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Free Physics Past Papers for every UK exam board

Find the right papers for your physics course, see how each board's exams are set out, and learn how to use past papers to lift your grade. Covers AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, Cambridge IGCSE, Qualifications Scotland (SQA) and CCEA.

AQAEdexcelOCR GatewayOCR 21st CenturyWJECCambridge IGCSENational 5CCEAHow to revise

Not sure which exam board you're on?

Every board covers forces, energy, electricity and waves, but they split the topics differently and give you different equation sheets. Check the front of a mock paper or ask your teacher before you start. As a rough guide:

EnglandUsually AQA, Edexcel or OCR. AQA is the most widely taken GCSE Physics course.
WalesUsually WJEC. Schools in England using WJEC's sister board take Eduqas instead.
ScotlandNational 5 Physics, now awarded by Qualifications Scotland (formerly SQA).
Northern IrelandUsually CCEA, which examines practical work directly.
International and independent schoolsUsually Cambridge IGCSE (0625), sometimes Edexcel International GCSE.

Physics past papers by exam board

How each exam is set out, which topics sit on which paper, and the one thing worth knowing about that board. Then straight to the papers and mark schemes.

AQA GCSE Physics

8463Foundation and Higher

Two written papers at the end of Year 11, each covering its own half of the course.

PaperTimeMarksWeightingTopics
Paper 11h 45m10050%Energy; electricity; particle model of matter; atomic structure
Paper 21h 45m10050%Forces; waves; magnetism and electromagnetism; space physics
AQA tip: AQA gives you some equations on a sheet, but expects you to recall the rest. Make a list of the equations you must memorise and test yourself until you can write each one, with units, from memory.

AQA GCSE Physics past papers and mark schemes

Every link opens the official PDF on AQA's website. Start with Foundation or Higher to match the tier you've been entered for.

Exam seriesPaper 1 FoundationPaper 1 HigherPaper 2 FoundationPaper 2 Higher
June 2025Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2024Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2023Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2022Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
November 2021Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
November 2020Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Sample papers (2016)Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Examiner reports and more on AQA's site

Edexcel GCSE Physics

1PH0Foundation and Higher

Two written papers from Pearson Edexcel. Topic 1, key concepts of physics (units, prefixes and significant figures), can come up on either paper.

PaperTimeMarksWeightingTopics
Paper 11h 45m10050%Key concepts; motion and forces; conservation of energy; waves; light and the electromagnetic spectrum; radioactivity; astronomy
Paper 21h 45m10050%Key concepts; energy and work; forces and their effects; electricity and circuits; static electricity; magnetism and the motor effect; electromagnetic induction; particle model; forces and matter
Edexcel tip: Paper 2 is packed with electricity and magnetism. Practise circuit calculations and explaining how motors and generators work, as they come up almost every year.

Edexcel Physics past papers and mark schemes

Every link opens the official PDF on Pearson's website. Pearson keeps the most recent year's papers for teachers only, so they're added here once they become public.

Exam seriesPaper 1 FoundationPaper 1 HigherPaper 2 FoundationPaper 2 Higher
June 2025Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2024Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2023Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2022Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
November 2020Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Examiner reports and more on Pearson's site

OCR Gateway GCSE Physics A

J249Foundation and Higher

Foundation students sit papers 1 and 2; Higher students sit papers 3 and 4. Practical skills (topic P9) are tested across both.

PaperTimeMarksWeightingTopics
Paper 1 or 31h 45m9050%P1 matter; P2 forces; P3 electricity; P4 magnetism and magnetic fields
Paper 2 or 41h 45m9050%P5 waves in matter; P6 radioactivity; P7 energy; P8 global challenges
OCR Gateway tip: each paper opens with multiple choice. Many are unit or rearranging questions, so practise changing the subject of equations and converting units quickly.

OCR Gateway Physics past papers and mark schemes

Every link opens the official PDF on OCR's website. A few older mark schemes aren't published by OCR, so those cells are blank.

Exam seriesPaper 1 (Foundation)Paper 2 (Foundation)Paper 3 (Higher)Paper 4 (Higher)
June 2025Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2024Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2023Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2022Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
November 2021Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
November 2020Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2019Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2018Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Examiner reports and more on OCR's site

OCR Twenty First Century GCSE Physics B

J259Foundation and Higher

The two papers aren't split by topic: either can test anything in the course. They differ in question style.

