Latest Edexcel GCSE Physics Past Papers 2020–2025 (9–1) – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher with Mark Schemes
- Daniel White
- Feb 18
- 8 min read
Updated: Mar 1
This page provides the latest Edexcel GCSE Physics past papers from 2020 to 2025 (9–1), including Paper 1 and Paper 2 Foundation and Higher tier question papers, official mark schemes and examiner resources. These Pearson Edexcel Physics papers are essential for students preparing for their GCSE exams in 2026, 2027 and beyond, as they allow you to practise real exam questions, improve your exam technique and understand exactly how marks are awarded.
Before you dive into the papers, it's worth taking a few minutes to read through the examiner advice and common mistakes section by clicking here or scrolling down. It covers the errors that come up year after year and — just as importantly — explains what examiners are actually looking for. That kind of insight can make a real difference to how you approach every question. And if you're not completely sure whether this is the right Edexcel GCSE Physics specification or paper for your exam, click here to double-check before you start.
2024 Edexcel GCSE Physics (9–1) Past Papers – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher (Free Question Papers & Mark Schemes)
2024 Edexcel GCSE Physics | Downloads | |
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2024 Paper 1 Foundation Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2024 Paper 1 Higher Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2024 Paper 2 Foundation Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2024 Paper 2 Higher Tier | ||
2023 Edexcel GCSE Physics (9–1) Past Papers – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher (Free Question Papers & Mark Schemes)
2023 Edexcel GCSE Physics | Downloads | |
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2023 Paper 1 Foundation Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2023 Paper 1 Higher Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2023 Paper 2 Foundation Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2023 Paper 2 Higher Tier | ||
2022 Edexcel GCSE Physics (9–1) Past Papers – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher (Free Question Papers & Mark Schemes)
2022 Edexcel GCSE Physics | Downloads | |
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2022 Paper 1 Foundation Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2022 Paper 1 Higher Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2022 Paper 2 Foundation Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2022 Paper 2 Higher Tier | ||
2021 Edexcel GCSE Physics (9–1) Past Papers – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher (Free Question Papers & Mark Schemes)
2021 Edexcel GCSE Physics | Downloads | |
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2021 Paper 1 Foundation Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2021 Paper 1 Higher Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2021 Paper 2 Foundation Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2021 Paper 2 Higher Tier | ||
June 2020 Edexcel GCSE Physics (9–1) Past Papers – Paper 1 & Paper 2 Foundation and Higher (Free Question Papers & Mark Schemes)
2020 Edexcel GCSE Physics | Downloads | |
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2020 Paper 1 Foundation Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2020 Paper 1 Higher Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2020 Paper 2 Foundation Tier | ||
Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) Physics Past Paper – June 2020 Paper 2 Higher Tier | ||
What Edexcel GCSE Physics Examiners Wish Every Student Knew Before the Exam
1. Mixing Up Wavelength and Frequency
These two wave properties get confused constantly — and it's the kind of error that can quietly unravel answers across multiple questions if the underlying understanding isn't solid.
Make sure you've got a clear, confident grasp of both concepts and practise applying them to unfamiliar scenarios in past papers. Don't just memorise the definitions — get comfortable using them.
2. Getting EM Wave Properties Muddled
A really common mistake is mixing up the properties, uses, and hazards of different types of electromagnetic radiation. Attributing the properties of ultraviolet light — like detecting banknotes or causing skin cancer — to X-rays is a classic example that comes up regularly.
Go through the EM spectrum and learn the specific uses and hazards for each type of radiation individually. They each have their own distinct characteristics, and the only way to keep them straight is to memorise them separately rather than as a group.
3. Describing Instead of Explaining
When a question asks you to "explain," simply describing what happens isn't enough. Examiners want to know why it happens — and without that reasoning, even a accurate description will fall short of full marks.
Use the word "because" to force yourself into explanation mode. Start with a brief description of what's happening, then follow it immediately with the scientific reason behind it. That two-part structure is what a complete explanation looks like.
4. Zeros and Unit Conversion Errors
Miscounting zeros during unit conversions — like turning billions of years into years — or failing to notice what units the answer line is asking for are both surprisingly common ways to drop marks on calculations that were otherwise correct.
Before you start any calculation, look at the answer line and check what units are expected. Then write out every step of your conversion clearly rather than trying to do it in one mental leap. The more you show, the easier it is to spot where things have gone wrong.
5. Saying the Sun Will "Explode
This misconception comes up time and time again. The Sun won't explode at the end of its current phase — and using that kind of imprecise language in an exam answer will cost you marks.
Learn the correct sequence precisely. The Sun will expand into a red giant and then cool and fade — it won't go out in a dramatic explosion. The exact terminology matters here, so learn it and use it.
6. Confusing Nuclear Fusion and Fission
These two processes get mixed up constantly, and vague language like "particles joining" or "particles splitting" makes it even harder for an examiner to give you credit.*
Be precise. Fusion is two nuclei joining together to form one larger nucleus. Fission is one large nucleus splitting into smaller ones. Use the word "nuclei" — not "particles" — and make sure the direction of the process is clear in your answer.
