How to Plan GCSE Coursework Deadlines

GCSE coursework carries real exam marks, yet many students underestimate how long it takes to do well. The most common mistake is not starting late — it is failing to break the task into stages. A clear deadline plan, built backwards from submission day, makes the whole process manageable.

What counts as GCSE coursework?

AQA and other exam boards refer to coursework more formally as non-examined assessment (NEA) or controlled assessment. It varies by subject:

Subject examples | What it typically involves
Art and Design | A portfolio of development work and a final piece
English Language | A creative or transactional writing task
Geography | A fieldwork investigation and written report
Drama / Music | A performance or composition
Design and Technology | A design and make project

Each piece is marked by your teacher and then moderated externally. AQA guidance makes clear that authenticity — the work being genuinely yours — is essential. Understanding the submission requirements before you start saves significant stress later.

Step 1 — Find out your submission date and mark breakdown

Before planning anything, collect two pieces of information:

The internal school deadline for your completed coursework.

How many marks this coursework contributes to your final GCSE grade.

A piece worth 25 per cent of your GCSE is worth significantly more effort than one worth 10 per cent. Ask your teacher for the assessment criteria too — knowing what examiners are looking for shapes every stage of the work.

Step 2 — Work backwards from the deadline

Once you know the submission date, build your plan backwards:

Stage | How many days before deadline
Final submission (school deadline) | Day 0
Final proofreading and polishing | Day 2–3
First complete draft finished | Day 7–10
Mid-point review and teacher feedback | Day 14–18
Research and planning complete | Day 21–25
Work begun | Day 28–35

Adjust these stages to fit your specific coursework type and workload. The key principle is that every stage has its own internal deadline, not just the final one.

Step 3 — Break each stage into weekly tasks

A deadline three weeks away feels abstract. Weekly tasks feel concrete. For example, for a geography fieldwork report:

Week | Tasks
Week 1 | Collect and organise all fieldwork data; produce graphs and charts
Week 2 | Write the analysis section; get teacher feedback on the data section
Week 3 | Write the evaluation; complete the introduction and conclusion; proofread

The tasks should be small enough that each one fits within a single study session. "Write the analysis section" is itself a multi-session task — break it further into "write the paragraph on Site 1 data" and "write the paragraph on Site 2 data" if needed.

Step 4 — Protect your coursework sessions from exam revision

During GCSE season, coursework and exam revision are often running simultaneously. This creates a genuine time management challenge. Protect coursework time by:

Scheduling specific sessions — e.g. Tuesday and Thursday evenings — exclusively for coursework.

Treating those sessions as non-negotiable, the same way a lesson is.

Keeping exam revision and coursework sessions separate — mixing them in one sitting leads to both suffering.

If you fall behind on coursework, tell your teacher immediately. Schools have processes for managing extensions where circumstances warrant — but they can only help students who communicate early.

Step 5 — Use teacher feedback before you finalise

Most GCSE NEA regulations allow teachers to give general feedback on a draft before final submission. Use this opportunity — it is one of the most efficient uses of time available in the entire coursework process. When receiving feedback:

Read all the feedback before making any changes.

Prioritise feedback that addresses the assessment criteria directly.

Make changes to your draft, then compare the revised version to the original.

Note which criteria you addressed — this prevents later uncertainty about what you changed and why.

A sample eight-week coursework plan

Week | Focus
1 | Research, read assessment criteria, outline plan
2 | Begin main work (writing, making, or gathering data)
3 | Continue main work; complete first section
4 | Mid-point check with teacher; revise based on feedback
5 | Complete second main section
6 | Complete all sections; first full draft finished
7 | Review, redraft, and refine based on criteria
8 | Final proofread; submit to teacher

Frequently asked questions

How much of my GCSE grade does coursework count for?

This varies by subject and exam board. For most AQA subjects with NEA components, coursework contributes between 20 and 60 per cent of the final grade. Check your subject specification on the AQA website or ask your teacher — knowing the exact weighting helps you allocate effort appropriately.

Can I use AI tools to help with GCSE coursework?

AQA and other exam boards have clear guidance: coursework must be your own work. Using AI to draft or write sections and submitting them as your own is a form of malpractice with serious consequences. AI can be used to check spelling and grammar or to explain a concept you are trying to understand — but the writing, analysis, and creative work must be yours. If in doubt, ask your teacher before using any tool.

What if I miss a coursework deadline?

Tell your teacher immediately. Missing a deadline is recoverable in most cases if you communicate early and have a genuine reason. Schools have pastoral processes to support students in difficulty. Saying nothing and hoping the deadline passes without consequences is the worst option — the longer the silence, the harder the recovery.

How do I balance coursework deadlines with exam revision?

Schedule them in separate, dedicated time slots and treat both as non-negotiable. A useful approach is to work on coursework in the earlier weeks of term, when exam revision is less urgent, and transition the balance towards revision as exams approach. Trying to do both in every session usually results in neither being done well.

For tutoring that supports students through GCSE coursework and exam revision — keeping both on track — visit aitutors.me.