PaperTimeMarksWeightingStyle
Breadth in physics1h 45m9050%Shorter questions across the whole course
Depth in physics1h 45m9050%Longer, extended answers in unfamiliar contexts
21st Century tip: the Depth paper rewards explaining the physics behind real situations. After each answer, check you've linked the idea to the context in the question, not just stated the rule.

OCR 21st Century Physics past papers and mark schemes

Every link opens the official PDF on OCR's website. A few older mark schemes aren't published by OCR, so those cells are blank.

Exam seriesBreadth (Foundation)Depth (Foundation)Breadth (Higher)Depth (Higher)
June 2025Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2024Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2023Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2022Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
November 2021Paper·Mark schemePaperPaperPaper
November 2020Paper·Mark schemePaperPaperPaper
June 2019Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2018Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Examiner reports and more on OCR's site

WJEC GCSE Physics (Wales)

WJECFoundation and Higher

Two written units plus a practical assessment. Separate GCSE Physics stays available in Wales alongside the new science GCSEs until at least 2031.

UnitTimeWeightingContent
Unit 11h 45m45%Electric circuits, energy and waves
Unit 21h 45m45%Forces, space and radioactivity
Unit 3Practical10%Practical assessment carried out in school
Starting Year 10 in September 2026? WJEC has updated the practical unit for new students. The written papers are still good practice.

WJEC Physics past papers and mark schemes

Every link opens the official PDF on WJEC's website. In some years WJEC published one mark scheme covering both tiers. There were no summer exams in 2020 or 2021.

Exam seriesUnit 1 FoundationUnit 1 HigherUnit 2 FoundationUnit 2 Higher
June 2025Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2024Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2023Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2022Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2019Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2018Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
June 2017PaperPaper·Mark scheme
Practical papers and more on WJEC's site

Cambridge IGCSE Physics

0625Core and Extended

Three papers for every student. Core papers lead to grades C to G; Extended papers open up the full range to A*.

PaperTimeMarksWeightingFormat
Paper 1 or 245m4030%Multiple choice (1 Core, 2 Extended)
Paper 3 or 41h 15m8050%Structured theory questions (3 Core, 4 Extended)
Paper 5 or 61h 15m or 1h4020%Practical test (5) or alternative to practical (6)
Cambridge tip: Cambridge doesn't give you an equation sheet, so every formula has to be learnt. Write them on flashcards with their units and test yourself daily in the run up to the exam.

Cambridge IGCSE Physics past papers and mark schemes

These are the papers Cambridge makes public on its own website, all opening as official PDFs. Older series are available to schools through Cambridge's School Support Hub.

Exam seriesPaper 1 (Core MCQ)Paper 2 (Extended MCQ)Paper 3 (Core)Paper 4 (Extended)Paper 5 (Practical)Paper 6 (Alt. to practical)
June 2024Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Specimen papersPaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Examiner reports on Cambridge's site

National 5 Physics (Scotland)

X857 75Qualifications Scotland

The course covers dynamics, space, electricity, properties of matter, waves and radiation. Assessment is a question paper plus an assignment written up in school.

ComponentTimeMarksFormat
Question paper2h110Multiple choice questions followed by structured and extended questions
AssignmentIn school20A report on a physics topic, including data you have gathered
Changed for 2026 to 2027: the question paper is now 110 marks in 2 hours, down from 135 marks in 2 hours 30 minutes. Older papers are still excellent practice; just allow the extra time if you're timing yourself.

National 5 Physics past papers and marking instructions

Every link opens the official PDF on the Qualifications Scotland website, which keeps the last five years. Papers up to 2026 use the longer format described above.

YearQuestion paperMarking instructionsRelationships sheet
2026Section 1·Section 2Marking instructionsRelationships sheet
2025Section 1·Section 2Marking instructionsRelationships sheet
2024Section 1·Section 2Marking instructionsRelationships sheet
2023Section 1·Section 2Marking instructionsRelationships sheet
2022Section 1·Section 2Marking instructionsRelationships sheet
Course reports and more on Qualifications Scotland's site

CCEA GCSE Physics (Northern Ireland)

CCEAFoundation and Higher

A unitised course where practical work is directly examined and worth a quarter of the grade. Exam times differ by tier.

