What are the different exam boards?

Examination boards, also known as awarding bodies, are responsible for setting and awarding secondary education level qualifications (GCSEs, Standard Grades, A Levels, Highers and vocational qualifications) to UK students.

There are currently five exam boards available to state schools, and individual schools and colleges can choose freely between them. Most institutions use a mixture of boards for their GCSE qualifications, so if you’re unsure of what exam board is being used for your GCSE subject, you should check with your teacher. 

These are the UK exam boards: 

AQA

OCR 

Edexcel

CCEA

WJEC

How many papers does GCSE English have?

GCSE English is split into two main topics: language and literature. The English language GCSE is geared towards developing students’ skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening, while the English literature GCSE is focused on developing knowledge and understanding of literary texts. 📖

As part of your GCSE English exam, you’ll sit two papers for English Language and two for English Literature. In addition, there is a separate Spoken Language Endorsement for the English Language GCSE – this doesn’t count towards your final grade, but you will get a pass, merit, or distinction depending on your performance.

Though you may feel nervous about your upcoming GCSE exams, preparing well can help you perform better and feel more comfortable when you sit your exam. Revising for your exams using an English GCSE past paper is a great way to prepare, and fortunately, there are many previous exam papers available online so you can get a better feel for what may come up on your exam. Keep reading to get links for recent English GCSE past papers from the different exam boards! 

What are some past exam papers for English GCSE?

There are many GCSE English past papers available. You can find recent GCSE English past papers from the different exam boards below. 

AQA

GCSE English Language past papers: 

November 2020: Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing (8700/1)

November 2020: Paper 2: Writer's Viewpoints and Perspectives (8700/2)

GCSE English Literature past papers: 

November 2020: Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th Century Novel (8702/1)

November 2020: Paper 2: Modern Texts and Poetry (8702/2)

OCR 

GCSE English Language Past Papers: 

November 2020: J351/01 Communicating Information and Ideas

November 2020: J351/02 Exploring effects and impact

GCSE English Literature Past Papers: 

November 2020: J352/01 Exploring Modern and Literary heritage texts

November 2020: J352/02 Exploring Poetry and Shakespeare

Edexcel

GCSE English Language Past Papers: 

November 2020: Paper 1: 1EN0/01 English Language - Fiction and Imaginative Writing

November 2020: Paper 2: 1EN0/02 English Language - Non-Fiction and Transactional Writing 

GCSE English Literature Past Papers: 

November 2020: Paper 1: 1ET0/01 English Literature - Shakespeare and Post - 1914 Literature

November 2020: Paper 2: 1ET0/02 English Literature - 19th Century Novel and Poetry Since 1789

CCEA

GCSE English Language Past Papers: 

Summer 2021: Unit 1: Writing for Purpose and Audience and Reading to Access Non-fiction and Media Texts

January 2020: Unit 1: Writing for Purpose and Audience and Reading to Access Non-fiction and Media Texts

January 2020: Unit 4: Personal or Creative Writing and Reading Literary and Non-Fiction Texts

GCSE English Literature Past Papers: 

Summer 2021: Unit 1: The Study of Prose

Summer 2021: Unit 2: The Study of Drama and Poetry

WJEC

GCSE English Language Past Papers: 

November 2019: Unit 2: (3700U20-1) Reading and Writing: Description, Narration and Exposition

November 2019: Unit 3: (3700U30-1) Reading and Writing: Argumentation, Persuasion and Instructional 

GCSE English Literature Past Papers: 

June 2019: Unit 1: 3720U10-01 Foundation

June 2019: Unit 1: 3720UA0-01 Higher

June 2019: Unit 2A: 3720U20-01 Literacy Heritage, Drama and Contemporary Prose – Foundation

June 2019: Unit 2A: 3720UB0-01 Literacy Heritage, Drama and Contemporary Prose – Higher

June 2019: Unit 2B: 3720U30-01 Literacy Heritage, Drama and Contemporary Prose – Foundation

June 2019: Unit 2B: 3720UC0-01 Literacy Heritage, Drama and Contemporary Prose – Higher

What are the benefits of using past papers as a revision tool?

There are many advantages to using past exam papers in the run-up to your GCSE exams, and it’s always recommended to include studying past papers in your revision plan. 

Past papers are a fantastic way to prepare for an exam because you get a chance to practise answering similar questions to what will come up on your exam at home, in your own time.

A great tip is to replicate exam conditions at home and complete a past exam paper – this will give you a better understanding of how to manage your time during the test and ensure you’ll be more comfortable on the day of the actual exam.

Be sure to review your completed paper afterwards to identify areas of improvement, and pay attention to the range of questions and themes in past papers to get a better idea of what you can expect on exam day.  

Many students may experience feelings of worry or anxiety during exam season, and preparing for your GCSEs can be a stressful time. Don’t forget to look after your mental health in the middle of everything, and reach out to a parent, teacher or someone else you trust if you find yourself getting overwhelmed. 🤍

Keep in mind that preparing well for an exam can help you feel more calm and ready when the exam date rolls around.

Planning and organising your study time ahead of exam season will help you feel on top of things and ensure you have time for all the necessary revision. There are plenty of resources online to help you as you study for your exams – why not download our free GCSE Revision Timetable to ensure you manage your time well?

If you could use a little extra support with your exam prep, GoStudent offers specialised GCSE tutoring – and you can’t go wrong with a free trial session! 🚀