OCR GCSE Maths past papers and mark schemes

By the STEM-Tutor team · Updated October 2026

OCR publishes its GCSE Maths (J560) past papers free, with mark schemes and examiner reports. OCR numbers the papers differently from other boards: Foundation tier sits Papers 1, 2 and 3, and Higher tier sits Papers 4, 5 and 6. Each paper is 100 marks in 1 hour 30 minutes, and the non-calculator papers are Paper 2 (Foundation) and Paper 5 (Higher).

OCR GCSE Maths papers by series

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Source: official OCR GCSE Maths past papers. All papers are © their publisher.

OCR GCSE Maths paper structure

For the 2025, 2026 and 2027 exams, every student gets a formulae sheet with the key formulas, such as the area of a trapezium and the quadratic formula. Practise with it, but still learn the formulas: knowing them saves time.

Tips for OCR GCSE Maths papers

• Remember the numbering: if you sit Higher, your papers are 4, 5 and 6, not 1, 2 and 3.
• OCR papers are 100 marks in 90 minutes, a little under a minute a mark, so practise working at that pace.
• OCR likes multi-step problems in context. Write down what each number represents before you calculate.
• Use the examiner reports to see which questions most students left blank, then practise those topics first.

Frequently asked questions

Which OCR GCSE Maths papers are non-calculator?

Paper 2 at Foundation tier and Paper 5 at Higher tier.

Why does OCR Higher start at Paper 4?

OCR numbers all six papers in one sequence: 1 to 3 are Foundation and 4 to 6 are Higher.

How many marks is each OCR GCSE Maths paper?

100 marks, in 1 hour 30 minutes.