GCSE and A level exam dates 2027: Maths, Physics and results days
The summer 2027 GCSE and A level exams start on Monday 10 May 2027. A level results day is Thursday 12 August and GCSE results day is Thursday 19 August. Here are the paper dates for Maths, Further Maths and Physics, and how to plan the months before them.
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Key dates for summer 2027
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Monday 10 May 2027 | The summer exam series starts |
| Wednesday 23 June 2027 | Contingency day: kept free in case exams have to be moved for national disruption |
| Thursday 12 August 2027 | A level and AS results day |
| Thursday 19 August 2027 | GCSE results day |
Schools receive results electronically the day before (11 August for A level, 18 August for GCSE), but students get them on results day. Every exam starts at 9am (morning) or 1.30pm (afternoon), and a school can start up to 30 minutes earlier or later.
Keep 23 June free. If a national event stops exams on one day, the papers move to the contingency day, and you are expected to be available.
GCSE Maths exam dates 2027
GCSE Maths is sat in common slots agreed by all the exam boards through the JCQ, so AQA and Edexcel students sit their three papers on the same mornings.
| Paper | Date | Calculator | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Friday 14 May 2027, morning | Not allowed | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Paper 2 | Thursday 27 May 2027, morning | Allowed | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Paper 3 | Monday 14 June 2027, morning | Allowed | 1 hour 30 minutes |
The dates are the same for Foundation and Higher tier. OCR GCSE Maths uses the same three common slots, but its paper order is different: OCR's non-calculator paper is the second paper (Paper 2 at Foundation, Paper 5 at Higher), so check your timetable for which one falls on which day. Our guide to calculator and non-calculator topics explains how to prepare for each paper.
For 2025, 2026 and 2027, a formulae sheet is provided in the GCSE Maths exam. Learn the formulas anyway: looking each one up costs time.
GCSE Physics exam dates 2027 (AQA)
| Paper | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Physics Paper 1 (8463) | Tuesday 25 May 2027, morning | 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Physics Paper 2 (8463) | Friday 18 June 2027, morning | 1 hour 45 minutes |
| Combined Science: Trilogy, Physics Paper 1 | Tuesday 25 May 2027, morning | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Combined Science: Trilogy, Physics Paper 2 | Friday 18 June 2027, morning | 1 hour 15 minutes |
Edexcel and OCR set their own science timetables, so if you sit their physics papers, check the board's timetable. An equations sheet is provided in GCSE Physics and Combined Science exams in 2025, 2026 and 2027.
A level Maths, Further Maths and Physics dates 2027 (AQA)
| Paper | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Maths Paper 1 (7357) | Wednesday 26 May 2027, afternoon | 2 hours |
| Maths Paper 2 (7357) | Wednesday 9 June 2027, afternoon | 2 hours |
| Maths Paper 3 (7357) | Wednesday 16 June 2027, afternoon | 2 hours |
| Further Maths Paper 1 (7367) | Thursday 20 May 2027, afternoon | 2 hours |
| Further Maths Paper 2 (7367) | Tuesday 25 May 2027, afternoon | 2 hours |
| Further Maths Paper 3 (Discrete, Mechanics or Statistics) | Thursday 10 June 2027, afternoon | 2 hours |
| Physics Paper 1 (7408) | Friday 21 May 2027, morning | 2 hours |
| Physics Paper 2 (7408) | Thursday 27 May 2027, afternoon | 2 hours |
| Physics Paper 3 (7408) | Tuesday 8 June 2027, morning | 2 hours |
Unlike GCSE Maths, A level papers are not all in shared slots across boards, so Edexcel, OCR and Cambridge International students should take their dates from their own board's timetable. Pearson publishes the Edexcel timetable on its qualifications website, and your exams officer will give you a personal timetable.
AQA A level Maths students use the booklet "Formulae for A-level Mathematics", and Further Maths students use "Formulae and statistical tables for A-level Further Mathematics". Practise with the same booklet you will have on the day. Our guide to the A level Maths formula booklet shows what is in it and what you still need to learn.
Planning your revision around these dates
From late October 2026 there are about 29 weeks until the first GCSE Maths paper. A plan that works for most students:
| When | Focus |
|---|---|
| Now to December | Finish or consolidate the topics taught so far. Mock exams usually fall in December or January, so use them to find weak topics. |
| January to February | Topic-by-topic practice on the weak areas from your mocks. One past paper a fortnight, marked with the mark scheme. |
| March to April | Full past papers under timed conditions, a paper a week per subject, with an error log. |
| May to June | Short, focused revision between papers. For maths, revisit the topics for the next paper, not the one just sat. |
Free resources: GCSE Maths past papers, GCSE Physics past papers, A level Maths past papers, A level Physics past papers, and GCSE Maths practice by topic.
Common mistakes
- Booking a holiday before 23 June: the contingency day is part of the exam period.
- Assuming every board shares the same A level dates. Only some subjects use common slots, so check your own board.
- Revising Paper 1 topics only before Paper 1. Any GCSE Maths topic can come up on any paper.
- Using a different formula booklet in practice from the one you will get in the exam.
Frequently asked questions
When do GCSE exams start in 2027?
Monday 10 May 2027.
When is GCSE results day 2027?
Thursday 19 August 2027.
When is A level results day 2027?
Thursday 12 August 2027.
When is the GCSE Maths Paper 1 exam in 2027?
Friday 14 May 2027, in the morning. It is the non-calculator paper for AQA and Edexcel.
What is the 2027 contingency day?
Wednesday 23 June 2027. Exams are moved there only if a national event stops them going ahead on their scheduled day.
Are these dates final?
The GCSE timetable is provisional and can change. Your exams officer gives you the final personal timetable.
Key takeaways
- Exams start Monday 10 May 2027; contingency day Wednesday 23 June.
- GCSE Maths (AQA and Edexcel): 14 May, 27 May and 14 June, all mornings.
- Results days: A level 12 August, GCSE 19 August 2027.
Sources: AQA provisional GCSE exam timetable May/June 2027 and AQA AS and A-level exam timetable May/June 2027, which include the JCQ results days and contingency day; Pearson Edexcel provisional GCSE timetable summer 2027. Checked 21 October 2026. Timetables can change: your school's exams officer has the final version.