Edexcel IGCSE Physics: your complete guide to the exam

Studying Edexcel IGCSE Physics? Here's a full breakdown of the exam, so you know exactly what to expect.

If your school follows Pearson Edexcel, you're working towards International GCSE Physics (4PH1). This guide walks you through how the papers are structured, what you'll be tested on, and how to prepare with confidence. Read on to find out more.

Key takeaways:

• Edexcel IGCSE Physics is graded on the 9 to 1 scale, with U for unclassified.
• You'll sit two papers, worth 180 marks in total.
• An equation sheet is being provided for 2025, 2026 and 2027 exams as extra support, though this is a temporary measure, so check with your teacher on the latest guidance.

What's the format of the Edexcel IGCSE Physics exam?

You'll sit two papers. There are no Foundation or Higher tiers.

• Paper 1:
  • 2 hours, worth 110 marks (around 61% of your final grade).
  • Covers the core content across all eight topic areas: forces and motion, electricity, waves, energy resources, solids, liquids and gases, magnetism and electromagnetism, radioactivity and particles, and astrophysics.
  • Questions are a mix of multiple choice, short answer, calculations and longer extended answers, and you can use a calculator.
• Paper 2:
  • 1 hour 15 minutes, worth 70 marks (around 39%).
  • Covers the same eight topic areas as Paper 1, but goes into extra depth on some sub-topics that Paper 1 doesn't touch.
  • The question format is the same mix as Paper 1.

For 2025, 2026 and 2027, Pearson is providing an equation sheet in the exam as extra support. This is a temporary measure though, so check with your teacher on the latest guidance and don't rely on it being there for later years.

Full details are in the official Edexcel International GCSE Physics specification.

What are the grade boundaries for Edexcel IGCSE Physics?

It's important to remember that the exact grade boundaries for your exams will change every series. Pearson sets them after the exam has been sat, based on how difficult the papers were and how the whole cohort performed.

Your final grade combines two separate papers, so there isn't one simple number to aim for. Pearson publishes the exact boundaries for every paper after each series on its grade boundaries page.

Use last series' boundaries as a general guide to what a strong performance looks like, not as a fixed target. Boundaries can move by several marks either way from one series to the next.

What are examiners looking for?

Pearson marks your answers against three assessment objectives. Examiners want to see that you can:

• Show knowledge and understanding of physical facts, concepts and terminology.
• Apply your knowledge and understanding, analyse information and evaluate evidence, including in calculations and unfamiliar contexts.
• Show experimental skills, including planning investigations, analysing data and evaluating methods.

This is exactly what Atom GCSE is designed to support. It tracks your practice against each of these three assessment objectives separately, so you can see exactly where you're hitting the marks examiners are looking for and where you still need to improve.

It then shapes what it gives you to practise next around those gaps, with instant, examiner-style feedback on every answer, so you always know precisely where you're losing marks and what to change next time.

Past papers and resources

Pearson publishes past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports for International GCSE Physics on its past papers page. These are the best way to see exactly how questions are worded and how marks are awarded.

Atom gives you unlimited practice papers and questions, including predicted papers that Atom's team of experts build by analysing exam trends and data for the year ahead. And the best part? You don't have to mark them yourself; Atom's instant feedback lets you know exactly how you've done.

Take a look at our guide on how to get the most out of GCSE past papers to make sure you're getting the most out of both.

How can I prepare for Edexcel IGCSE Physics?

Here are 5 top tips to help you get ready:

1. Learn your equations well enough that you don't need to rely on the equation sheet

While an equation sheet is currently provided as extra support, this could change in future years, and even with a sheet in front of you, working quickly still comes down to knowing which equation to use and being able to rearrange it under pressure. Build a single equation sheet of your own organised by topic, and test yourself on it regularly.

Top tip: Cover your own equation sheet and try to recall each equation from its topic heading alone, since knowing when to use an equation is just as important as having it in front of you.

2. Practise rearranging equations before the exam

Many questions ask you to rearrange an equation to find a different quantity than the one you usually calculate. Practise rearranging your key equations regularly so this step doesn't cost you time under pressure.

Top tip: For every equation you learn, practise rearranging it for each different variable, not just the one you usually calculate.

3. Get comfortable with data and graph questions

Since practical skills are assessed through written questions rather than a lab exam, you need to be confident interpreting data, plotting graphs and spotting anomalies on paper. Practise past questions on experimental design regularly, not just content recall.

Top tip: When asked to evaluate an experiment, always mention at least one improvement and explain exactly how it would improve accuracy.

4. Show your working on every calculation

Physics calculations award marks for method as well as the final answer, so a correct approach can still earn marks even with an arithmetic slip. Always write out each step, including the equation you're using and the numbers you're substituting in.

Top tip: Underline the units in your final answer every time, since forgetting units is one of the most common ways to drop an easy mark.

5. Get comfortable with the exam format, not just the content

Knowing your physics content is only half the story. Doing well on exam day also depends on knowing exactly what to expect, how questions are worded, how long to spend on each one, and what a strong answer looks like under time pressure.

Build regular timed practice into your revision routine at least once a fortnight in your final term, so the format feels familiar rather than unfamiliar.

Top tip: Atom's practice questions and predicted papers are built to test exactly this, giving you feedback that shows whether you're losing marks on your content knowledge or on your exam technique, so you know exactly what to work on next.

There you have it, everything you need to know about Edexcel IGCSE Physics, from how the papers are structured to what examiners are looking for and how to prepare with confidence.