Understanding your Exam

This advice applies mainly to the AQA exam board.

There are two different entry options for GCSE Science - Combined or Triple.

• GCSE Combined Science means that you will end up with 2 GCSEs from an average of all of your Biology, Chemistry and Physics exams. This is a better option for students who may be stronger in one of the sciences than in the others, as the average will improve their overall grade. It is worth noting that some schools do not allow students to continue their studies at A-level unless they have achieved a grade 7 or above in the subject at GCSE - remember to take this into account when deciding between combined or triple.

• GCSE Triple Science means that you will end up with 3 GCSEs. You will receive a separate grade for each of your Biology, Chemistry, and Physics subjects. This is a better option for students who love science and want to gain additional knowledge, as the content is slightly longer in each subject.

No matter which option you take, each student will still sit two Biology papers, two Chemistry papers and two Physics papers.

Physics AQA Paper 1 focuses on content typically covered in Year 10. The topics are Energy, Electricity, the Particle Model of Matter, and Atomic Structure.

Physics AQA Paper 2 focuses on content typically covered in Year 11. Those topics are: Forces, Waves, Magnetism, Electromagnetism, and Space Physics. However, only students who entered for triple science will study Space Physics.

For Combined Science, each paper will be 1 hour and 15 minutes long and worth 70 marks.

For Triple Science, each paper will be 1 hour and 45 minutes long and be worth 100 marks.

Both papers are averaged together to give you your final grade.

At Triple Higher Tier (see below for more information on this) - the highest grade is grade 9, and the minimum grade to pass is grade 4.

For Combined Science, as you get 2 GCSE grades, your six papers (2 papers from each science) get averaged together to give you two grades, which will be presented as anything from the top end of 9-9 to the bottom end of 4-4, if sitting the HT paper.

Whether you choose Combined Science or Triple Science, you will then need to decide whether to be entered for the HT or FT Combined Science exams, or the HT or FT Triple Science exams.

HT -> Higher Tier.

FT -> Foundation Tier.

Some people are naturally better at science, and some are naturally better at the humanities. Students who enjoy science and are strong in it will want to enrol in the HT exams, as they will study slightly more content than FT students, and their exams will test their knowledge in depth. Students can be awarded a grade from 9 (the top grade) to 4 (a pass). Any grade below 4 is a fail, and the grade will be recorded as U (ungradable).

Students who do not enjoy science as much or find it difficult should be entered into the FT exam. This exam is easier as less content is assessed, the maths is less complex, and it includes more multiple-choice questions. As such, the maximum grade a student can get is grade 5. They can be awarded any grade from U to 5, with grade 4 still being the pass grade.

We highly recommend that you discuss with your teachers/school which entry tier they think you should be placed in and whether you should take Combined or Triple Science, as they can advise best based on your previous attainment in science exams. You may also like to check whether or not your school will accept you on to A-level courses with Combined Science.

The Department for Education (DfE) and Ofqual confirmed that students taking exams in 2026 and 2027 will not need to memorise the physics equations for GCSE Physics or GCSE Combined Science.

The equation sheet provided in the AQA Physics exam is shown below. All formulas are written out entirely in words and in equation form. The Combined Science Physics Equation Sheet is the same except for the equation that is used to calculate moments, the equation that relates the number of turns of coil in a transformer to the pd, the equation used to calculate impulse and the three equations used to calculate pressure are omitted as these are all triple-only topics.

You can download this equation sheet here -> https://myedspace.co.uk/gcse-physics-equation-sheet