1 hour 30 minutes and 90 marks each. OCR states at least 20% of the overall marks are for Research Methods and at least 10% for mathematics relevant to research methods.
- Foundation or Higher tier?
- The sampled AQA, Pearson Edexcel and OCR GCSE Psychology specifications are not Foundation/Higher-tiered in the same way as some other GCSE subjects, so grade goals are better discussed through topics, exam technique and written-answer quality.