OCR GCSE (9-1) English Language (J351)
Exam structure at a glance for OCR GCSE (9-1) English Language: every paper with its time, marks and weighting, plus tiers, practicals and the links you need.
- Board
- OCR
- Specification code
- J351
- Tiers
- No tiers (one paper set for all)
- First teaching
- 2015
- First exams
- 2017
- Exam papers
- 2 · 4 h in total
- Last checked
- 2026-10-20
The national curriculum content behind this GCSE: KS4 English programme of study.
Papers and weightings
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight | What it is (our summary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Component 01: Communicating information and ideas | 2 h | 80 | 50% | Section A reading (40 marks): two unseen non-fiction texts (one 19th-century, one 20th/21st-century), four questions. Section B writing (40 marks): one non-fiction task from a choice of two. |
| Component 02: Exploring effects and impact | 2 h | 80 | 50% | Section A reading (40 marks): two unseen literary prose texts (or prose plus literary non-fiction), four questions. Section B writing (40 marks): one creative task from a choice of two. |
| Component 03/04: Spoken language Endorsement | not stated | – | Reported separately | Centre-assessed presentation, monitored by OCR; Pass/Merit/Distinction (or Not Classified) reported separately. 03 = repository upload, 04 = postal moderation. |
Times are exam lengths; weightings are shares of the whole GCSE. Summaries are in our own words.
Good to know
- Non-exam assessment: Spoken language endorsement (0% of grade, reported separately).
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.
Specification, past papers and grade boundaries
- OCR: Specification at a glance (board website)
- OCR: Specification (PDF, board website)
- OCR: Past papers and mark schemes (board website)
- OCR: Grade boundaries (board website)
Facts checked against: ocr.org.uk.
More packs
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 long are the OCR GCSE (9-1) English Language exams?
Component 01: 2 h; Component 02: 2 h.