Edexcel GCSE Physics Higher Tier Tutors

The content Pearson examines only at Higher tier, this tier's boundaries across three June series, and how our tutors build sessions around both.

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Leading Tuition's Higher-tier Edexcel GCSE Physics tutors prepare students for Pearson papers 1PH0/1H and 1PH0/2H, each marked out of 100 and lasting 1 hour and 45 minutes, by drilling the content Pearson prints in bold as Higher-only and by working towards the grade 4 to 9 range that the Higher papers target.

Higher-tier physics tutoring, built paper by paper

Our expert GCSE physics tutors help students prepare for Pearson's Higher-tier papers, building each programme around the Higher-only content listed below and around the marks a student is actually dropping in mock papers. Book a Free ConsultationMessage us on WhatsApp

How is our Higher-tier 1PH0 programme organised?

Pearson's specification for the GCSE (9–1) in Physics sets out Paper 1 (1PH0/1H at Higher tier) and Paper 2 (1PH0/2H). The specification gives each paper as “out of 100 marks” and each as 50% of the qualification, and it grades the qualification on the total subject mark: “Individual papers are not graded.” A mark dropped on Paper 1 therefore loses the student exactly the same amount as a mark dropped on Paper 2, and our sessions are planned on that basis. We do not keep a “strong paper” and a “weak paper” apart; we keep a list of the individual statements where marks were lost.

The specification also states that “Students must complete all assessments for this qualification in the same tier.” That sentence shapes the opening sessions of any Higher programme. The tier is one decision covering both papers, so our opening diagnostic is a full Higher paper from each of Paper 1 and Paper 2, sat under timed conditions, rather than a topic quiz. It tells us, at once, whether the student is working at the level the Higher papers target, and which of the Higher-only statements in the tables below are losing marks.

Pearson states that “27 marks of the paper will be overlap questions that appear in both the foundation and higher tier papers.” The same sentence appears under both papers in the specification. We use it to split the work. The overlap questions are revised the way any GCSE physics content is revised; the Higher-only statements are where tier-specific tutoring earns its place, because the specification marks them so that a teacher, a tutor or a student can find them. The sections below list them exactly as Pearson prints them. For the full Paper 1 and Paper 2 overview, including core practicals and the assessment objectives, read our Edexcel GCSE Physics (1PH0) overview; this page does not repeat it.

Which Paper 1 content does Pearson print in bold as Higher-only?

The specification explains its own notation in one line: “text in bold indicates content that is for higher tier only.” We read that bold directly from the type of the 2024 issue of the specification (Issue 4), statement by statement, rather than from a text copy, because a text copy loses the formatting. The tables below reproduce Pearson's wording. Words in bold are the Higher-only words; words in plain type are printed in plain type in the specification. Where a statement is only partly bold, only the bold words are Higher-only. A letter P after a statement number is Pearson's separate marker for content found only in the GCSE in Physics; it is not the tier marker.

On Paper 1 the Higher-only statements sit in Topics 2, 3, 4 and 5; the bold bullet in Topic 6 is covered in the mathematics section further down. The topic list the specification gives for Paper 1 begins Topic 1 – Key concepts of physics, then Topic 2 – Motion and forces.

Topic 2, Motion and forces

StatementPearson's wording (Higher-only words in bold)What our sessions do with it
2.20Explain that an object moving in a circular orbit at constant speed has a changing velocity (qualitative only)The student draws the velocity arrow at several points on a circle and states in one sentence why the arrow changes while the speed does not. The June 2025 Paper 1H examiners' report records the same idea in Q6(b)(i): velocity is a vector and the direction was changing.
2.21Explain that for motion in a circle there must be a resultant force known as a centripetal force that acts towards the centre of the circleWe practise naming what provides the centripetal force in each context, instead of treating it as a separate force added to a diagram.
2.22Explain that inertial mass is a measure of how difficult it is to change the velocity of an object (including from rest) and know that it is defined as the ratio of force over accelerationThe definition is learned in Pearson's own words first, then used to explain why the same force produces different accelerations on different masses.
2.23Recall and apply Newton's third law both to equilibrium situations and to collision interactions and relate it to the conservation of momentum in collisionsThe plain-type part is the third law applied to equilibrium; the bold words add collision interactions and the link to conservation of momentum. The June 2025 Paper 1H report calls the third-law question in Q8(a)(iii) a “deceptively difficult concept”, so we make the student name each force and the bodies involved.
2.24Define momentum, recall and use the equation: momentum (kilogram metre per second, kg m/s) = mass (kilogram, kg) × velocity (metre per second, m/s)Momentum is printed in bold in Pearson's recall list. It gets its own short retrieval routine at the start of sessions, covered in the equations section below.
2.25Describe examples of momentum in collisionsCollision descriptions are written out in full sentences and checked against the mark scheme's linking points.
2.26Use Newton's second law as: force (newton, N) = change in momentum (kilogram metre per second, kg m/s) ÷ time (second, s)Rearrangement practice. The June 2025 Paper 1H report says Q8(a)(ii) involved an unfamiliar rearrangement, so we rearrange in every variable before calculating.
2.31Explain the dangers caused by large decelerations and estimate the forces involved in typical situations on a public roadThe plain-type part is the explanation of danger; the bold words add the estimate of the forces. We train the estimating step with stated assumptions, since that is the part Pearson marks as Higher-only.