7. Mixing Up Reaction Time and Braking Distance
This is a really common conceptual muddle. Students regularly list things like "better tyres" as factors that would increase a driver's reaction time — but tyres have nothing to do with the driver's reaction. They affect the car's braking distance.
Keep the two categories clearly separated. Reaction time is about the human — tiredness, distractions, alcohol, drugs. Braking distance is about the vehicle and the road — tyre condition, brake quality, road surface, weather. One is biological, the other is mechanical.
8. Thinking Waves Carry Objects Along With Them
A surprisingly widespread misconception is that waves move objects horizontally in the direction the wave is travelling. They don't — and writing as if they do will lose you marks.*
Remember that waves transfer energy, not matter. A duck sitting on water doesn't travel across the surface as a wave passes — it bobs up and down. For transverse waves, the movement of the medium is perpendicular to the direction the wave is travelling.
9. Misreading Graph Scales
This is a quiet but consistent mark-loser. Misidentifying what a single small square represents on a graph axis can throw off every reading and calculation that follows.
Before you take any reading from a graph, work out exactly what each grid square is worth on both axes — don't assume it's always 1 or 2. Write it down if it helps. It takes ten seconds and prevents the kind of systematic error that affects multiple marks at once.
10. Rounding and Significant Figure Mistakes
Truncating a calculator result — writing 0.96 when the correct rounded answer is 0.97, for example — or giving too many or too few significant figures are both easy mistakes to make at the end of a calculation when focus is starting to slip.
Learn to round properly rather than just cutting off digits, and match the number of significant figures in your answer to those given in the question. Before you move on, double-check that last step — it's where a lot of unnecessary marks disappear.
How many marks do I need for a Grade 9 in Edexcel GCSE Physics?
For Edexcel (Pearson) GCSE Physics Higher Tier, a Grade 9 is actually consistently within the tight range of 156 to 163 marks out of 200.
Here’s a breakdown from recent exam series:
2022: 156 marks
2023: 163 marks
2024: 161 marks
2025: 161 marks
This means most students should aim for at least 160+ marks to be safely on track for a Grade 9. In more challenging exam years, the boundary may fall closer to 155–158 marks, while in easier years it can rise above 160 marks. This is why examiners recommend building a strong margin rather than relying on the lowest boundary.
Our Insider examiner tip: Many of our Grade 8 students miss Grade 9 by only 5–8 marks, often due to mistakes in maths-heavy questions and and multi-step calculations.
What about Edexcel GCSE Physics Foundation Tier?
For Foundation Tier, the highest possible grade is Grade 5, meaning students cannot achieve Grades 6–9 on this tier. However, the mark needed for a Grade 5 is still high, so strong exam technique is essential.
Recent Grade 5 boundaries:
2022: 123 marks
2023: 134 marks
2024: 135 marks
2025: 131 marks
This means most Foundation students should aim for 130–135+ marks to secure a strong Grade 5. As these boundaries are relatively high, some students aiming for top grades may consider Higher Tier if they are capable.
Our Insider examiner tip: Many Foundation students lose easy marks in interpreting graphs, rearranging equations, and applying formulas in unfamiliar contexts, especially in topics like energy transfers, motion, and electricity. Improving these skills can quickly move a student from a Grade 4 to a Grade 5.
Am I Practising with the right Edexcel GCSE Physics Papers?
These papers are for students taking Edexcel GCSE Physics as a separate subject (sometimes called triple science), not Combined Science. If you're doing Separate Science, you're studying Biology, Chemistry, and Physics as three individual GCSEs, each with its own grade and a more detailed, in-depth syllabus. Combined Science — sometimes called Double Award — covers all three sciences together and results in two GCSE grades overall, with slightly less Physics content and a different exam structure.
Not sure which one you're doing? The easiest way to check is your exam code. Separate Physics papers always start with 1PH0. Combined Science Physics papers fall under the 1SC0 specification, though individual foundation papers often use 1PF0 or 1PH0 codes followed by a tier indicator.
It's also worth knowing that Edexcel GCSE Physics is split into Foundation and Higher tiers. Foundation covers grades 1–5 and tends to have more structured, guided questions focused on core knowledge. Higher covers grades 4–9 and brings in more challenging calculations, extended responses, and problem-solving.
Your school or teacher will have decided which tier you're entered for based on your target grade and mock performance — but if you're unsure, check your exam timetable, have a word with your teacher, or look at the paper code on your exam paper.
Has the Edexcel GCSE Physics syllabus changed recently?
No, it has not - all these papers remain extremely relevant to you. The last major overhaul was in 2016, when the current specification (code 1PH0) was introduced alongside the 9–1 grading system. First teaching began in September 2016, with first exams in June 2018. This remains the active specification for UK students today.
The core content hasn't changed since then, but there is one important procedural update to know about: for the 2026,and 2027 exam series, students will be provided with a comprehensive equation sheet in the exam room. This means you no longer need to memorise all physics equations — a significant change from the original 2016 requirement. This measure was introduced by the DfE and Ofqual in response to the long-term disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
