GCSE
COMPUTER SCIENCE
8525/1A, 8525/1B, 8525/1C
Paper 1 Computational thinking and programming skills
Mark scheme
June 2025
Version: 1.0 Final
for more:
tyrionpapers.com
, MARK SCHEME – GCSE COMPUTER SCIENCE – 8525/1 – JUNE
2025
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with
the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any
amendments made at the standardisation events which all associates participate in and is
the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process
ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every
associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts.
Alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated
for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which
have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further
developed and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper.
Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be
avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change,
depending on the content of a particular examination paper.
This mark scheme contains the correct responses which we believe that candidates are
most likely to give. Other valid responses are possible to some questions and should be
credited. Examiners should refer responses that are not covered by the mark scheme, but
which they deem creditworthy, to a Team Leader.
No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they
refer to the gender identity of others in their exam responses.
A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be
credited in exam responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria.
Further copies of this mark scheme are available from aqa.org.uk
Copyright information
AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this
booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any
material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre.
Copyright © 2025 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
for more:
tyrionpapers.com
, MARK SCHEME – GCSE COMPUTER SCIENCE – 8525/1 – JUNE
2025
2
for more:
tyrionpapers.com
, MARK SCHEME – GCSE COMPUTER SCIENCE – 8525/1 – JUNE
2025
The following annotation is used in the mark scheme:
; - means a single mark
// - means alternative response
/ - means an alternative word or sub-phrase
A - means acceptable creditworthy answer. Also used to denote a valid answer that
goes beyond the expectations of the GCSE syllabus.
R - means reject answer as not creditworthy
NE - means not enough
I - means ignore
DPT - in some questions a specific error made by a candidate, if repeated, could result in
the candidate failing to gain more than one mark. The DPT label indicates that this
mistake should only result in a candidate losing one mark on the first occasion that
the error is made. Provided that the answer remains understandable, subsequent
marks should be awarded as if the error was not being repeated.
Note to Examiners
In the real world minor syntax errors are often identified and flagged by the development
environment. To reflect this, all responses in a high-level programming language will
assess a candidate’s ability to create an answer using precise programming
commands/instructions but will avoid penalising them for minor errors in syntax.
When marking program code, examiners must take account of the different rules between
the languages and only consider how the syntax affects the logic flow of the program. If
the syntax is not perfect but the logic flow is unaffected then the response should not be
penalised.
The case of all program code written by students is to be ignored for the purposes of
marking. This is because it is not always clear which case has been used depending on the
style and quality of handwriting used.
Examiners must ensure they follow the mark scheme instructions exactly. If an examiner is
unsure as to whether a given response is worthy of the marks they must escalate the question
to their team leader.
for more:
tyrionpapers.com
COMPUTER SCIENCE
8525/1A, 8525/1B, 8525/1C
Paper 1 Computational thinking and programming skills
Mark scheme
June 2025
Version: 1.0 Final
for more:
tyrionpapers.com
, MARK SCHEME – GCSE COMPUTER SCIENCE – 8525/1 – JUNE
2025
Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with
the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any
amendments made at the standardisation events which all associates participate in and is
the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process
ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every
associate understands and applies it in the same correct way.
As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts.
Alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated
for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which
have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Examiner.
It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further
developed and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper.
Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be
avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change,
depending on the content of a particular examination paper.
This mark scheme contains the correct responses which we believe that candidates are
most likely to give. Other valid responses are possible to some questions and should be
credited. Examiners should refer responses that are not covered by the mark scheme, but
which they deem creditworthy, to a Team Leader.
No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they
refer to the gender identity of others in their exam responses.
A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be
credited in exam responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria.
Further copies of this mark scheme are available from aqa.org.uk
Copyright information
AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this
booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any
material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre.
Copyright © 2025 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
for more:
tyrionpapers.com
, MARK SCHEME – GCSE COMPUTER SCIENCE – 8525/1 – JUNE
2025
2
for more:
tyrionpapers.com
, MARK SCHEME – GCSE COMPUTER SCIENCE – 8525/1 – JUNE
2025
The following annotation is used in the mark scheme:
; - means a single mark
// - means alternative response
/ - means an alternative word or sub-phrase
A - means acceptable creditworthy answer. Also used to denote a valid answer that
goes beyond the expectations of the GCSE syllabus.
R - means reject answer as not creditworthy
NE - means not enough
I - means ignore
DPT - in some questions a specific error made by a candidate, if repeated, could result in
the candidate failing to gain more than one mark. The DPT label indicates that this
mistake should only result in a candidate losing one mark on the first occasion that
the error is made. Provided that the answer remains understandable, subsequent
marks should be awarded as if the error was not being repeated.
Note to Examiners
In the real world minor syntax errors are often identified and flagged by the development
environment. To reflect this, all responses in a high-level programming language will
assess a candidate’s ability to create an answer using precise programming
commands/instructions but will avoid penalising them for minor errors in syntax.
When marking program code, examiners must take account of the different rules between
the languages and only consider how the syntax affects the logic flow of the program. If
the syntax is not perfect but the logic flow is unaffected then the response should not be
penalised.
The case of all program code written by students is to be ignored for the purposes of
marking. This is because it is not always clear which case has been used depending on the
style and quality of handwriting used.
Examiners must ensure they follow the mark scheme instructions exactly. If an examiner is
unsure as to whether a given response is worthy of the marks they must escalate the question
to their team leader.
for more:
tyrionpapers.com