Mechanics and momentum, taught at Higher tier

Our expert Edexcel GCSE physics tutors teach Topic 2's Higher-only statements with timed Paper 1H questions, so a student practises the momentum and circular-motion explanations in the form the paper asks for them. Book a Free ConsultationMessage us on WhatsApp

Topics 3, 4 and 5, Conservation of energy, Waves, and Light and the electromagnetic spectrum

StatementPearson's wording (Higher-only words in bold)What our sessions do with it
3.12Explain how efficiency can be increasedShort explanation answers tied to a named device, with the reduction in wasted energy stated explicitly.
4.8PCalculate depth or distance from time and wave velocityEcho and sonar calculations, including the step in which the wave's path is double the distance to the object.
4.10Explain how waves will be refracted at a boundary in terms of the change of direction and speedThe plain-type part is direction; Higher adds speed. We write refraction explanations that use both ideas in the same sentence.
4.11Recall that different substances may absorb, transmit, refract or reflect waves in ways that vary with wavelengthRetrieval of one worked example per behaviour.
4.12PDescribe the processes which convert wave disturbances between sound waves and vibrations in solids, and a explain why such processes only work over a limited frequency range b use this to explain the way the human ear worksThe ear is taught as a chain of conversions, with the limited frequency range stated at the end.
4.13PRecall that sound with frequencies greater than 20 000 hertz, Hz, is known as ultrasoundRetrieval, learned together with the infrasound threshold in the next row.
4.14PRecall that sound with frequencies less than 20 hertz, Hz, is known as infrasoundThe thresholds are learned as a pair so they cannot be swapped. The June 2025 Paper 1H report, on Q1(c) about infrasound, gives 1 mark to a response that referred to frequency but was really talking about ultrasound.
4.15PExplain uses of ultrasound and infrasound, including a sonar b foetal scanning c exploration of the Earth's coreOne explanation per use, each naming what is sent, what returns and what is inferred.
5.13Recall that different substances may absorb, transmit, refract or reflect electromagnetic waves in ways that vary with wavelengthSame routine as 4.11, applied to the electromagnetic spectrum.
5.14Explain the effects of differences in the velocities of electromagnetic waves in different substancesLinked to the refraction explanation in 4.10 so the student sees a single idea.
5.16PExplain that for a body to be at a constant temperature it needs to radiate the same average power that it absorbs5.16P, 5.17P and 5.18P are taught together so the logic of radiated power against absorbed power carries across.
5.17PExplain what happens to a body if the average power it radiates is less or more than the average power that it absorbsBoth directions are written out, because a half-answer loses the second mark.
5.18PExplain how the temperature of the Earth is affected by factors controlling the balance between incoming radiation and radiation emittedApplied to a named factor each time, rather than a general statement about the atmosphere.
5.23Recall that radio waves can be produced by, or can themselves induce, oscillations in electrical circuitsRetrieval, with the word “induce” used deliberately, since the June 2025 Paper 2H report on transformers (13.5) is explicit about "induces".

Which Paper 2 topics carry Higher-only statements?

The specification's Paper 2 list begins Topic 1 – Key concepts of physics and continues from Topic 8 – Energy – Forces doing work. The Higher-only statements on this paper sit in the topics below. Topic 12 (the force on a conductor, 12.14P) and Topic 13 (induction, its reverse) depend on one another, so for a student heading for grades 7 to 9 we schedule them early.

