Where do I get past papers?

GCSE Maths Past Papers by Exam Board

For GCSE maths past papers, the top pick is the website of the board you actually sit: AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR or WJEC/Eduqas, because that is where the original papers and mark schemes come from. The difference is how each board organises access: AQA is a direct archive, Pearson Edexcel adds bulk downloads by series, OCR has a finder by qualification and level, and WJEC/Eduqas also has a Question Bank for custom practice. Revision Library belongs beside those sources, not above them, because it turns exam-style maths practice into topic-sorted question sheets when a whole paper is too broad.

This comparison is published by Revision Library, and Revision Library appears on the list below.

How this list was made

This comparison looked at what each board's own site says it publishes, how the archive is organised, whether access is public or mixed, and what a GCSE maths student still needs after downloading a whole paper. The board entries and Revision Library were checked on 30 August 2026.

At a glance

Site	Best for	Price	Account
AQA	Best for official past papers straight from the exam board	Free	No account
Pearson Edexcel	Best for bulk downloads by exam series	Free	Free to browse; account for some tools
OCR	Best for a past-paper finder by qualification and level	Free	Free to browse; account for some tools
WJEC / Eduqas	Best for building custom papers from real past questions	Free	No account
Revision Library	Best for exam-style question sheets by topic	Everything is free	No account

The full comparison

AQA

Best for official past papers straight from the exam board

AQA is one of the UK's exam boards, and its site is the primary source for its own GCSE and A Level past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports, free to search and download without an account.

For an AQA GCSE maths student, AQA is the cleanest starting point because it is the original source for that board's papers, mark schemes and examiner reports. The trade-off is that the archive is not arranged by topic, and most papers and mark schemes are removed from the public site after a few years.

Pearson Edexcel

Best for bulk downloads by exam series

Pearson Edexcel is one of the UK's exam boards. Its site lets anyone search and download most past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports for free; the most recent exam series is restricted to registered exam centres for a period after each sitting.

Pearson Edexcel suits students and teachers who want to gather a whole exam series at once, because its site supports self-service search and bulk downloads by series. It is still a whole-paper archive rather than a topic bank, and the most recent series is restricted to registered centres for a period after each sitting.

OCR

Best for a past-paper finder by qualification and level

OCR is one of the UK's exam boards, with a past-paper finder covering its GCSE and A Level qualifications, free to use. Some recent or secure materials are restricted under OCR's own past-paper release policy.

OCR's dedicated finder is helpful when a student wants to narrow quickly to the right qualification and level. It remains organised around papers rather than topics, and some recent or secure materials are restricted under OCR's release policy.

WJEC / Eduqas

Best for building custom papers from real past questions

WJEC is a UK exam board; Eduqas is its England-facing brand. Past papers and mark schemes are made available to the public as well as to registered centres, free to download, alongside a distinctive free Question Bank tool for building custom practice papers from past questions with mark schemes and examiner's comments.

WJEC/Eduqas is the most worksheet-like of the board options because its free Question Bank can build custom practice papers from past questions with mark schemes and examiner's comments. Its past papers and mark schemes are free to download, though the exact archive depth in years was not confirmed.

Revision Library

Best for exam-style question sheets by topic

Revision Library is not the official source for any board's past papers. Its role is different: the GCSE Maths worksheet library gives exam-style question sheets arranged by topic, with a full mark scheme, so a student can practise one weak area without searching through three whole exam papers.

That matters most after a student has used a board paper and found the gap. If vectors, bounds or ratio caused the lost marks, the GCSE Maths library and maths topic guides make it easier to work on that skill directly before going back to the next official paper.

The library also keeps tier practice clear. Students can browse Foundation or Higher material without mixing question styles, while the Maths Pack Builder can combine several weak topics into one printable set.

Close to the exam, Revision Library's past-paper practice by topic and predicted papers are useful supplements. They do not replace AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR or WJEC/Eduqas papers, because only the board can provide the original paper exactly as sat.

Browse GCSE Maths questions by topic →

In the numbers

449

GCSE Maths worksheet packs sorted by topic, each with a full mark scheme

packs: 449
question pages: 2,967

How to choose

Start with the board on the front of the specification or the mock paper your school uses. AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and WJEC/Eduqas papers are not interchangeable practice formats, even when the same GCSE maths topic appears on more than one board.

Use a whole official paper when timing, paper structure and mark scheme wording matter. Use topic practice when the problem is narrower, for example a repeated algebra error or a geometry skill that needs ten more attempts before another full paper is worth sitting.

If a teacher has set a recent paper, expect access rules to matter. Pearson Edexcel and OCR both have mixed access for recent or secure material, while AQA and WJEC/Eduqas are described here from their public availability information.

For a longer revision window, combine the official archive with a topic route. A student preparing for GCSE Maths 2027 can use board papers to measure exam readiness, then use topic sheets to repair the weak spots before the next timed paper.

Frequently asked questions

Which GCSE maths exam board past papers should I use?+

Use the papers from the exam board you are actually sitting. AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and WJEC/Eduqas are all awarding bodies, so their own sites are the authoritative source for their own papers and mark schemes.

Are board past papers sorted by topic?+

No. The board entries all treat papers as whole exam materials rather than topic collections. For topic practice, use a separate source such as Revision Library's GCSE Maths question sheets alongside the official papers.

Why might I not find the newest paper online?+

Access rules vary by board. Pearson Edexcel restricts the most recent exam series to registered centres for a period after each sitting, and OCR restricts some recent or secure materials under its release policy.

Should I practise Foundation and Higher papers differently?+

Yes. Use the tier you have been entered for when sitting whole board papers, then use tier-specific topic practice if a skill needs work. Revision Library separates Foundation and Higher practice for that reason.

Written by Akil. Last reviewed 30 August 2026.

Browse GCSE Maths questions by topic.

Every worksheet is free to download, with a full mark scheme and no card or account.

Browse GCSE Maths questions by topic →More comparisons