AQA GCSE Physics Past Papers 2020–2025 (8463) – All Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher with Mark Schemes
- William Cartwright
- Feb 18
- 8 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
This page provides the latest AQA GCSE Physics past papers from 2020 to 2025 (8463), including Paper 1 and Paper 2 for both Foundation and Higher tiers, together with official mark schemes so you can practise using real exam questions.
Before you dive into the papers, it's worth taking a few minutes to read through the examiner advice by clicking here or scrolling below. It covers the mistakes that come up year after year — and more importantly, explains exactly what AQA examiners want to see in a high-scoring answer. A little time spent here could save you a lot of marks.
2025 AQA GCSE Physics Past Papers (8463) – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher Question Papers
2025 AQA GCSE Physics | Downloads | |
AQA GCSE Physics 2025 Paper 1 Foundation (8463/1F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2025 Paper 1 Higher (8463/1H) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2025 Paper 2 Foundation (8463/2F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2025 Paper 2 Higher (8463/2H) | ||
2024 AQA GCSE Physics Past Papers (8463) – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher Question Papers
2024 AQA GCSE Physics | Downloads | |
AQA GCSE Physics 2024 Paper 1 Foundation (8463/1F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2024 Paper 1 Higher (8463/1H) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2024 Paper 2 Foundation (8463/2F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2024 Paper 2 Higher (8463/2H) | ||
2023 AQA GCSE Physics Past Papers (8463) – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher Question Papers
2023 AQA GCSE Physics | Downloads | |
AQA GCSE Physics 2023 Paper 1 Foundation (8463/1F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2023 Paper 1 Higher (8463/1H) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2023 Paper 2 Foundation (8463/2F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2023 Paper 2 Higher (8463/2H) | ||
2022 AQA GCSE Physics Past Papers (8463) – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher Question Papers
2022 AQA GCSE Physics | Downloads | |
AQA GCSE Physics 2022 Paper 1 Foundation (8463/1F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2022 Paper 1 Higher (8463/1H) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2022 Paper 2 Foundation (8463/2F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2022 Paper 2 Higher (8463/2H) | ||
2021 AQA GCSE Physics Past Papers (8463) – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher Question Papers
2021 AQA GCSE Physics | Downloads | |
AQA GCSE Physics 2021 Paper 1 Foundation (8463/1F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2021 Paper 1 Higher (8463/1H) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2021 Paper 2 Foundation (8463/2F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2021 Paper 2 Higher (8463/2H) | ||
2020 AQA GCSE Physics Past Papers (8463) – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher Question Papers
2020 AQA GCSE Physics | Downloads | |
AQA GCSE Physics 2020 Paper 1 Foundation (8463/1F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2020 Paper 1 Higher (8463/1H) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2020 Paper 2 Foundation (8463/2F) | ||
AQA GCSE Physics 2020 Paper 2 Higher (8463/2H) | ||
What AQA GCSE Physics Examiners Wish Every Student Knew
1. Handwriting That's Hard to Read
This one is a much bigger problem for examiners than you might expect. If an examiner genuinely can't read your response, they can't award marks for it — no matter how good your answer actually is.
If your handwriting is a real concern, it's worth speaking to your school about access arrangements such as a scribe or word processor. These are there precisely for this reason, and using them could make a significant difference to the marks you receive.
2. Forgetting to Convert Units Before Calculating
Unit conversion errors are one of the most common sources of "power of 10" mistakes in physics calculations. Leaving milliamperes as mA instead of converting to A, or forgetting to convert grams to kilograms or minutes to seconds, can throw off an entire answer even when the method is perfectly correct.
How to avoid it: Before you write a single number into an equation, check whether the units in the question match what the formula requires. It takes seconds and can save you from losing marks on a calculation you actually understood.
3. Rearranging the Equation Before Substituting
This is a really important one. Many students rearrange the equation first and then substitute their numbers into the rearranged version — but if that rearrangement is wrong, the whole answer scores zero. There are no marks to salvage.*
How to avoid it: Always substitute your numbers into the equation exactly as it appears on the equation sheet first. That way, even if your rearrangement goes wrong in the next step, you've already secured the substitution mark. It's a small change in habit that protects marks you'd otherwise lose entirely."
4. Squaring Errors in Formulas
This catches students out in two opposite ways — either forgetting to square a value that the formula requires you to square, or squaring something that's already squared in its units. For example, taking an area of 49 m² and squaring it again is a double-counting error that changes the answer entirely.
Slow down when you spot a squaring operation and ask yourself clearly: is this something the formula is telling me to do, or is it already built into the units of the measurement I've been given? Keeping those two things separate will save you from an easy but costly mistake.
