AQA Company Profile

We are an independent education charity and the largest provider of academic qualifications taught in schools and colleges. We set and mark the papers for around half of all GCSEs and A-levels taken every year.

Our qualifications are internationally recognised and taught in around 30 countries around the world. They are highly valued by employers and universities and enable young people to progress to the next stage of their lives. Our qualifications suit a range of abilities and include GCSEs, IGCSEs, A-levels, Tech-levels, the Extended Project Qualification and the AQA Baccalaureate.

Born out of five leading universities, we have over a century of qualifications expertise. Today, we employ more than 1,000 people and work with around 35,000 teachers, lecturers, subject experts and academics, who help set and mark our exams. We also work collaboratively with teachers to create resources that are designed around their day-to-day needs.

As an independent charity, our purpose is to advance education by enabling students and teachers to realise their potential. Any money we make through providing qualifications gets invested back into education. For example:

• through our Centre for Education Research and Practice  , we provide research evidence that helps inform education policy and raise the bar in assessment practice across the world
• our Unlocking Potential mentoring programme helps young people who are facing challenges develop their skills and knowledge, increase their self-belief and raise their aspirations.

We are led by our Executive Board and governed by a Council of trustees drawn from schools, colleges, higher education, children's services and the business community.