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AQA · GCSE · Computer Science

Free AQA GCSE Computer Science
Practice Paper

8 mixed-difficulty practice questions in the style of real AQA GCSE papers — answers, mark-scheme-style explanations, and the official exam structure all on one page.

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What the real AQA GCSE Computer Science paper looks like

Paper 1
Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 1-4 of the specification.
Paper 2
Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 5-8 of the specification.
Paper 3
Where applicable — e.g. Combined Science, Languages. Includes synoptic and applied questions.
Total exam time: ~3 hours across two or three papers.
Grading: Grades: 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with U (ungraded). A grade of 4 is a standard pass; 5 is a strong pass.

Mini practice paper: 8 questions

Mixed-difficulty questions from across the Computer Science syllabus. Tap "Show answer" after each to check yourself.

Q1 · Difficulty 1/3

Why are comments added to program code?

  1. To explain the code to humans; they are ignored when the program runs
  2. To make the program run faster
  3. To store user data
  4. To increase the screen resolution
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — To explain the code to humans; they are ignored when the program runs
Comments document code for readability and maintenance. They are ignored by the interpreter or compiler and do not affect how the program runs.
Q2 · Difficulty 1/3

Which data type would be most appropriate for storing whether a user is logged in (true or false)?

  1. Integer
  2. String
  3. Real
  4. Boolean
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — Boolean
A Boolean stores one of two values, true or false, ideal for an on/off or yes/no condition. Integer, string and real store numbers and text.
Q3 · Difficulty 1/3

Which is an example of secondary (non-volatile) storage?

  1. Cache
  2. A CPU register
  3. A solid-state drive (SSD)
  4. RAM
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — A solid-state drive (SSD)
An SSD is secondary storage that keeps data without power. RAM, cache and registers are all volatile working memory.
Q4 · Difficulty 2/3

Splitting data into small units to send across a network is called dividing it into:

  1. Sectors
  2. Packets
  3. Pixels
  4. Records
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — Packets
Data is split into packets, each with a header (addresses) and payload, which are sent across the network and reassembled at the destination.
Q5 · Difficulty 2/3

Which legislation governs how organisations collect, store and use people's personal data?

  1. The Computer Misuse Act
  2. The Copyright Act
  3. The Highways Act
  4. The Data Protection Act / GDPR
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: D — The Data Protection Act / GDPR
The Data Protection Act (aligned with GDPR) sets rules for handling personal data fairly, securely and lawfully.
Q6 · Difficulty 2/3

The 'digital divide' refers to:

  1. A type of network cable
  2. The gap between those with and without access to digital technology
  3. The split between hardware and software
  4. The difference between RAM and ROM
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: B — The gap between those with and without access to digital technology
The digital divide is the inequality between people who have access to computers and the internet and those who do not, which can affect education and opportunity.
Q7 · Difficulty 1/3

How many bits are there in one byte?

  1. 16
  2. 1024
  3. 8
  4. 4
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: C — 8
One byte is made up of 8 bits. A bit is a single binary digit (0 or 1).
Q8 · Difficulty 1/3

The internet is the best example of a:

  1. WAN (Wide Area Network)
  2. LAN
  3. Standalone computer
  4. Single server
Show answer & explanation
✓ Answer: A — WAN (Wide Area Network)
The internet is a global Wide Area Network connecting countless smaller networks across large distances.
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AQA GCSE Computer Science FAQ

What does the AQA GCSE Computer Science exam look like?
The AQA GCSE Computer Science exam is structured across 3 components. Paper 1: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 1-4 of the specification. Paper 2: Approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, ~70-100 marks. Covers Topics 5-8 of the specification. Paper 3: Where applicable — e.g. Combined Science, Languages. Includes synoptic and applied questions. Total exam time: ~3 hours across two or three papers.
Can I download a free AQA GCSE Computer Science past paper?
Real AQA past papers are published directly by AQA on their official website. Kramizo doesn't redistribute copyrighted past papers, but we do generate free AI-written practice papers in the exact same style — same command words, same difficulty tier, same mark conventions. Use this practice paper as warm-up, then time yourself on official past papers before exam day.
How is AQA GCSE Computer Science graded?
Grades: 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with U (ungraded). A grade of 4 is a standard pass; 5 is a strong pass. Kramizo's practice questions are tagged with difficulty 1-3 mapping roughly to the lower, middle, and top grade boundaries you'll encounter in the real exam.