5. Using Vague or Imprecise Language
Physics examiners are looking for technical precision, and loose language simply won't score. Writing "it" without specifying what, saying "fair test" without explaining what's being controlled, or making absolute statements like "no energy is wasted" — none of these will earn credit.
Reach for the correct specification language every time. "Dissipated" instead of "wasted." "Resultant force" instead of "overall push." "Repeatable" instead of "fair." "Gravitational potential energy" instead of "stored energy." The right word is almost always more specific than the vague one — and that specificity is what the mark is attached to.
6. Misreading Graphs
Graph mistakes in physics tend to fall into a few familiar patterns — misreading the scale on an axis, drawing a line of best fit freehand when a ruler should be used, or assuming every line of best fit must be straight when the data clearly curves.
Before you take any reading from a graph, pause and work out exactly what each grid square represents on both axes — don't assume. Use a ruler for straight lines of best fit, and if the data follows a curve, draw a smooth curve rather than forcing a straight line through it. Let the data tell you what shape the line should be."
7. Forgetting to Mention Frequency in Collision Explanations
When explaining gas pressure, many students say there are "more collisions" — which is on the right track, but not quite enough. The examiner wants to know that those collisions are happening more frequently, not just that there are more of them in some general sense.
Whenever you're discussing particle collisions in the context of gas pressure or kinetic theory, be explicit about the rate. Say "more collisions per second" or "collisions occur more frequently" — that time element is what turns a partial answer into a complete one.
8. Being Vague About Practical Methods
In required practical questions, writing "measure the resistance" without explaining how you'd actually do it won't score the marks. Examiners want to see that you know which apparatus to use and exactly how you'd use it.
Be specific about the equipment and the steps. Don't just say what you'd measure — explain how. Name the ammeter and voltmeter, describe where they go in the circuit, and outline the exact steps for changing and recording your variables. If a circuit is involved, a clearly labelled diagram can often do the explaining more efficiently than words alone.
9. Mixing Up Variables
Independent, dependent, and control variables get confused constantly — and in an investigation question, getting them wrong suggests a fundamental misunderstanding of experimental method.
Keep the definitions simple and practise applying them to every required practical you revise. The independent variable is what you deliberately change. The dependent variable is what you measure as a result. Everything else that's kept the same is a control variable. Run through this for each practical until it becomes second nature.
10. Repeating the Question Back as a Conclusion
A conclusion that simply restates what the question already told you adds nothing — and scores nothing. Examiners are looking for analysis, not a summary of information they already provided.
Every conclusion should go further than the question did. Explain why a trend occurs, not just that it does. Compare values with a calculation if the data allows it. Ask yourself: am I adding something new here, or just rewording what I was given? If it's the latter, push a little further — that's where the marks are.
What Grade Do I Need to Get a Grade 9 for AQA GCSE Physics Higher Tier?
If we look at the full period whereby this syllabus has been tested, the marks needed for each grade do not fluctuate wildly. Instead, they move within a relatively narrow band.
Higher Tier Grade 9 (Out of 200 marks)
2018: 135
2019: 143
2020: 140
2021: 142
2022: 150
2023: 147
2024: 151
2025: 152
This shows a clear range of about 135–152, which is relatively tight across 8 years. That is the range you should aim for to get Grade 9.
What has changed for the 2026 AQA GCSE Physics exams?
The most significant change is that students will be provided with a full equation sheet during the exam — a temporary measure originally introduced post-pandemic that has now been confirmed for 2025, 2026, and 2027. This means you no longer need to memorise the 20+ physics equations that would normally be required. However, the sheet doesn't remove the challenge entirely: you still need to know how to select the right equation for each question, rearrange it (for example, making m the subject of F=ma), and convert units correctly (such as cm to m). The core subject content and specification (8463) remain unchanged from previous years.
Are past papers from 2020-2025 still relevant for my 2026 AQA GCSE Physics?
Yes, completely. The eight units of the AQA Physics specification (8463) have remained consistent since the 9-1 grading system was introduced, meaning past papers are still fully relevant and useful for your 2026 exam preparation.
What Grade Do I Need to Get a Grade 5 for AQA GCSE Physics Foundations Tier?
The Grade 5 boundary on the Foundation Tier has stayed fairly consistent over the years:
Foundation Tier Grade 5
2018: 123
2019: 129
2020: 123
2021: 122
2022: 135
2023: 133
2024: 136
2025: 144
The boundary to achieve Grade 5 typically falls somewhere between 120 and 145 marks, and has remained relatively stable across all years
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