Edexcel GCSE Mathematics (1MA1) Past Papers 2026
Download free Edexcel GCSE Mathematics past papers, mark schemes, Foundation & Higher tiers. 28 exam sessions from 2012–2026.
November 2024
Latest Session
28
Sessions
2012–2026
93
Question Papers
93
Mark Schemes
100% coverage
31
Specimen Papers
Components & time pressure
Marks per minute shows how fast you have to work — the higher the number, the tighter the time pressure in that paper.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Duration | Marks / min | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Non-Calculator (Foundation and Higher) | 80 | 1h 30m | 0.89 | High |
| Paper 2 | Calculator (Foundation and Higher) | 80 | 1h 30m | 0.89 | High |
| Paper 3 | Calculator (Foundation and Higher) | 80 | 1h 30m | 0.89 | High |
Component structure extracted from 12 official Edexcel documents (2023–2024). Timings and mark totals are taken from the papers themselves.
Yearly Exam Sessions
Specimen Papers
Show all 31 specimen papersHide specimen papers
Mark Scheme
Specimen-MS---Paper-1-(F)-Edexcel-(A)-Maths-GCSE.pdf
Mark Scheme
Specimen-MS---Paper-1-(H)-Edexcel-(A)-Maths-GCSE.pdf
Question Paper
Specimen-QP---Paper-1-(F)-Edexcel-(A)-Maths-GCSE.pdf
Question Paper
Specimen-QP---Paper-1-(H)-Edexcel-(A)-Maths-GCSE.pdf
Marking Advice
Sample-MA.pdf
Mark Scheme
Sample-MS.pdf
Question Paper
Sample-QP.pdf
Marking Advice
Specimen-1-MA.pdf
Mark Scheme
Specimen-1-MS.pdf
Question Paper
Specimen-1-QP.pdf
Marking Advice
Specimen-2-MA.pdf
Mark Scheme
Specimen-2-MS.pdf
Question Paper
Specimen-2-QP.pdf
Marking Advice
Sample-MA.pdf
Mark Scheme
Sample-MS.pdf
Question Paper
Sample-QP.pdf
Marking Advice
Specimen-1-MA.pdf
Mark Scheme
Specimen-1-MS.pdf
Question Paper
Specimen-1-QP.pdf
Marking Advice
Specimen-2-MA.pdf
Mark Scheme
Specimen-2-MS.pdf
Question Paper
Specimen-2-QP.pdf
Marking Advice
Sample-MA.pdf
Mark Scheme
Sample-MS.pdf
Question Paper
Sample-QP.pdf
Marking Advice
Specimen-1-MA.pdf
Mark Scheme
Specimen-1-MS.pdf
Question Paper
Specimen-1-QP.pdf
Marking Advice
Specimen-2-MA.pdf
Mark Scheme
Specimen-2-MS.pdf
Question Paper
Specimen-2-QP.pdf
How is Edexcel GCSE Mathematics examined?
Edexcel GCSE Mathematics is examined through 3 paper components. Understanding each component helps you allocate revision time effectively.
Paper 1
80 marksNon-Calculator (Foundation and Higher)
Duration: 1h 30m
Paper 2
80 marksCalculator (Foundation and Higher)
Duration: 1h 30m
Paper 3
80 marksCalculator (Foundation and Higher)
Duration: 1h 30m
What Edexcel examiners say about Mathematics
Verbatim quotes from 12 official Edexcel examiner reports (2023–2024). Every quote is attributable to a specific paper and session — these are the things Edexcel markers flag year after year.
Not showing working
The inclusion of working out to support answers is essential to gain full credit but remains an issue for many. Working out not only needs to be shown, it also needs to be shown in a clear and logical way, demonstrating the processes of calculation used.
Premature rounding
there is real evidence of students struggling to articulate their mathematics competently
Using written (build-up/partitioning) methods for…
there is evidence that some students continue to try to use written methods even when they have a calculator. This often means that calculations take longer and increases the chance of inaccurate answers. One example of this is when break-down or build-up methods were used in attempts to work out percentages.
Most Common Mistakes — Mathematics
Based on analysis of 12 official Edexcel examiner reports (2023, 2024). Avoid these errors to maximise your marks.
