GCSE Physics 2027: the equation sheet, exam dates, papers and grade boundaries

GCSE Physics equation sheet 2027

The Department for Education and Ofqual confirmed that students taking exams in 2025, 2026 and 2027 don't need to memorise the physics equations. AQA says its 2027 sheet is the same one used in 2026 and comes as an insert with both GCSE Physics papers, and with the physics papers in Combined Science.

What is on the AQA GCSE Physics equation sheet

The 2027 Physics Equations Sheet lists the equations in words and symbols, and marks the ones only needed on Higher with HT. These are some of the GCSE physics equations on it:

Edexcel and OCR give equivalent sheets to their own students, so use your board's version. It still pays to know the common equations by heart: you'll work faster, and the sheet doesn't tell you which equation a question needs.

Will there be an equation sheet after 2027?

Yes. Ofqual has decided that from 2028, for the lifetime of the current GCSEs, boards must publish the sheets by 1 September of the year before, keep them consistent, and give a clean copy with every paper. Boards also won't set questions that can be answered just by copying from the sheet. AQA says this affects standard demand questions that currently ask you to "write down the equation that links" two quantities.

GCSE Physics papers and specifications

AQA GCSE Physics specification and Paper 1

The AQA GCSE Physics specification has eight topics. AQA GCSE Physics Paper 1 covers energy, electricity, the particle model of matter and atomic structure. Paper 2 covers forces, waves, magnetism and electromagnetism, and space physics, which is in the separate Physics GCSE only.

GCSE Physics exam dates 2027

Dates are from the final timetables of AQA, Edexcel and OCR. Paper 2 is on the last day of the GCSE timetable. Results day is Thursday 19 August 2027 (JCQ).

GCSE Physics grade boundaries

Boundaries are set on your total for both papers and change every year. These are from June 2026 (AQA, Edexcel and OCR).

Required practicals

Ofqual requires at least eight practical activities, and at least 15% of the marks test practical knowledge. Expect questions on specific heat capacity, resistance, density and waves: the method, the variables and what the results show. Analyse your own data in the Practical Data Lab.

Using the equation sheet: worked examples

At least 30% of the marks test maths, more than in biology or chemistry. We wrote these questions for this guide. The skill is picking the equation and rearranging it.

Kinetic energy (Foundation and Higher)

Question: a 900 kg car travels at 20 m/s. Find its kinetic energy.

That is 180 kJ. Square the speed before you multiply: ½ × 900 × 20 = 9,000 is the usual wrong answer. Try more with the Kinetic Energy Calculator.

Resistance and power

Question: a current of 0.20 A flows through a resistor with 3.0 V across it. Find its resistance and the power it transfers.

Rearrange V = IR to R = V ÷ I = 3.0 ÷ 0.20 = 15 Ω. Then P = I²R = 0.20² × 15 = 0.6 W. Now try reading a resistance from a graph in our Electricity course and press Mark.

Wave speed

A wave has frequency 50 Hz and wavelength 0.40 m, so v = fλ = 50 × 0.40 = 20 m/s. Wavelength must be in metres: 40 cm gives the right answer only after you convert. Check with the Wave Speed Calculator.

Force and momentum (Higher)

Question: a 0.15 kg ball moving at 20 m/s is stopped in 0.05 s. Find the average force. Using F = mΔv/Δt: F = 0.15 × 20 ÷ 0.05 = 60 N. A longer stopping time means a smaller force, which is why padding and crumple zones work.

GCSE Physics past papers and revision

Past papers and mark schemes are free from AQA, Edexcel and OCR, though the newest are often kept back for teachers to use as mocks. Practise with the 2027 equation sheet beside you, just as in the exam.

1. Write what you know first: list the quantities and units given, then find the equation that links them.
2. Rearrange before you substitute. It keeps the working clear for method marks.
3. Learn the units for every quantity on the sheet, since the sheet gives equations, not units.
4. Revise each required practical, including how to make it more accurate.
5. Time yourself: 105 minutes for 100 marks is just over a minute a mark.

Common GCSE Physics mistakes

• Unit prefixes. Convert kJ, mA, cm and g before using an equation.
• Squaring the wrong thing in kinetic energy or power.
• Mass and weight confused. Mass is in kg; weight is a force in newtons.
• Too many significant figures. Match the data in the question.
• Vague six mark answers. Explain each step of a process in order, using physics words.

Use a daily paper as a short timed mock

Year 11 mocks run through the winter. Between them, sit today's Foundation or Higher paper with the equation sheet beside you. For dates and whether mocks count, see the GCSE mocks guide. Our GCSE Physics mock paper page compares the daily paper with the real exam and shows how to sit it.

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