GCSE Combined science: Exam Structure by Board
Your Teacher Information Pack for GCSE Combined science: how the exams are built for each board, the key dates for summer 2027, and links to specifications, past papers and grade boundaries.
- Qualification
- GCSE (9 to 1)
- Years
- Year 10 and Year 11 (KS4)
- Boards covered
- AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR
- Entries 2026 (England)
- 951,510 (no. 1 by entries)
- Last checked
- 2026-10-20
Entries: Ofqual provisional entries, summer 2026 (rounded).
The national curriculum content behind this GCSE: KS4 Science programme of study.
Exam structure by board
Pick your board to see every paper with its length, marks and weighting, plus practicals, tiers and links.
AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (8464)
Tiers: Foundation and higher · first taught 2016 · 21 required practicals
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology Paper 1: Topics 1-4: cell biology; organisation; infection and response; bioenergetics | 1 h 15 min | 70 | 16.7% |
| Biology Paper 2: Topics 5-7: homeostasis and response; inheritance, variation and evolution; ecology | 1 h 15 min | 70 | 16.7% |
| Chemistry Paper 1: Topics 8-12: atomic structure and the periodic table; bonding, structure and properties of matter; quantitative chemistry; chemical changes; energy changes | 1 h 15 min | 70 | 16.7% |
| Chemistry Paper 2: Topics 13-17: rate and extent of chemical change; organic chemistry; chemical analysis; chemistry of the atmosphere; using resources | 1 h 15 min | 70 | 16.7% |
| Physics Paper 1: Topics 18-21: energy; electricity; particle model of matter; atomic structure | 1 h 15 min | 70 | 16.7% |
| Physics Paper 2: Topics 22-24: forces; waves; magnetism and electromagnetism | 1 h 15 min | 70 | 16.7% |
AQA GCSE Combined Science: Synergy (8465)
Tiers: Foundation and higher · first taught 2016 · 21 required practicals
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Life and environmental sciences (topics 4.1-4.4) | 1 h 45 min | 100 | 25% |
| Paper 2: Life and environmental sciences (topics 4.1-4.4) | 1 h 45 min | 100 | 25% |
| Paper 3: Physical sciences (topics 4.5-4.8) | 1 h 45 min | 100 | 25% |
| Paper 4: Physical sciences (topics 4.5-4.8) | 1 h 45 min | 100 | 25% |
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Combined Science (1SC0)
Tiers: Foundation and higher · first taught 2016 · 18 required practicals
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Biology 1 (topics 1-5) | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
| Paper 2: Biology 2 (topics 1, 6-9) | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
| Paper 3: Chemistry 1 (topics 1-4) | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
| Paper 4: Chemistry 2 (topics 1, 6-8) | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
| Paper 5: Physics 1 (topics 1-6) | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
| Paper 6: Physics 2 (topics 1, 8-10, 12-15) | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
Full Pearson Edexcel pack · specification on the Pearson Edexcel website
OCR GCSE (9-1) Combined Science A (Gateway Science) (J250)
Tiers: Foundation and higher · first taught 2016
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Papers 1 / 7: Biology | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
| Papers 2 / 8: Biology (synoptic) | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
| Papers 3 / 9: Chemistry | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
| Papers 4 / 10: Chemistry (synoptic) | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
| Papers 5 / 11: Physics | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
| Papers 6 / 12: Physics (synoptic) | 1 h 10 min | 60 | 16.7% |
OCR GCSE (9-1) Combined Science B (Twenty First Century Science) (J260)
Tiers: Foundation and higher (foundation grades 1-1 to 5-5, higher 4-4 to 9-9) · first taught 2016
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Papers 1 / 5: Biology (B1-B6, BCP7-8) | 1 h 45 min | 95 | 26.4% |
| Papers 2 / 6: Chemistry (C1-C6, BCP7-8) | 1 h 45 min | 95 | 26.4% |
| Papers 3 / 7: Physics (P1-P6, BCP7-8) | 1 h 45 min | 95 | 26.4% |
| Papers 4 / 8: Combined science (all content) | 1 h 45 min | 75 | 20.8% |
WJEC Eduqas: No GCSE combined science on the Eduqas qualifications list read 2026-10-20 (https://www.eduqas.co.uk/qualifications/). The DfE qualifications register shows the Eduqas GCSE Combined Science (60187657) as archived, funding end 31/08/2020.
Formulae and equations sheets
Formulae sheets (maths) and equations sheets (physics, combined science) are given in 2025, 2026 and 2027 exams. Ofqual decided (consultation 2-23 March 2026, outcome added 5 May 2026) to keep them from 2028 for the life of the current specifications: boards publish them by 1 September the year before, give clean copies with each paper, and must not set questions answerable just by copying from the sheet. Ofqual decision (GOV.UK)
Key dates
Summer 2027 exam series
- Entries deadline: Sun, 21 February 2027
- First exam: Mon, 10 May 2027
- Last GCSE exam: Fri, 18 June 2027
- Contingency day: Wed, 23 June 2027
- GCSE results day: Thu, 19 August 2027 (from a provisional board timetable)
Sources: JCQ key dates June 2027 (final (JCQ key dates)); JCQ key dates and timetables; JCQ timetable commentary. Check each board's final timetable for paper dates. Last checked 2026-10-20.
Official documents
- Ofqual subject-level conditions and requirements (GOV.UK)
- Grade boundaries: AQA
- Grade boundaries: Pearson Edexcel
- Grade boundaries: OCR
- Grade boundaries: WJEC Eduqas
- JCQ access arrangements
More packs
Other GCSEs: GCSE Mathematics, GCSE English language, GCSE English literature, GCSE History, GCSE Geography, GCSE Religious studies, GCSE Art and design, GCSE Biology, GCSE Chemistry, GCSE Physics. Find another TIP
Exam facts (paper names, times, marks, weightings, tiers, codes) are taken from each exam board's own specification pages and summarised in our own words; no specification text, papers or mark schemes are reproduced. Exam details checked against the board's specification on 2026-10-20. Always check the current specification on the board's website.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (Ofqual and DfE pages on GOV.UK). Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department for Education, Ofqual, JCQ, AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR or WJEC Eduqas.
Questions teachers ask
How many papers are there in GCSE Combined science?
AQA 8464: 6 exam papers; AQA 8465: 4 exam papers; Pearson Edexcel 1SC0: 6 exam papers; OCR J250: 6 exam papers (6 sat by each student); OCR J260: 4 exam papers (4 sat by each student). Check the board's specification for options and routes.
Is GCSE Combined science tiered?
Yes. Students are entered for foundation or higher tier.