Topics 9, 10 and 12

StatementPearson's wording (Higher-only words in bold)What our sessions do with it
9.3Use vector diagrams to illustrate resolution of forces, a net force, and equilibrium situations (scale drawings only)Scale drawings on squared paper with the scale written on the diagram. The June 2025 Paper 2H report describes valid methods for a resultant: a scale diagram, or Pythagoras' theorem where the forces form a right-angled triangle.
9.4Draw and use free body force diagramsThe same report says force vectors must have a size as well as a direction, so every arrow is labelled with its size and the arrows are drawn through the centre of the object.
9.5Explain examples of the forces acting on an isolated solid object or a system where several forces lead to a resultant force on an object and the special case of balanced forces when the resultant force is zeroExplanations that name each force, its direction and which one is larger.
10.25Explain ways of reducing unwanted energy transfer through low resistance wiresLinked back to the power equations the student already recalls, so the explanation uses them.
12.10Recall that a current carrying conductor placed near a magnet experiences a force and that an equal and opposite force acts on the magnetRetrieval, paired with Newton's third law from 2.23 so the equal-and-opposite pair is one idea.
12.11Explain that magnetic forces are due to interactions between magnetic fieldsExplained with field-line sketches, not words alone.
12.12Recall and use Fleming's left-hand rule to represent the relative directions of the force, the current and the magnetic field for cases where they are mutually perpendicularDaily hand-rule drills on rotated diagrams, because exam diagrams are rarely drawn the way the textbook version is.
12.13Use the equation: force on a conductor at right angles to a magnetic field carrying a current (newton, N) = magnetic flux density (tesla, T or newton per ampere metre, N/A m) × current (ampere, A) × length (metre, m)On the formulae sheet; the skill is selecting it and rearranging it. See the equations section.
12.14PExplain how the force on a conductor in a magnetic field is used to cause rotation in electric motorsThe June 2025 Paper 2H report says the purpose of a commutator in a d.c. electric motor was poorly explained: candidates showed switching every half revolution but did not say it keeps the motor turning. Our model answer states both parts.

Electromagnetism tutoring at Higher tier

Our expert GCSE physics tutors help students prepare Topics 9, 10 and 12 for Paper 2H, with Fleming's left-hand rule and scale drawings practised on the kind of diagrams the paper sets. Book a Free ConsultationMessage us on WhatsApp

Topics 13, 14 and 15

StatementPearson's wording (Higher-only words in bold)What our sessions do with it
13.1PExplain how to produce an electric current by the relative movement of a magnet and a conductor a on a small scale in the laboratory b in the large-scale generation of electrical energyBoth scales are explained with the same ingredients: a magnet, a conductor and relative movement.
13.2Recall the factors that affect the size and direction of an induced potential difference, and describe how the magnetic field produced opposes the original changeFactors are learned as a short list; the opposing field is added as a separate sentence.
13.3PExplain how electromagnetic induction is used in alternators to generate current which alternates in direction (a.c.) and in dynamos to generate direct current (d.c.)A contrast table the student builds, since the June 2025 Paper 2H report says many candidates described a d.c. motor commutator as if it were in a dynamo or d.c. generator.
13.4PExplain the action of the microphone in converting the pressure variations in sound waves into variations in current in electrical circuits, and the reverse effect as used in loudspeakers and headphonesWritten as a numbered sequence in each direction.
13.5Explain how an alternating current in one circuit can induce a current in another circuit in a transformerThe June 2025 Paper 2H report says marks were usually lost by not stating that the magnetic field in the core was changing, and that examiners would not accept “produces” where “induces” is the correct word. We practise the chain of links: alternating current in the primary coil, changing field in the iron core, induced alternating potential difference in the secondary coil.
13.6Recall that a transformer can change the size of an alternating voltageRetrieval, with the step-up and step-down cases separated.
13.7PUse the turns ratio equation for transformers to calculate either the missing voltage or the missing number of turnsThe same report says examiners saw many examples of confident substitution into and rearrangement of the transformer equation. We keep that fluency and add the explanation marks.
13.11PExplain the advantages of power transmission in high-voltage cables, using the equations in 10.29, 10.31, 13.7P and 13.10The explanation is built from the energy-transfer equations, not from a memorised sentence.
14.20PExplain why doing work on a gas can increase its temperature, including a bicycle pumpOne explanation using work done, energy transferred and particle motion.
15.13PExplain why the pressure in liquids varies with density and depthPaired with 15.14P so the explanation and the calculation come from the same idea.
15.14PUse the equation to calculate the magnitude of the pressure in liquids and calculate the differences in pressure at different depths in a liquidCalculated for pairs of depths, since the statement asks for differences.
15.15PExplain why an object in a fluid is subject to an upwards force (upthrust) and relate this to examples including objects that are fully immersed in a fluid (liquid or gas) or partially immersed in a liquidBoth immersion cases, with the apparent loss of weight on a force meter explained as upthrust.
15.16PRecall that the upthrust is equal to the weight of fluid displacedThe June 2025 Paper 2H report says candidates often described upthrust but rarely linked it to the block displacing liquid, so this sentence is learned verbatim and used in every upthrust answer.
15.17PExplain how the factors (upthrust, weight, density of fluid) influence whether an object will float or sinkFloating and sinking are decided by comparing upthrust with weight; density is brought in last.

