Pearson Edexcel International GCSE ICT (4IT1): syllabus, papers and marking

Paper 1 is the written half; the practical paper is sat at the centre. Short answers are marked against the points scheme, long answers in levels.

Specification Issue 2 (May 2018), first teaching 2017 · June series · grades 9–1

IGCSE ICT: where the marks go

Edexcel International GCSE ICT (4IT1) is a 1 h 30 min written Paper 1 (100 marks, multiple-choice, short- and long-answer questions on Topics 1 to 4) and a 3 h practical Paper 2 sat on a computer in a one-week window. Paper 1 is the part marked here. Pearson’s 2025 reports say learners know the technical vocabulary but give generic answers to “discuss” questions, and explain what a term stands for without saying what it does.

Our papers follow the published structure with original scenarios. Marking returns the mark points awarded and the point missed for each short answer, and the level for the long answers with the descriptor quoted.

How we mark a real script

Paper structure and what we mark

PaperTimeMarksWeightQuestions
Paper 1 — Written Paper1 h 30 min10050%Multiple-choice, short- and long-answer questions on Topics 1–4
Paper 2 — Practical Paper3 h10050%Scenario-based practical tasks on a computer, sat in a one-week window (not marked here)

Syllabus outline

  1. Digital devices
  2. Connectivity
  3. Operating online
  4. Online goods and services
  5. Applying ICT
  6. Software skills

How each paper is marked here

Where IGCSE ICT candidates lose marks

  1. Discuss answers that are generic — Extended answers need both sides, in the context of the scenario, with specific technical language.
  2. Term expanded but role not given — Stating what SIM stands for earns little; saying it identifies the user on the mobile network earns the mark.
  3. Expansion repeating the question — Linking file size to speed repeats the question; linking it to bandwidth requirements is what scores.
  4. Gateway explained at surface level — Saying it joins two networks is one mark; saying it translates between their protocols shows the depth.
  5. Choosing the wrong software — Questions about the purpose of different programs lose marks when the answer does not name the use.

Sample papers, mark schemes and marked reports for IGCSE ICT

See a real handwritten script marked by eight examiners at admitportfolio.com/examiners.

Questions teachers ask

Is Paper 2 marked here?
No. Paper 2 is a practical paper sat on a computer at the centre.
Which sitting?
Pearson offers 4IT1 in June only.
Are the scenarios original?
Yes. Every scenario is written for the paper.
Is this official Pearson Edexcel marking?
No. Pearson Edexcel International marks the real exam. This is examiner-style marking of mocks and homework for IGCSE ICT. Only you see the marking, and you decide what reaches the student.
Do you reproduce past-paper questions?
No. Every 4IT1 paper here is original and written to the specification issue 2 (may 2018), first teaching 2017, in the same structure as the real papers shown above.
Which papers are marked?
None yet are marked question by question. Practical exams sat at the centre are not marked here.
How is the next paper chosen?
From the marks a student lost: the concepts behind them are ranked by marks dropped, and the new paper weights those topics. It is the same syllabus and structure, with new questions.
When are the exams?
June series. Grades 9–1.

Other Pearson Edexcel International GCSE courses

Start marking ICT scripts · See a real marked script