AQA GCSE Physics (8463)
Exam structure at a glance for AQA GCSE Physics: every paper with its time, marks and weighting, plus tiers, practicals and the links you need.
- Board
- AQA
- Specification code
- 8463
- Tiers
- Foundation and higher
- First teaching
- 2016
- Exam papers
- 2 · 3 h 30 min in total
- Last checked
- 2026-10-20
The national curriculum content behind this GCSE: KS4 Science programme of study.
Papers and weightings
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight | What it is (our summary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1: Topics 1-4: energy; electricity; particle model of matter; atomic structure | 1 h 45 min | 100 | 50% | |
| Paper 2: Topics 5-8: forces; waves; magnetism and electromagnetism; space physics | 1 h 45 min | 100 | 50% | Can also draw on energy and electricity ideas from paper 1. |
Times are exam lengths; weightings are shares of the whole GCSE. Summaries are in our own words.
Good to know
- Number of required practicals: 10
- Required practicals: Exam questions on them are at least 15% of marks.
- Formulae / equations sheet: Physics equations sheet supplied for 2025-2027 exams, and from 2028 for the life of the current specifications (Ofqual decision, May 2026).
- Question types (our summary): Multiple choice, structured, closed short answer and open response.
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
- AQA: Specification at a glance (board website)
- AQA: Past papers and mark schemes (board website)
- AQA: Grade boundaries (board website)
Facts checked against: aqa.org.uk, aqa.org.uk, aqa.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 AQA GCSE Physics exams?
Paper 1: 1 h 45 min; Paper 2: 1 h 45 min.