A Level Math RevisionA Level Maths · exam boards compared
AQA vs Edexcel vs OCR A Level Maths
The short answer: the maths is the same. Every board examines the A Level Maths content set by the Department for Education, in three 2-hour written papers worth 100 marks each, with a calculator in every paper. What differs is where statistics and mechanics sit, how you get the formulae, and which large data set you study.
The three boards at a glance
From each board's own specification, checked on 12 October 2026. OCR here means OCR A (H240).
| Feature | AQA 7357 | Edexcel 9MA0 | OCR A H240 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AS qualification | AQA 7356 | Edexcel 8MA0 | OCR H230 |
| Exams | 3 written papers | 3 written papers | 3 written papers |
| Each paper | 2 hours, 100 marks, a third of the A Level | 2 hours, 100 marks, a third of the A Level | 2 hours, 100 marks, a third of the A Level |
| Paper 1 | Pure (sections A–I) | Pure Mathematics 1: any pure topic | Pure Mathematics: pure only |
| Paper 2 | Pure, vectors and mechanics | Pure Mathematics 2: any pure topic | Pure and statistics, about 50 marks each |
| Paper 3 | Pure and statistics | Statistics (Section A) and mechanics (Section B) | Pure and mechanics, about 50 marks each |
| Pure is examined in | All three papers | Papers 1 and 2 | All three papers |
| Calculator | Required in every paper | Allowed in every paper | Scientific or graphical, every paper |
| Calculator must have | Iteration, summary statistics, distribution probabilities and inverse normal | Iteration, summary statistics and distribution probabilities | Expected: iteration (such as ANS), summary statistics, binomial and normal probabilities |
| Formulae | Formulae and Statistics Tables booklet | Mathematical Formulae and Statistical Tables booklet | Printed on pages 2 and 3 of each paper |
| Large data set | Yes, studied in advance; used in statistics (Paper 3) | Yes, studied in advance; used in Paper 3 statistics | Yes, pre-release; used in Paper 2 statistics |
| Our guide | AQA large data set · past papers | Edexcel large data set · past papers | OCR A large data set · past papers |
| Official page | AQA 7357 specification ↗ | Edexcel 9MA0 specification ↗ | OCR A H240 specification ↗ |
Same topics, different papers
Revise the same topics
Proof to moments is the same list for every board, so every A Level Maths topic page works whichever board you sit. Each one shows your board's section reference.
Know where each area is examined
Edexcel keeps Papers 1 and 2 for pure and puts statistics and mechanics together in Paper 3. AQA and OCR A mix pure into all three papers.
Use your own board's extras
Learn your board's large data set, practise with its formulae as given in the exam, and finish with its own past papers.
Pick your board for the full guide
AQA A Level Maths (7357)
Paper 1: Pure mathematics · Paper 2: Pure and mechanics · Paper 3: Pure and statistics
AQA papers, formulae and topic map →Edexcel A Level Maths (9MA0)
Paper 1: Pure Mathematics 1 · Paper 2: Pure Mathematics 2 · Paper 3: Statistics and Mechanics
Edexcel papers, formulae and topic map →OCR A A Level Maths (H240)
Paper 1: Pure Mathematics · Paper 2: Pure Mathematics and Statistics · Paper 3: Pure Mathematics and Mechanics
OCR A papers, formulae and topic map →Year 12 only? AS Level Maths: the AQA 7356, Edexcel 8MA0 and OCR H230 papers. International A Level? Edexcel A Level vs IAL. Practice in exam conditions: our timed practice papers.
Exam boards: common questions
What is the difference between AQA, Edexcel and OCR A Level Maths?
The content is the same: every board examines the A Level Maths content set by the Department for Education, in three 2-hour papers of 100 marks each. The differences are where statistics and mechanics sit (Edexcel puts both in Paper 3; AQA puts mechanics in Paper 2 and statistics in Paper 3; OCR A puts statistics in Paper 2 and mechanics in Paper 3), how the formulae are given, and which large data set you study.
Is AQA, Edexcel or OCR A Level Maths the easiest?
No board publishes a difficulty ranking, and all three examine the same content in papers of the same length and marks. Your school chooses the board, so revise with your own board's papers and its large data set.
Do all three boards give you a formula booklet?
AQA and Edexcel give you a formulae and statistical tables booklet. OCR A has no separate booklet: it prints the formulae on pages 2 and 3 of each question paper. None of them gives every formula, so learn the rest.
Can I use a calculator in every A Level Maths paper?
Yes, for all three boards. Each sets minimum features: an iterative function, summary statistics and probabilities from statistical distributions, and AQA also asks for an inverse normal function. OCR says a scientific or graphical calculator may be used.
Does every board have a large data set?
Yes. Each board publishes its own large data set, which you study in advance; some statistics questions are set in its context. AQA and Edexcel use it in Paper 3, OCR A in Paper 2.
Which board are the questions on this site written for?
Our topics cover the whole A Level Maths content, so they work for every board. The questions and mark schemes are written in the style of Edexcel 9MA0; use your own board's past papers for exam-style rehearsal too.
Is OCR MEI the same as OCR A?
No. OCR offers two A Level Maths specifications. This page compares OCR A (H240); OCR MEI is a separate specification that this page does not cover.
Sources, checked on 12 October 2026: AQA A-level Mathematics 7357 specification (PDF) ↗ · AQA 7357 assessment resources (formulae and statistics tables) ↗ · Pearson Edexcel A level Mathematics 9MA0 specification, issue 4 (PDF) ↗ · OCR A Level Mathematics A H240 specification (PDF) ↗. Facts are summarised in our own words; boards can revise their specifications, so check your board's page before the exams.
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