A Level Electronics at LMSC follows the WJEC Eduqas A490QS specification, the only A Level Electronics available in England. It carries a 20% coursework component that most providers cannot deliver, because it requires students to design, build and test real circuits under supervision. LMSC delivers it, on campus in London.
A Level Electronics is the study of how electronic systems are designed, analysed and built — from individual semiconductor components through logic, amplifiers and filters to complete communication, instrumentation and power systems.
It is the most hands-on A Level we offer. Twenty per cent of the qualification is non-exam assessment in which you design, program, build and test real circuits. This is not a write-up exercise. You physically construct working systems and photograph them as evidence.
The coursework is why this course is hard to find. WJEC Eduqas is the only awarding body still offering A Level Electronics, and its specification requires a 20% non-exam assessment that must be produced under immediate supervision, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC. Eduqas is explicit that specifications involving non-exam assessment are not available to private candidates unless they can find a centre willing to supervise, authenticate and mark the assessment. That rules the qualification out for most independent and online learners.
LMSC delivers the non-exam assessment. We supervise, mark and submit it as your centre, which means you can actually complete the full A Level rather than only the written papers.
Taught by specialists. Lessons are led by subject specialists in small groups, in real time, structured around the Eduqas specification. Every session is recorded.
It is a mathematical subject. A minimum of 30% of the marks assess mathematics at Level 2 or above — more than Chemistry or Economics, and second only to Physics among the A Levels we teach.
Frequently asked questions
Which exam board offers A Level Electronics?
WJEC Eduqas, specification A490QS. It is the only A Level Electronics available in England. OCR withdrew its Electronics A Level after the final assessment series in June 2018, and AQA offers electronics only as an option inside A Level Physics.
Does A Level Electronics have coursework?
Yes. Component 3 is a non-exam assessment worth 20% of the qualification. It is two tasks: a microcontroller system programmed in assembler language worth 20 marks, and a substantial integrated system worth 50 marks. You design, build and test real circuits.
Can you study A Level Electronics online or as a private candidate?
Not without a centre that will deliver the coursework. Eduqas states that specifications involving non-exam assessment are not available to private candidates unless they can find a centre willing to supervise, authenticate and mark the assessment. LMSC does this, which is why the course requires attendance in London for the practical component.
Can I use an Arduino for my project?
For development and initial testing, yes. For the final circuit, no. Eduqas states that pre-constructed circuit boards such as PIC or Arduino development boards are not acceptable as the final circuit. The final program must run on a microcontroller IC mounted on a circuit board you have built, on prototype board, strip board or PCB.
What programming language will I use?
Assembler. Task 1 requires a program written in assembly language run on a microcontroller IC, and no other programming language may be used for that task.
How much maths is in A Level Electronics?
A minimum of 30% of the marks assess mathematics at Level 2 or above. That is higher than Chemistry or Economics and second only to Physics among the A Levels we teach. We ask for GCSE Mathematics grade 6.
Should I take Electronics or Physics?
Physics is broader, more theoretical and more often named as a university requirement. Electronics is applied and is the only one of the two in which you build complete working systems as part of the qualification. For electronic engineering, take both alongside Mathematics.
Do I need to have studied Electronics before?
No. Most students start with no prior background, and GCSE Electronics is not offered in most schools. You do need a secure grasp of GCSE Physics circuit work and confident algebra.
Eduqas divides the examined content across two components. All content is compulsory.
Component 1 — Principles of Electronics
Component 2 — Application of Electronics
Component 3 — Extended system design and realisation tasks
The non-exam assessment, worth 20%. Two tasks, described in full under Exam details below: a microcontroller system programmed in assembler language, and a substantial integrated system combining analogue and digital sub-systems.
This course suits you if you:
Electronics or Physics?
They overlap but they are not interchangeable. Physics is broader and more theoretical, and it is the safer choice if you are unsure of your degree. Electronics is narrower, more applied, and it is the only one of the two in which you design and build complete working systems as part of the qualification. For electronic and electrical engineering, taking both is the strongest combination. If a university names a required subject, it is far more often Physics and Mathematics than Electronics — check before you rely on it.
You will need A Level Mathematics alongside this
Not as a requirement of this course, but as a practical reality. A minimum of 30% of the marks assess mathematics at Level 2 or above, and engineering degrees require A Level Mathematics without exception.
This course may not suit you if you:
Awarding body and qualification
WJEC Eduqas A level Electronics, specification code A490QS. Graded A* to E.
