OCR GCSE Combined Science Physics, Higher tier exam papers and weighting (J250)
Guide overview All topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers
What each OCR GCSE Combined Science Physics, Higher tier paper assesses
OCR GCSE Combined Science A (Gateway Science, specification J250) is worth two GCSEs and is examined by six papers, two for each science, each 1 hour 10 minutes and 60 marks. The physics content is sat as Paper 11 (Physics) and Paper 12 (Physics), together a third of the qualification, and both papers also assess the practical skills of Topic CS7. This is the Higher tier: it carries everything on the Foundation papers plus the higher-tier content, and as a double award it is graded 9–9 to 4–4, with an allowed grade 4–3 for a student who just misses 4–4.
| Paper | Covers | Length | Marks | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Paper 11 (Physics) Paper 11 (Physics) |
Electricity Forces Magnetism and Magnetic Fields Matter |
1 hour 10 minutes | 60 marks | 16.7% |
|
Paper 12 (Physics) Paper 12 (Physics) |
Energy Global Challenges Radioactivity Waves in Matter |
1 hour 10 minutes | 60 marks | 16.7% |
Every topic, and where it is examined
| Topic | Examined on | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | Paper 11 (Physics) | 161 |
| Energy | Paper 12 (Physics) | 101 |
| Forces | Paper 11 (Physics) | 320 |
| Global Challenges | Paper 12 (Physics) | 145 |
| Magnetism and Magnetic Fields | Paper 11 (Physics) | 89 |
| Matter | Paper 11 (Physics) | 146 |
| Radioactivity | Paper 12 (Physics) | 105 |
| Waves in Matter | Paper 12 (Physics) | 155 |
Assessment details from the OCR GCSE Combined Science A (Gateway Science) J250, version 5.0, May 2026. OCR specification.
OCR GCSE Combined Science Physics, Higher tier Active Recall Guide
1,222 questions across every paper on the specification.