9694 Past Papers AS & A LEVEL Thinking Skills Examiner Report 2025

The 9694 Past Papers AS & A Level Thinking Skills Examiner Report 2025 is an official Cambridge assessment resource written by Principal Examiners after reviewing candidate performance in the 2025 examination series. It is designed for students, teachers, tutors, and schools preparing for the Cambridge International AS & A Level Thinking Skills (9694) qualification. The report explains how candidates performed across each examination paper, highlights common misconceptions, and provides expert advice on how future candidates can improve their examination technique.

The examiner report provides detailed feedback for all examination components, including:

• Paper 1 – Problem Solving
• Paper 2 – Critical Thinking
• Paper 3 – Problem Analysis and Solution
• Paper 4 – Applied Reasoning

Each paper is analysed question by question, with examiners identifying strengths shown by high-performing candidates while explaining where marks were commonly lost. The report also clarifies how assessment objectives are applied and what distinguishes excellent responses from average ones.

Key Examiner Observations

The 2025 Examiner Report highlights several recurring themes observed across candidate responses:

• Candidates should study the official syllabus, endorsed textbook, previous question papers, and mark schemes before the examination.
• Many candidates demonstrated good reasoning skills but did not always use the correct technical terminology expected in Thinking Skills.
• Some candidates confused key concepts such as arguments, assumptions, argument elements, and analogies.
• Stronger responses showed clear logical reasoning supported by accurate evidence rather than unsupported assertions.
• Effective time management and careful reading of questions remained important factors in achieving higher marks.

Critical Thinking Papers

For Paper 2 – Critical Thinking, examiners noted that successful candidates:

• Identified assumptions accurately.
• Distinguished between evidence and opinion.
• Evaluated arguments using appropriate reasoning terminology.
• Avoided simply paraphrasing the source material when identifying unstated assumptions.
• Applied reliability criteria consistently when evaluating evidence.

Problem Solving Papers

For Problem Solving components, examiner feedback emphasises:

• Showing clear working throughout calculations.
• Reading numerical information carefully.
• Checking answers before moving to the next question.
• Using logical strategies rather than guessing.
• Presenting solutions clearly and systematically.

Teachers and tutors can use the examiner report to identify common student weaknesses, improve classroom teaching, strengthen revision programmes, and prepare learners more effectively for future Cambridge examinations. Students benefit by comparing their own answers with official examiner feedback, helping them improve examination technique, logical reasoning, and structured argument development.

For comprehensive examination preparation, students should study the 9694 AS & A Level Thinking Skills Examiner Report 2025 alongside the official Question Papers, Mark Schemes, Grade Thresholds, Syllabus Document, Syllabus Update, Specimen Question Papers, Specimen Mark Schemes, Scheme of Work, Learner Guide, Teacher Guide, and Example Candidate Responses. Together, these official Cambridge resources provide complete guidance on assessment standards, examiner expectations, and successful examination techniques.