Not showing working — writing only the final answer, especially in multi-step and 'show that' questions
Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3 · Flagged in every report across all 12 papers and both tiers, 2023 and 2024
Premature rounding — truncating intermediate values before reaching the final answer
Paper 2, Paper 3 · Explicitly cited in every calculator paper report across both tiers and both years
Using written (build-up/partitioning) methods for percentages on a calculator paper instead of multiplying by the decimal multiplier
Paper 2, Paper 3 · Cited in all six calculator paper reports across both tiers, 2023 and 2024
Incorrect time conversions — treating 1 hour as 100 minutes or writing 1h 45min as 1.45
Paper 2, Paper 3 · Present in multiple calculator paper reports across both tiers
Describing two transformations when 'single transformation' is required — scores zero marks
Paper 2, Paper 3 · Every session, Papers 2 and 3, both tiers
Topics Students Struggle With Most
Histogram frequency density — using frequency instead of frequency density
'Very few worked with frequency density' and 'It was clear that histograms is a topic that many candidates continue to find difficult' — cited in every Higher paper report and Foundation Paper 3 across both years.
Paper 1, Paper 2, Paper 3
Reverse percentages — dividing by the wrong multiplier or treating the discounted price as the original
'The most common error was to treat the reduced amount as 100%, finding 30% of this and adding this on giving an answer of 364.' Present in Foundation papers across both years.
Paper 1, Paper 2
Equation of a straight line — finding gradient or correctly identifying y-intercept vs x-intercept
'Many candidates drew a triangle under the line as a first step to calculating the gradient but then didn't know how to progress from there.' The y-intercept (c) was often confused with the x-intercept.
Paper 1
Venn diagrams and set notation — particularly the complement (A') and union (A∪B)
'Only a minority of candidates could write down the numbers that were in set P'' — confusion between P and P' was the most common error. Flagged in Foundation Paper 1F both years and Higher Paper 1H 2023.
Paper 1
Speed, distance and time with unit conversion — especially working in hours vs minutes
'Errors with decimal time were common with conversion to 145 min or 1.45 hours seen regularly.' Time conversion errors specifically cited in Papers 2F and 3F across both years.
Paper 2, Paper 3
Vectors — selecting the correct route and applying ratios correctly
'Many selected the incorrect vectors to add to gain the third mark.' Direction errors and incorrect ratio applications (applying the ratio from the wrong endpoint) were common in Higher Paper 2H and 3H.
Paper 2, Paper 3
Inverse proportion — confusing direct and inverse proportionality
'Many students approached the question using direct proportionality and so came to the conclusion that it would take less time (11.2 hours) for 4 pumps to fill the water tank than it does if 5 pumps are used.' Cited explicitly in Paper 3H 2023.
Paper 3
Algebraic proof and algebraic fractions — substituting values instead of proving generally, and sign errors in rearrangement
'Weaker responses include those where a student had substituted a value or values for n, but of course, this could not serve as a proof.' Cited in Higher Paper 3H 2023. Algebraic fraction errors appear in both Higher paper reports.
Paper 1, Paper 3
Edexcel GCSE Mathematics — Full Archive 2012–2026
This page contains all 225 Pearson Edexcel GCSE Mathematics past papers available for free download — 28 exam sessions from 2012 to 2026. Each session includes question papers (QP), mark schemes (MS), and where applicable, marking advice (MA) and insert materials (IN). No registration or payment required.
Pearson Edexcel GCSE Mathematics is graded 9–1, where 9 is the highest. Grade 4 is a standard pass and grade 5 is a strong pass. Edexcel is part of Pearson, the world's largest education company, and is one of the three main exam boards in England alongside AQA and OCR.
Some Edexcel GCSE subjects offer Foundation and Higher tiers. Foundation targets grades 5–1 and Higher targets grades 9–4. Paper filenames indicate the tier — always check you're downloading the correct one for your entry. If your subject is untiered, all students sit the same papers regardless of target grade.
Edexcel mark schemes distinguish between method marks (M), accuracy marks (A), and independent marks (B). Even if your final answer is wrong, clear working can earn method marks — so always show your steps. After completing each Mathematics past paper under timed exam conditions, mark it against the official scheme and track which topics and question types cost you the most marks. Focusing revision on your weakest areas across 3–5 papers is the most efficient way to improve your grade.
Mathematics (1MA1) at other levels
Questions, answered.
PapersDaddy provides 225 free Edexcel GCSE Mathematics past papers from 2012–2026. Download question papers and mark schemes as PDF — no registration needed.
We have 225 papers across 28 exam sessions for Edexcel GCSE Mathematics. This includes question papers and mark schemes for both Foundation and Higher tiers, plus 31 specimen papers.
Practise with the tier you are entered for. Foundation tier targets grades 5-1. Higher tier targets grades 9-4. If you're unsure, ask your teacher which tier you are entered for. Practising with the wrong tier will not prepare you for the correct question style and difficulty.
QP = Question Paper (the actual exam paper), MS = Mark Scheme (official marking guide with accepted answers), MA = Marking Advice (additional guidance for markers), IN = Insert (source material booklet used during the exam). Download both the QP and MS for each session to practise effectively.