GCSE Mathematics Syllabus: Edexcel, AQA and OCR Topic Guide

GCSE Mathematics is offered at Foundation and Higher tiers by Pearson Edexcel (1MA1), AQA (8300) and Cambridge OCR (J560). This guide gives students and parents a clear topic checklist. It is an overview for planning revision; use the linked official specifications for exact tier requirements and content references.

Watch: Edexcel, AQA and OCR explained

This 1 minute 15 second video compares the shared GCSE Mathematics content, Foundation and Higher tiers, and the key differences in specification layout and exam papers.

What is actually different between Edexcel, AQA and OCR?

The mathematical content is largely the same. The Department for Education sets the GCSE Mathematics content, and the broad topic weightings are common across boards. The clearest differences for a student are how the boards organise the specification and structure their exam papers.

What this means for revision: Learn the topic for your tier, then use papers from your own board to practise its question wording, paper order, timing and mark scheme. A topic appearing as one heading on Edexcel or AQA may appear across several OCR sections. The number of OCR sections does not mean OCR has twice as much mathematics to learn.

Sources: Edexcel specification, AQA assessment overview and OCR assessment overview.

Topics shared by all three exam boards

Edexcel and AQA organise their specifications into six broad areas. OCR covers the same national GCSE content in twelve teaching sections. The topic names below are a practical revision map across all three boards.

1. Number

• Integers, place value and the four operations
• Order of operations, factors, multiples, primes, HCF and LCM
• Fractions, decimals and percentages; conversion and calculation
• Powers, roots, indices, standard form and exact values
• Rounding, estimation, bounds and accuracy

2. Algebra

• Expressions, substitution, expanding and factorising
• Formulae, equations, inequalities and rearranging
• Sequences and nth terms
• Coordinates and straight-line graphs
• Quadratic and other non-linear graphs; simultaneous equations and functions
• Algebraic proof and more advanced manipulation at Higher tier

3. Ratio, proportion and rates of change

• Ratio notation, sharing and scaling
• Direct and inverse proportion
• Percentages, percentage change and reverse percentages
• Growth and decay, including compound change
• Units and compound measures such as speed and density
• Gradients and rates of change in real contexts

4. Geometry and measures

• Angles, parallel lines, polygons and bearings
• Constructions, loci and scale drawings
• Properties of 2D and 3D shapes
• Perimeter, area, volume and surface area
• Transformations, congruence, similarity and vectors
• Pythagoras, trigonometry and circle geometry

5. Probability

• Probability scale, outcomes and relative frequency
• Sample spaces, tables, Venn diagrams and tree diagrams
• Combined and conditional events where required by the tier

6. Statistics

• Sampling and data collection
• Tables, charts, diagrams and graphs
• Averages and measures of spread
• Interpreting data and comparing distributions

Pearson Edexcel GCSE Mathematics (1MA1)

The official six headings are Number; Algebra; Ratio, proportion and rates of change; Geometry and measures; Probability; and Statistics. Within them, Edexcel identifies number structure and calculation, fractions/decimals/percentages, measures and accuracy; algebraic notation and manipulation, graphs, equations/inequalities and sequences; ratio and percentage work; shape, construction, measures and transformations; probability; and collecting, presenting and interpreting data. Its specification sets out Foundation and Higher content separately with numbered statements such as N1 and A1.

Read the official Edexcel GCSE Mathematics specification.

AQA GCSE Mathematics (8300)

AQA uses the same six main headings: Number (N), Algebra (A), Ratio, proportion and rates of change (R), Geometry and measures (G), Probability (P), and Statistics (S). Its numbered statements break these down into the calculations, graphs, equations, shape, measure and data skills listed above. The specification indicates which details apply at Foundation and Higher tier; check the individual statement when choosing revision material.

Read the official AQA subject content.

Cambridge OCR GCSE Mathematics (J560)

OCR organises its topic list into twelve sections, each with these subtopics:

1. Number operations and integers: integer calculations, whole-number theory, combining arithmetic operations and inverse operations.
2. Fractions, decimals and percentages: fractions, decimal fractions, percentages and ordering them.
3. Indices and surds: powers and roots, standard form and exact calculations.
4. Approximation and estimation: approximating and estimating values and answers.
5. Ratio, proportion and rates of change: ratio calculations, direct and inverse proportion, growth and decay.
6. Algebra: expressions, formulae, equations, inequalities, functions and sequences.
7. Graphs of equations and functions: straight lines, graph interpretation, curves and transformations.
8. Basic geometry: notation, constructions, angles, polygons, circles and 3D shapes.
9. Congruence and similarity: transformations, congruence, vectors and similarity.
10. Mensuration: units, perimeter, area, volume, surface area and triangle mensuration.
11. Probability: experiments, combined events and probability diagrams.
12. Statistics: sampling, representing and interpreting data, and analysing data.

Read OCR’s official content overview.

Foundation and Higher: what changes?

Foundation targets grades 1–5 and Higher targets grades 4–9. The broad areas appear in both tiers, but the depth and difficulty of individual skills differ. Work from the specification for your own exam board and tier, then practise questions and check the corresponding mark scheme. We will build future lessons around these topics.

Source: official Pearson Edexcel, AQA and Cambridge OCR GCSE Mathematics specifications, checked September 2026. This is an original study guide, not a replacement for the exam boards’ detailed content statements.