Eduqas is the only awarding body offering A Level Electronics. OCR withdrew its Electronics A Level after the final assessment series in June 2018, and AQA offers electronics only as an option within A Level Physics rather than as a standalone qualification. If you are studying A Level Electronics in England, this is the specification.
Three components
Component 3 in detail — the part most descriptions leave out
The non-exam assessment is two tasks, completed independently, each addressing a problem, need or opportunity you identify yourself.
For each task you produce a report in four sections: system planning, system development, system realisation and evaluation.
You have to build it, and it has to be your circuit
Eduqas is unambiguous on this point: "Pre-constructed circuit boards such as PIC or Arduino development boards are not acceptable as the final circuit." Construction may be on prototype board, strip board or printed circuit board. You may develop and initially test a program using a development board such as an Arduino, but the final program must run on a microcontroller IC mounted on a circuit board. Each report must contain clear photographic evidence of the completed circuit.
Supervision, marking and moderation
Each learner must produce their system under immediate supervision, meaning the simultaneous physical presence of learner and supervisor, or remotely by simultaneous electronic communication. Work is marked by the centre, candidates sign an authentication statement, assessors countersign it, and WJEC selects a sample for moderation.
A note for private candidates
Eduqas states that specifications involving non-exam assessment are not available to private candidates unless they can find a centre willing to supervise, authenticate and mark the assessment. LMSC does this as your centre. Without a centre that will, the qualification cannot be completed.
Mathematics in the qualification
A minimum of 30% of the marks assess mathematics at Level 2 or above, set by Ofqual for this subject.
Calculators
Permitted in both written examinations.
Exam series
The written papers are normally sat in the May/June series, with the non-exam assessment submitted earlier in the summer term. LMSC students sit their examinations in London.
GCSE or IGCSE Mathematics
Grade 6 or above. Electronics carries a minimum 30% mathematical content, higher than Chemistry or Economics, and this is the requirement that matters most.
GCSE or IGCSE Physics or Combined Science
Grade 6 or above in Physics, or in the Physics component of Combined Science. You should be comfortable with current, voltage, resistance and basic circuit behaviour.
Prior study of Electronics
Not required. Most students begin with no previous background. GCSE Electronics is not offered in most schools.
International qualifications
Strong performance in Grade 10 Mathematics and Physics, or local equivalent.
Attendance
Because the non-exam assessment must be produced under immediate supervision, this course requires attendance in London for the practical component. It is not available as a fully online course.
Diagnostic assessment
A short diagnostic may be used to confirm readiness, particularly for students joining from a non-UK curriculum.
If you are close to these requirements but not quite at them, speak to us. We would rather assess your readiness properly than turn you away on a single grade.
On completion you are awarded the WJEC Eduqas A level Electronics qualification (A490QS), graded A* to E, on the basis of two externally assessed written examinations and one non-exam assessment.
By the end of the course you will have:
You also leave with something unusual among A Levels: a portfolio of physical systems you designed and built yourself, photographed and documented. That is genuinely useful material for engineering personal statements and interviews.
Where A Level Electronics leads
Be clear about what universities actually ask for
Engineering degrees require A Level Mathematics, essentially without exception, and most also require or strongly prefer Physics. A Level Electronics is a strong supporting third subject that demonstrates genuine practical capability — it is not usually a named requirement, and it does not substitute for Mathematics or Physics. If electronic engineering is the goal, the reliable combination is Mathematics, Physics and Electronics. Always check the stated requirement on the university's own page.
Why the practical component matters at application
Engineering admissions tutors and apprenticeship employers ask what you have built. Most applicants can only describe a school project. Having designed, programmed and constructed working systems as an assessed part of your A Level, with photographic evidence, gives you something concrete to discuss at interview.
Subject combinations that work
Careers
Electronic and electrical engineering, embedded systems and firmware, robotics and automation, telecommunications, semiconductors, aerospace and defence, medical devices, renewable energy systems, and instrumentation and control.
Progression support at LMSC
UCAS guidance and subject-combination advice, predicted grades supported by assessed evidence, academic references, support with engineering degree apprenticeship applications, and results-day support including Clearing.
University entry requirements change each cycle. Always check the current requirement on the university's own website before making decisions.
Explore other programmes that pair well with A Level Electronics or extend your specialist focus.
Book a consultation for tailored guidance on admissions, timetable planning and portfolio preparation. We will map a personalised progression route for your ambitions.
Course highlights
What the course covers, how it is taught and what is included. These pages answer the other questions people ask about the same subject.
