A-Level guide · checked October 2026
A-Level Physics, explained simply
Three exams covering mechanics, electricity, waves, fields and the physics of the very small and very large. This page shows what each paper covers, the marks your child really needs for an A*, A or B, and how to practise. Pick your exam board and the page changes to match.
- 3 exams
- 6 hours in total
- Practical endorsement
- Grades A* to E
Exam board
Not sure which board? Ask your child's school, or check the front of a mockA practice exam, usually set by school a few months before the real thing. paper.
The exams at a glance
AQA A-Level Physics (7408). 3 papers, 6 hours of exams and 250 marks in total.
Specification: AQA A-Level Physics (7408)
What's in the exams
The specifications don't give a percentage for each topic, so this shows each paper's share of the grade and what it covers.
- Paper 1: sections 1 to 5 and periodic motion34%
- Paper 2: thermal physics, fields, nuclear physics34%
- Paper 3: practical skills, data analysis and one option32%
How the grading works
How the grading works
Everyone sits the same three papers. The marks are added up and the total decides the grade, from A* down to E. At AQA, the second half of Paper 3 is one option topic chosen by the school (astrophysics, medical physics, engineering physics, turning points in physics or electronics), and the boundaries differ slightly by option; the figures shown are for astrophysics. Students also complete at least 12 practical activities for the practical endorsement, reported separately as Pass or Not classified.
The marks you really need for each grade
You do not need 90% for a top grade. Grade boundaries are set after the exams are marked, so a grade stays the same standard even when the papers are harder. These are the real AQA boundaries from June 2026:
Source: AQA, A-level grade boundaries June 2026 (Astrophysics option; the other four options differ by up to 5 marks). Boundaries change slightly every year.
Your target score in practice papers
Sit a full set of past papers under timed conditions every few weeks. Work out the percentage for each set, ignore your single worst result (everyone has an off day) and average the rest. Aim for:
82%
to secure a grade A*
70%
to secure a grade A
60%
to secure a grade B
We add 5 percentage points to last year's boundary, because boundaries move a little each year and exam nerves cost marks.
Past paper mock builder
Pick an exam series and we'll set out the full AQA mock: which papers to sit, how long to allow and where to download them. Then type in your marks to see the grade they would have earned.
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Paper 1, June 2026 · Sections 1 to 5 and periodic motion · 2 hours
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Paper 2, June 2026 · Thermal physics, fields, nuclear physics · 2 hours
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Paper 3, June 2026 · Practical skills and one option topic · 2 hours
Download the papers and mark schemes: AQA official past papers or Save My Exams past papers. Exam boards keep the most recent series for schools only for a while, so if the newest one isn't there, take the one before.
Enter your marks for each paper to see the grade they would have earned.
What Physics is really about
Where the word comes from
"Physics" comes from the Greek ta physika, "natural things", from physis, "nature". For Aristotle, physics was simply the study of the natural world.
Where it comes from
Isaac Newton published his laws of motion and gravity in 1687, working in Cambridge, and they still underpin the mechanics students learn today. In the 1860s the Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell, then at King's College London, showed that light is an electromagnetic wave. In Manchester in 1911 Ernest Rutherford discovered the atomic nucleus.
Why it's still taught
Physics explains how the universe works, from electricity to space travel, and it sits behind engineering, energy, medicine and computing. It is required for physics and most engineering degrees, and it is valued for maths, computer science, architecture and many technical apprenticeships.
How to do well in A-Level Physics
Learn the equations and their units
A data and formulae booklet is given, but students must know what each symbol means and its unit. Unit errors cost marks every year.
Show every step of a calculation
Marks are given for method. Write the equation, substitute the numbers, then give the answer with units and sensible significant figures.
Keep the maths sharp
Physics uses rearranging, graphs, logarithms and trigonometry constantly. A weekly set of maths-heavy questions keeps the skills fresh.
Practise explaining in words
Many questions ask "explain why" with no numbers at all. Practise short, logical explanations that use the key physics terms.
Master the practical skills
Uncertainties, graphs and evaluating methods are tested on every board, especially in the last paper. Practise these alongside the required practicals.
Know your option topic (AQA)
At AQA a whole section of Paper 3 is one option topic. Check which one your school teaches and give it proper revision time.
The three best places to revise
Our teachers' picks. We have no connection with these sites.
Isaac Physics
Free problem-solving questions from the University of Cambridge, excellent for stretching strong students.
Physics & Maths Tutor
Free past papers, mark schemes and topic questions for each board.
Save My Exams
Revision notes and exam questions by topic for each board. Some content is paid.
Questions parents ask
Not sure where your child stands?
Our free 45-minute assessment often uses a real past paperA real exam from a previous year, used for practice., so you'll know their likely grade and exactly what to work on. Lessons online across the UK, or at our seven London hubs.
Sources
- AQA, A-level grade boundaries June 2026
- Pearson, Grade boundaries Edexcel GCE (A level) June 2026
- OCR, AS and A Level grade boundaries June 2026
- AQA, A-level Physics 7408: specification at a glance
- Pearson, A level Physics 9PH0 specification (Issue 3)
- OCR, A Level Physics A H556: specification at a glance