Which mathematics does Pearson also mark as Higher-only?

Each topic in the specification ends with a “Use of mathematics” list of bullets, and a few of those bullets are printed in bold. They matter because they are the skills a student needs for the bold statements above, and because they can be examined as a calculation or a graph question without a topic name attached to them. Pearson's bold Use-of-mathematics bullets are these:

TopicBold bullet in Pearson's “Use of mathematics” listWhat our sessions do with it
Topic 2Interpret enclosed areas in velocity-time graphs (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4f).Areas under velocity-time graphs counted as rectangles and triangles, with the unit of the answer checked first.
Topic 6Calculate the net decline, expressed as a ratio, in a radioactive emission after a given number of half-lives (1c, 3d).Half-life declines written in ratio form, as the bullet asks.
Topic 9Use vector diagrams to illustrate resolution of forces, a net force, and equilibrium situations (scale drawings only) (4a, 5a, 5b).The scale-drawing practice described under 9.3.
Topic 13Apply the equations linking the p.d.s and numbers of turns in the two coils of a transformer, to the currents and the power transfer involved, and relate these to the advantages of power transmission at high voltages (1c, 3b, 3c).One worked sequence running from turns ratio to current to power transfer, so 13.7P and 13.11P are practised together.
Topic 15Calculate the differences in pressure at different depths in a liquid (1c, 3c).The differences calculation from 15.14P, repeated until the subtraction step is automatic.

On the level of mathematics, the specification's Appendix 1 states: “The minimum level of mathematics in the higher tier examination papers will be equivalent to foundation tier GCSE in Mathematics.” For a student whose maths is still settling, we pair physics sessions with the maths the bold bullets need, such as rearranging, ratios and graph areas. Our Higher Edexcel GCSE Maths tutors cover the mathematics itself.

Targeted Higher-tier physics tuition

Our expert Edexcel GCSE physics tutors work through the Higher-only statements above with students sitting Pearson's Higher papers, starting with the ones where a student's mock answers lose marks. Book a Free ConsultationMessage us on WhatsApp

Which Higher-only equations are recalled, and which arrive on the formulae sheet?

Pearson prints its physics equations in lists in Appendix 2 and states that “Equations required for higher tier only are shown in bold text.” We do not re-list either full list here; they are on our Edexcel GCSE Physics (1PH0) overview. What matters for a Higher student is which of the Higher-only equations sit in which list.

In the recall list (list a). Pearson's heading for this list is “Students should be able to recall and apply all the following equations”, and it adds that students “may be asked to recall, recall and apply, or only apply these equations”. Momentum (2.24) is printed in bold in this list:

momentum = mass × velocity    (p = m × v)

Pearson's note for the list also says that if students are required only to apply an equation from this section, the equation will be given in the question. We still treat momentum as a recall item, because the heading says it may be asked.

On the formulae sheet (list b). Pearson's heading for the second list is “Students should be able to select and apply the following equations”, and the specification states that these equations “will be given in a formulae sheet at the end of the exam papers.” Printed in bold in this list:

What this changes in our teaching: for every list b equation we test selection as well as substitution. A question seldom names the equation, so the student first says which quantity is being asked for and which equation links the quantities given; only then do they substitute. For momentum we test recall cold at the start of a session. The June 2025 Paper 1H report supports both habits: Q8(a) required the equations for momentum and for force involving rate of change of momentum, and part (ii) involved an unfamiliar rearrangement. Its Paper Summary advises students to write down the equation they are using and show each step. The June 2025 Paper 2H report adds that students should be able to round results to an appropriate number of significant figures and handle powers of ten, so we mark those skills separately in our feedback.

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What did Pearson's June 2025 Higher examiners' reports flag?

Pearson publishes examiners' reports on its papers. The June 2025 reports for 1PH0/1H and 1PH0/2H are the ones we use, and everything in this section is attributed to them. We use them as a source of drill topics, not as a forecast.

