AQA sets and marks over half of all GCSEs and A-levels taken in the UK every year. As an independent education charity, our income is reinvested back into AQA’s charitable activities. It also funds our cutting-edge research, which sits at the heart of our assessments and supports our initiatives to help young people facing challenges in life realise their potential.

We also provide support and services that enable learning. These include a comprehensive support and training package for teachers, opportunities for professional development (CPD) and online resources to help teachers in the classroom.

Finn Simpson Murphy (he/him)

Young Producers, North East

Finn Simpson Murphy is a multi-instrumentalist and emerging music producer from Stockton-on-Tees, studying Music Industry Skills at Middlesbrough College. A talented performer on piano, flute, drums and guitar, he combines musicianship with a growing passion for live events and sound engineering. Through Musinc’s Young Producers programme, Tees Valley Youth Orchestra and Attitude is Everything’s Future Leaders scheme, Finn has become a confident young leader, championing accessibility, inclusion and opportunities for neurodivergent people in music.

Josh Dickinson (he/him)

Youth Music NextGen Fund, North West

Josh Dickinson (K!NETIC) is a drum & bass DJ, producer and creative facilitator who combines his own artistic practice with a commitment to supporting young people through music. Working with Horizon Studios NW, he delivers workshops, mentoring and Youth Music-funded projects that help young people build confidence and develop creatively. Alongside releasing music and performing across the UK, Josh has supported more than 10,000 young people, creating accessible pathways into music and strengthening his local creative community.

Ria Leah (she/her)

The Spit Game UK, London

Ria Leah is a cultural leader, creative producer and youth practitioner whose work spans music, film and education. A core leader within Rap Club Productions and The Spit Game, she creates spaces where young people, particularly young women, can develop their creativity, confidence and leadership. From leading school rap programmes to speaking in policy and industry spaces, Ria bridges grassroots youth work and the professional creative industries, helping shape a more inclusive future for young artists.