How Many A Level Politics Papers Are There?

If you’re studying A Level Politics, you probably want to know what you’re up against in your exams. There are 3 exam papers in Edexcel and AQA, while WJEC and CCEA have 4 papers. All papers are exams with no coursework. This article gives you the full picture, so you can plan your revision with confidence.

A Level Politics is offered by Edexcel, AQA, WJEC (Wales), and CCEA (Northern Ireland). Each board structures its papers slightly differently, but they assess similar core areas: UK politics, political ideas and comparative or global politics. Read on for a full breakdown of every exam board.

Key Takeaways

• A Level Politics is assessed through written exams only — there is no coursework component for any of the main UK exam boards.

• AQA and Edexcel have 3 papers, while WJEC and CCEA have 4 papers, each covering a different part of the course.

• AQA and Edexcel papers are equally weighted; WJEC and CCEA units have different weightings.

• Past papers and mark schemes are essential revision tools that help you learn to structure your answers in the way examiners want.

A Level Politics Assessment Structure Explained

Depending on the board, A Level Politics is either linear, with all exams taken at the end of Year 13, or modular, with exams taken across both years. There is no coursework or controlled assessment, however, so your entire grade depends on how you perform in the written exams.

The subject broadly divides into three areas of study, which vary slightly in emphasis between exam boards:

• UK Politics and UK Government

• US Politics and Comparative Politics

• Political Ideas

Some boards also include a comparative politics component (such as US government) or a global politics module. The structure differs by exam board, which is why it’s important to check the breakdown for your specific board.

Because all assessment is exam-based, your exam technique — particularly how you structure extended answers and use evidence — is just as important as knowing your content.

How Many Exam Papers Are There For A Level Politics?

The number of papers varies by exam board, but the standard structure across most boards is three or four written papers. Here is a quick overview before the full per-board breakdown:

• Edexcel (opens in a new tab): 3 papers, taken linearly

• AQA (opens in a new tab): 3 papers, taken linearly

•  WJEC (opens in a new tab): 4 papers, taken across both years

• CCEA (opens in a new tab): 4 papers, taken across both years

All papers are compulsory for whichever board you are sitting. You cannot opt out of or swap any paper. Total examination time is 6 hours for AQA and Edexcel, eight for WJEC and 6 hours 45 minutes for CCEA.

Breakdown by Exam Board

Edexcel (9PL0)

Edexcel A Level Politics (opens in a new tab) involves three papers, each worth one-third of your total grade. Students choose either the Global Politics route or the Comparative US Politics route for Paper 3.

 Each paper contains a mix of short-answer questions and extended essay questions. The extended responses are worth the most marks and require well-structured arguments supported by political examples. For Paper 3 (Comparative US Politics), students compare US and UK political systems, so strong knowledge of both is essential.

AQA (7152)

AQA A Level Politics (opens in a new tab) is also assessed through three written papers, each lasting 2 hours. Like Edexcel, each paper carries equal weighting. 

 A key feature of AQA is that Paper 3 is entirely focused on political ideas. This paper tests your understanding of political thinkers. You need to judge how far different ideologies disagree. Students should be comfortable with a range of thinkers for each set of ideas (e.g. Burke and Oakeshott for conservatism, de Beauvoir for feminism).

WJEC (1160QS, Wales)

WJEC A Level Government & Politics (opens in a new tab) is the qualification used in Wales and assessed through four papers split across the two years. 

 Note that Units 3 and 4 together carry 60% of the total marks, making them the most heavily weighted components. The Political Concepts and Theories Paper requires detailed knowledge of key thinkers and texts. It also requires the ability to evaluate ideological debates with sophistication. 

CCEA (4830, Northern Ireland)

CCEA A Level Government and Politics (opens in a new tab) is offered to students in Northern Ireland and has its own distinct specification and structure. There are four papers over both years.

 CCEA is distinctive in that Northern Ireland’s political system features prominently in the specification. This includes specifically the Assembly, the Executive, the Good Friday Agreement, and the power-sharing institutions. This reflects the unique constitutional context of Northern Ireland.

Correct for 2026 specification, but remember that specifications are periodically updated.

Tips for Preparing for A Level Politics Papers

A Level Politics rewards students who can construct a clear argument, use real-world political examples, and engage with opposing views. Here are five practical tips to help you prepare:

• Know your exam board’s mark scheme structure. Your Politics essays will be marked using a points-based or level-of-response scheme. Understanding what examiners mean by “high-level analysis” versus “description” is crucial. Read the mark schemes for past papers carefully — they show you exactly what earns marks at each level.

• Build a bank of political examples. Every argument needs evidence. For UK Politics and Government papers, this means real examples of legislation, elections, referenda, Prime Ministers, and political events. Keep a running document of key examples as you study each topic and review it regularly before exams.

• Practise timed essay writing. Extended response questions require structured, argued responses. Practise writing these under timed conditions. Aim to have a clear introduction, developed paragraphs, and a conclusion that evaluates the question. Plan your answer before you write.

• Revise political thinkers thoroughly. Across all boards, you should be able to discuss specific political thinkers (e.g. Rawls, Hayek, Gramsci, Wollstonecraft). Knowing their key ideas, how they relate to the broader ideology, and how they differ from other thinkers in the same tradition is essential. Create a thinker-by-thinker revision sheet for each one you are studying.

• Use past papers and read examiner reports. Past papers are available free from your exam board’s website and are one of the best preparation tools you have. Exam board reports published after each series identify common mistakes and describe what high-scoring answers looked like. 

“As a tutor with many years of experience, I can confidently say that practising timed essays, especially the development of a coherent, structured argument, is absolutely key to good essays in the exams. You have to work those logical thinking patterns like a muscle and make laying out a well-evidenced argument into second nature. Nothing can replace that in your preparation.” 

– Natalie Lawrence, Private Tutor

Whichever board you sit, expect 3-4 written papers with no coursework, so build your revision around timed essays and past papers. Save My Exams can help to supercharge your revision with our A Level Politics revision resources, including past papers, revision notes and expert-written exam questions tailored to your specific course. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all A Level Politics papers compulsory?

For every exam board, all papers are compulsory. With Edexcel, Paper 3 offers a choice between the Global Politics route and the Comparative US Politics route — but your school or college will typically make this decision when they choose the specification.

Do the papers have equal weighting?

Edexcel and AQA both divide the marks equally across three papers, with each paper worth 33.3% of the total qualification. In WJEC and CCEA, AS papers are worth 40% and A2 papers are worth 60%.  

Can I resit individual A Level Politics papers?

In the linear AQA and Edexcel qualifications, no. You cannot resit individual papers. If you want to improve your grade, you must resit all papers in the series. In the non-linear WJEC and CCEA courses, individual units can be retaken.

If you are concerned about your performance, speak to your teacher about whether a full resit makes sense for you. Make use of all available resources — including past papers and mark schemes from your exam board — in your preparation.

References

Edexcel Politics A Level Subject Guide (opens in a new tab)
Edexcel A level Politics specification - Issue 4 (opens in a new tab)
A-level Politics 7152 | Specification | Subject Content | AQA (opens in a new tab)
WJEC GCE AS/A Level in - GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS (opens in a new tab)
Government and Politics | CCEA (opens in a new tab)