CCEA GCSE Past Papers 2026
Browse all 53 CCEA GCSE subjects below. Download question papers and mark schemes from 2006–2025 — always free.
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About CCEA GCSE
CCEA GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) is the standard qualification for 14-16 year olds in Northern Ireland. Unlike England where AQA, Edexcel, and OCR compete, CCEA is the sole provider — approximately 97% of all GCSE entries in Northern Ireland are with CCEA, serving over 156,000 post-primary pupils across 190 schools.
CCEA GCSEs use the traditional A*-G grading system, not England's 9-1 scale. Northern Ireland also introduced a unique C* grade — sitting between B and C — equivalent to a grade 5 “strong pass” in England. Grade C remains the standard pass (equivalent to grade 4). In 2025, 83.5% of NI students achieved grade C or above, with 31.6% achieving A or higher.
CCEA also retains some modular GCSEs, where assessments are split into units taken across the course — unlike England where GCSEs are now entirely linear. Exams are held in the main Summer session (May-June), with November resits available for English and Mathematics, and March for selected modules.
CCEA offers unique subjects not available from other UK exam boards, including Learning for Life and Work (covering citizenship, employability, and personal development), Gaeilge (Irish Language), Journalism, and Moving Image Art.
Questions, answered.
PapersDaddy has past papers for 53 CCEA GCSE subjects, with 1,626+ papers from 2006–2025. This includes question papers and mark schemes — all free to download.
We have CCEA GCSE past papers from 2006–2025. These papers cover both January and May/June exam sessions. All papers are from the official CCEA examinations sat in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland chose to retain the A*-G grading scale when England switched to 9-1 in 2017. The Department of Education decided the traditional letter grades were well understood by students, parents, and employers. CCEA also introduced a unique C* grade (between B and C), equivalent to England's grade 5 'strong pass'. Grade C is equivalent to grade 4.
C* is a grade unique to Northern Ireland CCEA GCSEs. It sits between B and C, equivalent to a grade 5 'strong pass' in England's 9-1 system. It was introduced to provide differentiation at the C grade boundary, helping distinguish students who perform at the higher end of the C range.
Start with the most recent paper and work backwards. Attempt each paper under timed exam conditions without notes. After completing it, use the mark scheme to self-assess — note exactly where marks were lost and why. Focus revision on weak topics, then repeat with another paper. Most students find 3-5 years of past papers sufficient for thorough preparation.