When your child is working through a UK-style school (especially abroad) under the British curriculum, one of the biggest sources of confusion for parents is where to get the official documents, the syllabus, past papers, mark schemes  and what they all mean.

The good news: the AQA website has everything you need. This guide will walk you through in 5-10 minutes.

Why This Matters

• Knowing the syllabus (specification) means you can see exactly what your child is expected to study, and how the subject is structured.
• Reviewing past papers and the mark schemes shows you how students are asked questions and how they are graded.
• When you, as a parent, understand the system, you’re better placed to help your child and talk with teachers, not just worry or guess.
• Tools like InstantTutor become even more valuable when you match what the app shows with the official syllabus and past-paper patterns.

Step 1: Go to the AQA Homepage

Open a web browser and go to: https://www.aqa.org.uk/
You’ll see the main menu and a clear “Find past papers” link, among other things. AQA+2AQA+2

Step 2: Navigate to Your Child’s Qualification Type

At the top or menu of the site, find “Qualifications” (or similar).

• Click on “Qualifications”.
• You’ll see different types: A-level, AS, GCSE/Level 2, etc.
• Choose the correct type for your child’s subject (for example, if they’re in Year 10–11 for GCSE, choose GCSE). This step narrows down to the correct subject list.

Step 3: Select the Subject

Once you’re in the correct qualification type:

• Scroll or browse until you find the subject (for example “Mathematics”, “Biology”, “English Literature”).
• Click on the subject name. You’ll arrive at the subject’s main page, which contains the syllabus (“Specification”) link, assessment resources (past papers etc.), support materials and more.

Step 4: Find the Specification (Syllabus)

On the subject page, look down the menu (often along the left-hand side) for a link labelled “Specification” or “Subject overview”.

• Click it and download the PDF or document.
• This document tells you exactly what topics your child should cover, how many exams there are, what each paper asks for (e.g., AO1, AO2, etc.).
  Tip for parents: Copy parts of the specification into a tool like ChatGPT to ask questions if any terminology is unclear (for example: “What is AO2 in Geography?”).
• This method matches the advice many experienced parents use.

Step 5: Download Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Still on the subject page, look for “Assessment resources”, “Past papers & mark schemes”, or a similar label. On AQA you might directly use their dedicated “Find past papers and mark schemes” area. AQA+1 Here’s what to do:

• Download one or two Question Papers (the actual exam).
• Download the corresponding Mark Scheme (how the examiner awards marks for each question).
• Match paper and mark scheme by number/year to ensure you have the correct pair.
• Open both documents and work with your child: do a past paper question, then use the mark scheme to compare how the answer should be structured and what marks are awarded for. This process helps you understand how exams are structured and what students must do to perform well.

Step 6: Use the Documents to Help Your Child Strategically

Now you have the syllabus + past papers + mark schemes. How to use them effectively:

• Syllabus: tick off topics as your child covers them; keep an eye on topics yet to be addressed.
• Past papers: treat as mock exams or revision checkpoints. Use older papers first, then more recent ones.
• Mark schemes: help your child understand what examiners expect — how answers are structured, what language they use, how many marks each part is worth.
• InstantTutor: use the app to track which topics your child asks help with repeatedly. Cross-check those topics with the syllabus to see if they correspond to high-value sections. Then use past paper questions from that topic to practise. This alignment teaches your child not just what to study but how to study it.

Step 7: Stay Updated

Exam boards like AQA sometimes update specifications or change exam formats. On the subject page check for a section labelled “Last exams / First teaching” or “Important documents”. 

If your child’s school uses an older teaching version, make sure you’re using the correct document set. Keeping track of updates ensures you’re working with the right version and avoids using, for example, papers that are no longer aligned to the current syllabus.

Common Mistakes Parents Make (And How To Avoid Them)

• Mistake: Downloading old papers from the wrong qualification type (e.g., using “AS” instead of “A-level”)
  • Fix: Always check the qualification level (GCSE vs A-level) and the year.
• Mistake: Using past papers but not the mark scheme, so you don’t know how marks were awarded.
  • Fix: Always download question paper + mark scheme together.
• Mistake: Treating papers as “homework tasks” rather than timed exam practice.
  • Fix: Ask your child to complete the paper under timed conditions (or section of it) and then review together.
• Mistake: Fixating only on content rather than how the paper asks questions (format, command words, structure).
  • Fix: Use mark schemes to talk about how examiners expect answers, not just what.

Why This Strategy Adds Real Value for Your Child

When you, as a parent, understand how the exam board (AQA) works:

• You’ll feel confident talking to teachers and guiding your child.
• You’ll help your child shift from “studying hard” to “studying smart” (i.e., aligning revision with exam demands).
• You’ll reduce last-minute panic and misplaced effort because you can catch weak topics early.
• Your use of InstantTutor becomes more purposeful because you’ll know which topics to ask about, which types of questions to select, and which papers to simulate.

In short: you’ll be navigating the system, not being overwhelmed by it.

Final Thought

Visiting the AQA website might feel like stepping into a maze but with this guide, it becomes a clear path. As a parent, once you’ve found the specification, the past papers and mark schemes, you’ll have three of the most powerful tools your child needs: what to study, how to practise, and how they will be graded.

Together with your child, and using InstantTutor to track “what they actually ask for help with,” you’re creating a learning system that works not just for the syllabus, but for success.