Paper 1H. The report's introduction says that one of the six-mark questions tested radioactive decay, with the focus on alpha decay and gamma decay, and that in the other six-mark question candidates had to discuss the evidence supporting the Big Bang theory. It says candidates did particularly well on questions asking for calculations using equations. The momentum question (Q8) is where the Higher-only content shows clearly: part (b) was a three-mark question that would link the equation for momentum with the conservation of momentum and the observation that more mass is moving after the collision. We build that chain of links into our collision answers, starting from 2.23 and 2.25 in the table above. Its Paper Summary also advises students to recognise SI prefixes.

Paper 2H. The report calls it the eighth year of examining the specification and says the paper gave ample opportunity at grades 4 to 9, particularly in electricity, electromagnetism and forces. Its summary also records less confidence in the application of Archimedes' principle and in the difference between the moment of a force and the work done by a force, both of which can be calculated from force × distance. It says Q09(a), which required several calculation steps, was targeted at the higher grades. Our response is concrete:

These are the places where a Higher candidate who understands the physics can still lose marks, which is why our feedback sheets separate “did not know it” from “knew it but did not write it the way the mark scheme rewards”.

GCSE physics tutors for the Higher tier

Our expert GCSE physics tutors take a student's Higher-paper mock, mark it against the statements above, and plan the sessions around the lines where marks went. Book a Free ConsultationMessage us on WhatsApp

What were the Higher-tier grade boundaries across three June series?

Pearson publishes grade boundaries for each series, and defines one in its own documents as “the minimum mark at which a numbered grade (between 9 and 1) can be achieved.” The boundaries are for the overall qualification, in raw marks, out of 200 (Paper 1 and Paper 2 together). The table gives the Higher-tier row of the board's own documents for the three June series in our table. Grades 9 to 3 are the columns because those are the grades printed for this tier. The sources are Pearson's grade-boundary documents: the June 2024 boundary document, the June 2025 boundary document and the boundary document for the final row of the table. The specification words the exam window as “May/June in any single year”, and the three June series here are the board's May/June series.

Series (1PH0 Higher)MaxGrade 9Grade 8Grade 7Grade 6Grade 5Grade 4Grade 3
June 2024200161146131109876655
June 2025200161145130110907161
June 2026200163148134113927160

As a share of the 200 marks, the grade 4 boundary is 33.0% in the June 2024 row (66 ÷ 200) and 35.5% in the June 2025 row and the final row (71 ÷ 200). The grade 9 boundary is 80.5% in the June 2024 and June 2025 rows (161 ÷ 200) and 81.5% in the final row (163 ÷ 200). The grade 3 boundary is 27.5%, 30.5% and 30.0% (55, 61 and 60 ÷ 200).

What the table shows. Across the series in the table the grade 4 boundary spans 5 marks (66 to 71, a difference of 71 − 66), the grade 5 boundary also spans 5 marks (87 to 92), the grade 6 and grade 7 boundaries each span 4 marks (109 to 113, and 130 to 134), the grade 8 boundary spans 3 marks (145 to 148), and the grade 9 boundary spans 2 marks (161 to 163). The grade 3 boundary spans 6 marks (55 to 61), the widest spread in the table. The distance from the grade 4 boundary up to the grade 9 boundary is 95 marks for June 2024 (161 − 66), 90 for June 2025 (161 − 71) and 92 in the final row (163 − 71).

What this changes in our programme. We never give a student a single target mark. Because the grade 4 boundary has moved by 5 marks between series, we set targets as a band: a grade 4 target is read as 66 to 71 of 200, and a grade 9 target as 161 to 163. A mock paper score is converted to a position inside or outside the band, and where the mock sits inside the band is what we plan against. The table is a record of what the board has published, not a forecast of any later series. If a student sits at the bottom of the band on a full Higher mock, the sessions go to the Higher-only statements first, because those are the marks the board has marked as specific to this tier.

Pearson also publishes a grade 3 boundary for this tier, which brings us to the safety net.

Plan against the boundary band

Our expert Higher-tier physics tutors turn a full Higher mock into a position against the grade bands above, then plan the Edexcel GCSE physics sessions around the statements where marks were lost. Book a Free ConsultationMessage us on WhatsApp

How do grades 4 to 9, the grade 3 safety net and the tier choice fit together?