UnitTimeWeightingContent
Unit 11h 15m (F), 1h 30m (H)37.5%Motion, force, density and kinetic theory, energy, and atomic and nuclear physics
Unit 21h 15m (F), 1h 30m (H)37.5%Waves, light, electricity, magnetism, electromagnetism and space physics
Unit 32h + 1h (F) or 1h 15m (H)25%Practical skills: Booklet A practical tasks (7.5%) and Booklet B written paper (17.5%)
CCEA tip: Booklet B questions focus on graphs, uncertainties and improving experiments. Past Booklet B papers are the quickest way to learn what examiners want.

CCEA Physics past papers and mark schemes

Every link opens the official PDF on CCEA's website. Booklet B is the written practical skills paper in Unit 3. CCEA released papers in 2021 even though exams didn't run that year.

Exam seriesUnit 1 FoundationUnit 1 HigherUnit 2 FoundationUnit 2 HigherBooklet B FoundationBooklet B Higher
Summer 2026PaperPaperPaperPaperPaperPaper
Summer 2025Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Summer 2024Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Summer 2023Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Summer 2022Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Summer 2021Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Summer 2019Paper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark schemePaper·Mark scheme
Modified papers and more on CCEA's site

How to use physics past papers properly

Physics rewards practice more than almost any other subject, because so many marks come from calculations. This routine works for every board.

  1. Learn the equations firstKnow which equations you must recall and which are given. You can't use past papers well until the equations are automatic.
  2. Use a calculation routineWrite the equation, substitute the numbers, rearrange, then give the answer with units. Method marks are available at each step, even if the final answer is wrong.
  3. Watch the unitsConvert kilometres, grams and minutes to metres, kilograms and seconds before you calculate. Unit slips cost more physics marks than anything else.
  4. Practise by topicDo every electricity question from several papers, then every forces question, and so on. You'll spot the question types that come back year after year.
  5. Keep a mistakes listRecord each lost mark and why. Review it weekly and it becomes your own revision guide.
  6. Finish with timed papersIn the final weeks, sit full papers in exam conditions and aim to finish with ten minutes to check.

Revise the topics that come up on every board

These areas appear on every physics specification. Our sister site World of Teaching has free, teacher made physics PowerPoints to go over them before you try the questions.

🔋
EnergyEnergy stores and transfers, efficiency, power and renewable resources.Physics PowerPoints →
💡
ElectricityCircuits, current, potential difference, resistance and the mains supply.Physics PowerPoints →
🚀
Forces and motionSpeed, acceleration, Newton's laws, momentum and stopping distances.Physics PowerPoints →
🌊
WavesWave properties, sound, light and the electromagnetic spectrum.Physics PowerPoints →
☢️
Atomic physics and radioactivityAtomic models, types of radiation, half life and nuclear fission.Physics PowerPoints →
🪐
Space physicsThe solar system, life cycle of stars, orbits and the expanding universe.Astronomy PowerPoints →

Physics past papers: common questions

Are these past papers free?

Yes. Every paper linked from this page is free, and most come with the matching mark scheme. Boards often hold back the newest papers for a short time so schools can use them as mocks.

Should I use Foundation or Higher tier papers?

Use the tier you've been entered for. Higher students can still use Foundation papers early on, since the hardest Foundation questions also appear on Higher papers.

I'm doing Combined Science. Can I use these papers?

Yes, for the physics topics you study. Skip anything that isn't in your Combined Science specification, such as space physics on some boards.

Do I get an equation sheet?

It depends on the board. Most GCSE boards give you some equations and expect you to recall others; Cambridge IGCSE gives none. Check your specification and practise with the same sheet you'll have in the exam.

Where can I find more physics resources?

Our sister site, World of Teaching, has free physics and astronomy PowerPoints written by teachers, and The XR School reviews virtual reality apps for exploring space and physics simulations.

Need to go over a topic first?

Free physics PowerPoints from World of Teaching, made by teachers and free to download.

Browse physics PowerPoints →

Exam structures checked October 2026. Always confirm details with your school or the exam board, as specifications can change.