Paper structures at a glance
| Board | Papers and timing | Raw marks (weighting) | MCQs | Practical assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AQA 7408 | 3 × 2 h | 85 / 85 / 80 (34 / 34 / 32%) | 25 in each of Papers 1 and 2 | Paper 3A (45 marks) + CPAC |
| Edexcel 9PH0 | 1 h 45, 1 h 45, 2 h 30 | 90 / 90 / 120 (30 / 30 / 40%) | short block in Papers 1 and 2 | 16 core practicals, Paper 3 + CPAC |
| OCR A H556 | 2 h 15, 2 h 15, 1 h 30 | 100 / 100 / 70 (37 / 37 / 26%) | 15 in each of Papers 1 and 2 | 12 PAGs in all papers + CPAC |
| OCR B H557 | 2 h 15, 2 h 15, 1 h 30 | 110 / 100 / 60 (41 / 37 / 22%) | 30 marks in Paper 1 | Paper 3 practical skills + CPAC |
| Eduqas A420QS | 2 h 15, 2 h, 2 h 15 | 100 / 100 / 120 (31.25 / 31.25 / 37.5%) | none | written papers + CPAC |
| WJEC (Wales) | AS Units 1–2; A2 Units 3–5 | Units 1–2: 80 each (20% each); Units 3–4: 100 each (25% each) | none | Unit 5 lab exam (10%) |
| CCEA (N. Ireland) | AS 1–3; A2 1–3 | AS 40%, A2 60% | none | AS 3 and A2 3 practical and data units |
| Cambridge 9702 | Papers 1–5 (7 h 45 total) | 40 / 60 / 40 / 100 / 30 (15.5 / 23 / 11.5 / 38.5 / 11.5%) | 40 in Paper 1 | Paper 3 lab exam, Paper 5 planning |
| Edexcel IAL YPH11 | 6 units, 80–105 min each | Units 1, 2, 4, 5: 80–90 marks; Units 3 and 6: 50 | block in each theory unit | written practical Units 3 and 6 |
UK boards sit in May–June. Cambridge runs in June and November (plus March in India). Edexcel IAL runs in January, June and October. WJEC and CCEA timings come from the published specifications, so check them against your board’s current documents.
Content differences that matter
Most of the core is shared. These are the differences that change what you revise:
- AQA: Paper 3 Section B is one option chosen by your school: Astrophysics, Medical physics, Engineering physics (rotational dynamics and thermodynamics), Turning points or Electronics. Each is worth 35 marks (14%). You learn only your option.
- Edexcel 9PH0: no options. Compulsory extras include fluids and viscosity (Stokes’ law), particle accelerators and detectors, and a Space topic (luminosity, Wien’s law, stellar evolution, Hubble). Paper 3 draws on the whole course.
- OCR A: astrophysics and cosmology (module 5.5) and medical imaging (module 6.5) are compulsory, as are fluid pressure and upthrust.
- OCR B (Advancing Physics): a context-led course with its own emphases: phasors in quantum behaviour, iterative computational models, the Boltzmann factor, special relativity, and digital imaging and signalling. Paper 2 includes questions on a pre-released article. OCR is withdrawing H557. Summer 2028 is the final exam series, with no resits after it.
- Eduqas and WJEC: a component or unit ends with one option from Alternating currents, Medical physics, The physics of sports, and Energy and the environment. Both teach the first law as , where is the work done the gas. Eduqas Component 1 includes a 20-mark comprehension question.
What to prioritise on each board
| Board | Where the marks are | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| AQA | 50 MCQ marks; 45 practical marks in Paper 3A | MCQ speed (25 in 35 min); graph and uncertainty fluency; treat the option as a core topic |
| Edexcel | Paper 3 is 40% and 2 h 30 | Synoptic stamina; the 16 core practicals; 6-mark answers marked for linked reasoning as well as content |
| OCR A | Papers 1–2 are 37% each; Paper 3 unified | Level-of-response (asterisked) answers; PAG methods; compulsory astrophysics and medical imaging |
| OCR B | Pre-release article; modelling | Read the Advance Notice article thoroughly; practise iterative models and Boltzmann factor questions |
| Eduqas / WJEC | Long mixed papers; option; comprehension | Comprehension technique; option depth; WJEC Unit 5 lab practice |
| CCEA | Practical units are 20% of the A level | Timed practical and data-analysis booklets |
| Cambridge | Paper 4 is 38.5%; Papers 3 and 5 together are 23% | Precise definitions and derivations; lab exam drills; planning and log-graph analysis |
| IAL | Six separate sittings | Plan unit by unit; bank early units, resit only where the gain is real |
On a unitised route (WJEC, CCEA, IAL, staged Cambridge), AS units count towards the final grade. A weak AS score has to be made up later, so treat AS papers as final exams.
Grade boundaries across boards
Each board sets its own boundaries every series. AQA’s A* needed about 75% of raw marks in June 2026. Other boards’ A* thresholds usually fall between the high 60s and the high 70s in percentage terms, but these figures have not been verified for every board and move each year. A consistent 80% in timed practice gives an A* with margin on any specification.
Using Courselo on a non-AQA board
- Choose your board in settings. The syllabus filters to your specification: topics not on it are hidden, and board-only topics (Cambridge alternating currents and the Hall effect, Edexcel viscosity, OCR B modelling, Eduqas/WJEC options) are added.
- Use lessons and banks as normal. The core is shared, and board-specific notes (terminology such as pd or p.d., sign conventions, data-sheet values) are flagged where they matter.
- Take the diagnostic. It covers every unit and builds your study plan by weight and weakness, whatever your board.
- Adapt the full mock to your paper lengths. Full Mock 1 mirrors AQA. On another board, sit it as content practice, then time yourself to your own board’s papers: for example, 90 marks in 1 h 45 for Edexcel (about 70 s per mark) or 100 marks in 2 h for Cambridge Paper 4 (72 s per mark).
- Ask the AI tutor with your board in mind. It follows your selected specification’s conventions and marking style.