If you are sitting GCSE Maths in 2026, or supporting a student who is, knowing your exact paper dates is the first step to planning properly. Below is every confirmed date across AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC and Eduqas, plus some honest advice on how to use the time you have left.
Key dates to know first
Before the paper-by-paper breakdown, here are the headline dates for the full 2026 GCSE season:
- Exam period opens: Monday 4 May 2026
- Exam period closes: Friday 26 June 2026
- Contingency day (keep free): Wednesday 24 June 2026
- Results day: Thursday 20 August 2026
- November Maths resit window: November 2026 (AQA, Edexcel, OCR)
The dates below are from official exam board timetables and are correct at the time of publishing. Your school issues a personalised timetable that is the definitive source for your sittings. If anything looks different, your school timetable wins.
AQA GCSE Maths 2026
AQA is the most widely used Maths exam board in England. All three papers apply to both Foundation tier (grades 1 to 5) and Higher tier (grades 4 to 9). Each paper runs for 1 hour 30 minutes and is worth one third of the final grade.
- Paper 1 (Non-Calculator): Thursday 14 May 2026, morning
- Paper 2 (Calculator): Wednesday 3 June 2026, morning
- Paper 3 (Calculator): Wednesday 10 June 2026, morning
Edexcel (Pearson) GCSE Maths 2026
Edexcel follows the same three-paper structure as AQA, with papers sat on identical dates. Foundation and Higher tiers follow the same schedule. Each paper is 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Paper 1 (Non-Calculator): Thursday 14 May 2026, morning
- Paper 2 (Calculator): Wednesday 3 June 2026, morning
- Paper 3 (Calculator): Wednesday 10 June 2026, morning
OCR GCSE Maths 2026
OCR uses slightly different paper labelling. Papers 1, 2 and 3 are Foundation tier; papers 4, 5 and 6 are Higher tier. Note that OCR Paper 1 is a calculator paper, unlike AQA and Edexcel where Paper 1 is non-calculator. Each paper is 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Paper 1 (Foundation, Calculator) and Paper 4 (Higher, Calculator): Thursday 14 May 2026, morning
- Paper 2 (Foundation, Non-Calculator) and Paper 5 (Higher, Non-Calculator): Wednesday 3 June 2026, morning
- Paper 3 (Foundation, Calculator) and Paper 6 (Higher, Calculator): Wednesday 10 June 2026, morning
OCR's first paper is a calculator paper, not non-calculator like AQA and Edexcel. If you are not sure which board you are on, check with your Maths teacher. It affects how you prepare for the first sitting.
WJEC GCSE Maths 2026
WJEC is used primarily in Wales and offers two separate qualifications: Mathematics and Mathematics Numeracy. Each has its own paper dates. WJEC Mathematics has Foundation, Intermediate and Higher tiers.
- Mathematics Numeracy Unit 1: Thursday 7 May 2026, morning
- Mathematics Unit 1: Thursday 14 May 2026, morning
- Mathematics Numeracy Unit 2: Wednesday 3 June 2026, morning
- Mathematics Unit 2: Wednesday 10 June 2026, morning
Eduqas GCSE Maths 2026
Eduqas is the brand used by WJEC for schools in England. It follows a two-component structure across Foundation and Higher tiers.
- Component 1: Thursday 14 May 2026, morning
- Component 2: Wednesday 3 June 2026, morning
The November 2026 Maths resit
Students who do not achieve the grade they need in the summer can resit GCSE Maths in November 2026. AQA, Edexcel and OCR all run a November resit series for Maths and English. Exact dates for the November 2026 sitting will be confirmed by each board closer to the time. If a resit is on the cards, speak to your school or college about entry arrangements as soon as results day has passed.
How to use the time between papers
With all three Maths papers spread across four weeks, the gaps between sittings matter. Here is how to approach each window well.
Between Paper 1 and Paper 2 (14 May to 3 June)
This is your longest gap, around three weeks. Use the first few days to go back through Paper 1 topics where you felt least confident, while the questions are still fresh in your mind. Then shift focus entirely to your calculator paper topics. Practice with your calculator properly, because students often underuse it or reach for it for calculations they could do faster by hand.
Between Paper 2 and Paper 3 (3 June to 10 June)
One week. Keep the revision light and targeted. Go through any topics that appeared in Paper 2 where you lost marks, and do a handful of timed practice questions daily rather than long revision sessions. At this stage, rest and confidence matter as much as content.
Students sometimes panic after Paper 1 and try to re-learn everything before Paper 2. That approach almost never helps. Work on the specific topics where marks were lost, and keep the rest ticking over. Targeted is far better than frantic.
The topics that come up across all three papers
Certain areas of the specification appear regularly across all three papers regardless of exam board. These are worth making sure are solid before any paper:
- Algebra: expanding brackets, factorising, solving equations and inequalities
- Ratio, proportion and rates of change
- Geometry: angles, area, volume, Pythagoras and trigonometry
- Probability and statistics
- Number: fractions, percentages, standard form, surds (Higher)
For Higher tier students particularly, the final sections of each paper carry the most marks and the most differentiation between grades. Topics like functions, vectors, circle theorems and quadratic sequences tend to appear in the back half of papers. If the target is a grade 7, 8 or 9, those sections need proper preparation rather than just familiarity.
A note on formula sheets
For 2026, students in England will continue to have access to a formula sheet in GCSE Maths exams. This does not mean every formula is provided. Key formulae such as the quadratic formula, trigonometric ratios, and some area and volume formulae are included, but a significant number of things still need to be known from memory. Make sure you know exactly what is on the sheet and what is not, so there are no surprises on the day.
Some students treat the formula sheet as a safety net and do not practise applying the formulae under time pressure. Knowing a formula is there and being able to use it correctly in a multi-step question are two different things. Practice the application, not just the recognition.
Exam day essentials
A few practical things worth checking before each paper:
- Scientific calculator that is approved for the exam (check your school's guidance on permitted models)
- Two black pens, pencil, ruler, protractor and compasses
- Your personalised exam timetable slip from school
- Photo ID if required by your centre
If you are sitting Paper 1 at AQA or Edexcel, remember it is non-calculator. A calculator in the room during a non-calculator paper is a serious infringement that can result in disqualification. Leave it at home or hand it in as instructed.
Results day is Thursday 20 August 2026. Schools typically open from 8am, though times vary. If you cannot attend in person, contact your school in advance to arrange for results to be sent to you.
If you are still building towards where you need to be and want structured support for the final push, we work with students specifically in Maths across all the boards listed above. Get in touch and we can talk through where the focus should go.