The specification says of the Higher papers: “The higher tier paper will target grades 4–9.” Its awarding section gives the rule for a candidate who falls short: “for higher tier, grades 4–9 are available, however if the mark achieved is a smaller number of marks below the 4/3 grade boundary, then a grade 3 may be awarded.” In the boundary table the grade 3 boundary sits 11, 10 and 11 marks below the grade 4 boundary in each row (66 − 55, 71 − 61 and 71 − 60).

Points from the specification itself change how we advise families:

Families who are still deciding between tiers can read the other tier's page, Foundation Edexcel GCSE Physics tutors, which sets out that tier's own content and boundaries. We keep these pages separate on purpose: the Foundation and Higher papers are different papers, and their boundaries are not read against one another.

For students who continue, the same specification family carries on into sixth form with our Edexcel A-level Physics tutoring, and the same Higher-only approach is used on the other sciences in our Higher Edexcel GCSE Chemistry tutors and Higher Edexcel GCSE Biology tutors pages. Our general GCSE physics tutors page describes how the sessions run, whichever tier the school enters. The wider GCSE and A-level subject tutoring hub lists every board and tier we cover. The official sources for everything quoted on this page are Pearson's GCSE (9–1) Physics specification and the examiners' reports for Paper 1H and Paper 2H.

Frequently asked questions about Higher-tier Edexcel GCSE Physics

Which Edexcel GCSE Physics topics have content that only Higher-tier students are examined on?

Pearson prints Higher-only statements in bold in Topics 2, 3, 4 and 5, which are examined on Paper 1, and in Topics 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15, which are examined on Paper 2. It also prints bold bullets in the Use of mathematics lists for Topics 2, 6, 9, 13 and 15. Examples are 2.24 on momentum, 12.12 on Fleming's left-hand rule, 13.7P on the transformer turns ratio and 15.16P on upthrust. A P after a statement number marks content found only in the GCSE in Physics; it is not the tier marker.

Which Higher-only equation do Edexcel GCSE Physics students have to recall?

Momentum = mass × velocity (specification reference 2.24) is printed in bold in Pearson's recall list, whose heading says students may be asked to recall, recall and apply, or only apply these equations. Newton's second law as rate of change of momentum (2.26), force on a conductor F = B × I × l (12.13), the transformer turns ratio (13.7P) and pressure in a liquid column P = h × ρ × g (15.14P) are in the select-and-apply list, which the specification says is given in a formulae sheet at the end of the exam papers.

What happens if a Higher-tier student scores just below the grade 4 boundary?

Pearson's specification says grades 4–9 are available at Higher tier, but if the mark achieved is a smaller number of marks below the 4/3 grade boundary, a grade 3 may be awarded. Pearson's own Higher-tier grade 3 boundary was 55 marks out of 200 in June 2024, 61 in June 2025 and 60 in June 2026, which is 27.5%, 30.5% and 30.0% of the total. The grade 4 boundary sat 11, 10 and 11 marks above it in those series.

What mark did a Higher-tier student need for a grade 4 in Edexcel GCSE Physics?

Out of 200 marks across Paper 1 and Paper 2, Pearson's Higher-tier grade 4 boundary was 66 in June 2024, 71 in June 2025 and 71 in June 2026, which is 33.0% and then 35.5% of the total. The grade 9 boundary was 161, 161 and 163 over the same series, which is 80.5% and then 81.5%. Pearson publishes boundaries after each series, so these figures are a record of what the board published, not a forecast of the next series.

Can a student sit Paper 1 at Higher tier and Paper 2 at Foundation tier?

No. Pearson's specification states that students must complete all assessments for this qualification in the same tier. The Higher papers are 1PH0/1H and 1PH0/2H, each out of 100 marks and each 50% of the qualification, so the tier is a single decision covering both. The specification also says the qualification is graded on the total subject mark, with individual papers not graded.

How many marks of each Higher physics paper also appear on the Foundation paper?

Pearson's specification states that 27 marks of each paper are overlap questions that appear in both the foundation and higher tier papers. Each paper is out of 100 marks and lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes. The same statement appears under both Paper 1 and Paper 2 in the specification, so a Higher student's revision of shared content is still examined, and the bold Higher-only statements are the additional ones to learn.

What did Pearson's examiners say about the June 2025 Higher physics papers?

On Paper 1H the report says candidates did particularly well on calculation questions, and Q8 on momentum asked for the momentum equation, the rate-of-change-of-momentum equation and conservation of momentum. On Paper 2H it says the paper gave ample opportunity at grades 4 to 9, that the purpose of a d.c. motor commutator was poorly explained, and that marks on the transformer question were lost by not stating that the field in the core was changing.

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