Years 10 and 11 · England · free
GCSE maths practice, Foundation and Higher
Exam-style GCSE maths questions with hints and full worked steps, a printable practice paper with an answer key, and a revision plan for both tiers. Works for AQA, Edexcel and OCR.
The format
| Part | Time | What's in it |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Non-calculator. 80 marks. |
| Paper 2 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Calculator allowed. 80 marks. |
| Paper 3 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Calculator allowed. 80 marks. |
All three exam boards in England (AQA, Edexcel and OCR) use three papers of the same length, taken in May and June of Year 11. Foundation tier covers grades 1 to 5, and Higher covers grades 4 to 9. A formulae sheet is provided with every paper.
Printable practice paper
Fresh questions from every part of the exam each time you open it, with an answer key and worked steps. Print it, save it as a PDF, or do it on screen.
Practice now
In a right triangle the hypotenuse is 25 m and the side opposite angle θ is 7 m. Find θ to 1 decimal place.
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What GCSE maths covers
The content is the same across exam boards and is split into six areas. The weighting differs between the tiers: Foundation leans on number and ratio, and Higher leans on algebra and geometry.
- Number: fractions, decimals, percentages, powers and roots, standard form, and on Higher, surds and bounds.
- Algebra: expressions, equations, inequalities, sequences and graphs, and on Higher, quadratics, functions and proof.
- Ratio, proportion and rates of change: ratio problems, compound interest, speed, density and direct and inverse proportion.
- Geometry and measures: angles, area, volume, Pythagoras' theorem, trigonometry, transformations and vectors.
- Probability: tree diagrams, Venn diagrams and relative frequency.
- Statistics: averages, charts, cumulative frequency, box plots and histograms (Higher).
Foundation or Higher?
Foundation papers give grades 1 to 5, with a 5 the highest possible. Higher papers give grades 4 to 9, and a grade 3 can be allowed for a student who just misses a 4. Choose Higher if a student is regularly reaching grade 5 or above in mocks, because the top grades are only available there. Choose Foundation if a secure grade 4 or 5 is the goal: the questions are more accessible, and many students do better aiming at a strong 5 than a shaky 4 on Higher.
Why grade 4 matters
Grade 4 is the "standard pass" and grade 5 the "strong pass". In England, students who don't reach grade 4 in maths by 16 continue studying it alongside their post-16 course, and can resit in November or the following summer.
How to revise so it sticks
Past-paper style questions beat rereading notes. Do a set of questions, mark them honestly, and spend more time on the ones that went wrong than on the ones that went right. Mix topics in each session, because the exam mixes them too, and come back to a hard topic after a few days rather than finishing it in one go.
A study plan
- 1Year 10 and the start of Year 11One topic at a time, with mixed questions each week from topics already covered.
- 2After the mocksList every topic that lost marks. Work through that list first, with worked examples, then fresh questions.
- 3February to AprilA full paper every week, alternating non-calculator and calculator. Mark it against the key and update the topic list.
- 4May to JuneShort daily mixed sets, the formulae sheet open beside you so you know where everything is, and plenty of sleep before each paper.
Exam tips
- Show every step: method marks are often worth more than the final answer.
- On the non-calculator paper, practice written methods and fraction arithmetic until they feel routine.
- Learn your calculator: fractions, powers, standard form and the memory keys save time on papers 2 and 3.
- Check the units and the accuracy asked for, such as "to 1 decimal place" or "in cm²".
- Leave no blanks. Write down a formula or a first step; it can earn a mark.
Practice by topic
Solving equationsInequalitiesPythagorean theoremRatio and proportionIndicesBox plotsPercentages
Questions people ask
- How many papers are there in GCSE maths?
- Three, each 1 hour 30 minutes and worth 80 marks. Paper 1 is non-calculator; papers 2 and 3 allow a calculator.
- What grade is a pass in GCSE maths?
- Grade 4 is a standard pass and grade 5 a strong pass. Students who don't reach grade 4 continue maths after 16 and can resit.
- Do you get a formula sheet in GCSE maths?
- Yes. A formulae sheet is provided with every GCSE maths paper, and the exam boards publish it in advance so students can practice with it.
- Is this practice for AQA, Edexcel or OCR?
- All three. They cover the same content in the same three-paper format, so these questions suit any of them.
- Can I get a grade 9 on Foundation?
- No. Foundation papers give grades 1 to 5. Grades 6 to 9 are only available on Higher.
Format checked against: GOV.UK: GCSE mathematics subject content; AQA: GCSE maths formulae sheets. Updated November 2026.
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