When are GCSEs taking place in 2024? All the exam dates and full timetable
Joanna Lovell
Associate EditorAll the English, maths and science exams for exam boards including AQA, Edexcel, Eduqas, OCR and WJEC this May and June
Thousands of pupils across the country will have already begun revising for their GCSEs.
The exams take place for pupils in Year 11 in the summer term every year, and the exam boards have now published the full timetable for English, science and maths exams for 2024. The exams take place at the same time across the country.
Assessments which don't involve formal exams, such as music, science experiments and foreign language speaking tests, are decided by individual schools.
GCSE exams in 2024 will start around Monday 6 May and finish on Friday 21 June.
These are the most up-to-date exam dates set by each exam board, but they might change closer to the exam period.
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Most students will be taking a combination of subjects that include English and mathematics, and the key exam dates for these are as follows:
GCSE maths dates exam dates for 2024
- Thursday 16 May – Maths paper 1 foundation and higher (Edexcel, OCR, AQA and WJEC)
- Monday 3 June – Maths paper 2 foundation and higher (Edexcel, OCR & AQA)
- Monday 10 June – Maths paper 3 foundation and higher (Edexcel, OCR & AQA)
- Tuesday 12 June – WJEC maths unit 2 for all tier students
GCSE English language and literature exam dates for 2024
- Monday 13 May – English literature paper 1 (AQA, CCEA, Edexcel, Eduqas, OCR and WJEC)
- Monday 20 May – English literature paper 2 (AQA, Edexcel, Eduqas, OCR and WJEC)
- Thursday 23 May – English language paper 1 (AQA, Edexcel, Eduqas, OCR and WJEC)
- Thursday 6 June – English language paper 2 (AQA, Edexcel, Eduqas OCR and WJEC)
GCSE biology exam dates for 2024
- Friday 10 May – biology paper 1 for both combined and single science students (AQA, Edexcel and OCR)
- Friday 7 June – biology paper 2 for both combined and single science students (AQA, Edexcel and OCR)
- Monday 10 June – WJEC biology paper 1
GCSE chemistry exam dates for 2024
- Friday 17 May – chemistry paper 1 (AQA, Edexcel, OCR) and WJEC chemistry paper 2 for combined and single science students
- Tuesday 11 June – chemistry paper 2 for both combined and single science students (AQA, Edexcel and OCR)
- Thursday 13 June – WJEC chemistry paper 1
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GCSE physics exam dates for 2024
- Wednesday 22 May – physics paper 1 for both combined and single science students (AQA, Edexcel, WJEC and OCR)
- Friday 24 May – WJEC physics paper 2
- Friday 7 June – OCR 21st Century combined science paper
- Friday 14 June – physics paper 2 for both combined and single science students (AQA, Edexcel and OCR)
- Monday 17 June – WJEC physics paper 1
Will the 2024 GCSE exams cover the full syllabus?
Yes. Unlike GCSEs in 2022 and 2021, when only certain elements of subjects were included, this year, like 2023, exams will include the full subject content for all papers.
What happens if a pupil misses an exam due to illness?
Sometimes a pupil will have to miss an exam if they are unwell or if they have an accident.
If this is the case, a grade will be calculated using either the marks from the other papers taken or their non-exam components (if applicable).
Can pupils resit a GCSE?
Students can take a GCSE again if they are unhappy with their grade.
If a student fails to achieve at least a grade 4 in English language or literature, or in maths, then they must resit the GCSE or obtain an equivalent qualification.
There is an opportunity to resit English language and maths in November. However, students who fail to obtain a grade 4 in these exams will then be entered for the summer exam series.
Below are links to the exam boards, to allow parents to double check the dates closer to the time of the exams:
When is GCSE results day?
GCSE results day this year is Thursday 22 August.
Read more about exams and stress
A-level results day: a guide to the Clearing process
