Papers and exam format
IGCSE Accounting papers: what each one looks like
Every board sets two papers, but each splits the marks and time differently. Open a paper for its structure, a time plan and the slips we see most.
| Paper | Duration | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge 0452 and 0985, Paper 1 (2027 to 2029) | 1 hour 30 minutes | 40 marks | 30% of the qualification |
| Cambridge 0452 and 0985, Paper 2 (2027 to 2029) | 1 hour 45 minutes | 100 marks | 70% of the qualification |
| Edexcel 4AC1, Paper 1 | 2 hours | 100 marks | 66.6% of the qualification |
| Edexcel 4AC1, Paper 2 | 1 hour 15 minutes | 50 marks | 33.3% of the qualification |
| OxfordAQA 9215, Paper 1 | 1 hour 45 minutes | 75 marks | 50% of the qualification |
| OxfordAQA 9215, Paper 2 | 1 hour 45 minutes | 75 marks | 50% of the qualification |
Sources: Cambridge IGCSE Accounting 0452: syllabus for 2027-2029 (Version 1), page 9; Pearson Edexcel International GCSE in Accounting (4AC1) specification (FT Sept 2017) (Issue 1, October 2016), pages 6, 7, 25; OxfordAQA International GCSE Accounting (9215) specification (FT Sept 2024) (Version 1.2), page 9. See all sources.
Cambridge 0452 and 0985 Paper 1
Paper 1: Multiple Choice
Read more Paper 2Cambridge 0452 and 0985 Paper 2
Paper 2: Structured Written Paper
Read more Paper 1Edexcel 4AC1 Paper 1
Paper 1: Introduction to Bookkeeping and Accounting
Read more Paper 2Edexcel 4AC1 Paper 2
Paper 2: Financial Statements
Read more Paper 1OxfordAQA 9215 Paper 1
Paper 1: Introduction to Book keeping and Financial Accounting
Read more Paper 2OxfordAQA 9215 Paper 2
Paper 2: Financial Statements
Read moreHow the boards split the assessment
Cambridge puts 30% on a multiple-choice paper and 70% on a structured paper, so Paper 2 decides most of the grade. Edexcel is the other way round: its first paper is 100 marks and two thirds of the total, and its second is 50 marks and a third.
OxfordAQA balances them, with two papers of 75 marks and 50% each. A student who prepares for one board with the habits of another can misjudge where the marks are.
The Cambridge guides cover both 0452 and 0985, because the papers are the same. Edexcel guides show the linear 4AC1 papers beside the modular 4XAC1 units. For grade conversion see our grade guides, and for the whole course see the syllabus guides.
If timing is your child's problem, a teacher can mark a timed past paper with them and show where the minutes are lost. Book a trial class.
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