Skip to main content

OCR homepage

  • OCR sites
  • About
  • Contact us

Administration

  • Active Results
  • Interchange
  • Log in to the OCR Repository
  • Teach Cambridge

Support

  • ExamBuilder

FAQs

  • Online Support Centre

Main navigation

  • Subjects
    • Mathematics
    • English
    • Geography
    • History
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Physics
    • Science
    • Computer science and ICT
    • Business
    • PE and sport
    See all subjects
  • Qualifications
    • AS and A Level
    • GCSE
    • Entry Level
    • Cambridge Technicals
    • Cambridge Nationals
    • Core Maths
    See all qualifications
  • Administration
    • Overviews
    • Preparation
    • Entries
    • Assessment
    • Results
    • Post-results services
    • Certificates
    • Support and tools
    Administration
    • Interchange
    • Basedata
    • Grade boundaries
    • Key dates and timetables
  • More
  • Students
    • Past papers
    • Replacement certificates
    • Exam dates and timetables
    • Getting your results
    • Convert raw marks to UMS
    • Private candidates
    • Explaining examining
    • Managing stress
    More for students
  • Students
    • Past papers
    • Replacement certificates
    • Exam dates and timetables
    • Getting your results
    • Convert raw marks to UMS
    • Private candidates
    • Explaining examining
    • Managing stress
    More for students
  • OCR Sites
  • About
  • Contact us
  • Home
  • Qualifications
  • AS and A Level
  • Physics A - H156, H556 (from 2015)

AS and A Level Physics A - H156, H556 Teaching from 2015

Physics A - H156, H556 (from 2015)

Quick Links

  • Specification at a glance
  • New to OCR
  • Changes for 2022
  • Planning and teaching
  • Assessment
  • Administration
  • Textbooks & endorsed resources
    • More about science >
    • Sign up for updates >
    • Professional development >
    Contact the team >
    • 01223 553998
    • science@ocr.org.uk
    • @OCR_Science

Assessment

  • A Level

  • AS Level

Question papers, mark schemes and reports

2022 - June series

  • Question papers H156/H556 - interchange login required
  • Modified papers H156/H556 - interchange login required
  • Examiners' report - Modelling physics H556/01 - interchange login required 2 days ago
  • Examiners' report - Exploring physics H556/02 - interchange login required 2 days ago
  • Examiners' report - Unified physics H556/03 - interchange login required 2 days ago
  • Moderators' report - Practical endorsement H420/04, H422/04, H432/04, H433/04, H414/04, H556/04, H557/04 - interchange login required 2 days ago

2021 - November series

  • Question papers H156/H556 - interchange login required
  • Question papers H156/H556 - interchange login required
  • Mark schemes H156, H556 - interchange login required
  • Examiners' report - Modelling physics H556/01 - interchange login required
  • Examiners' report - Exploring physics H556/02 - interchange login required
  • Examiners' report - Unified physics H556/03 - interchange login required

2020 - November series

  • Question paper - Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 1MB
  • Mark scheme - Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 488KB
  • Examiners' report - Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 341KB
  • Question paper - Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 6MB
  • Mark scheme - Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 439KB
  • Examiners' report - Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 419KB
  • Question paper - Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 4MB
  • Mark scheme - Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 499KB
  • Examiners' report - Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 461KB
  • Data booklet H156/H556 - PDF 1MB
  • Modified papers H556/01/02/03 - ZIP 15MB

2019 - June series

  • Question paper - Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 4MB
  • Mark scheme - Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 720KB
  • Examiners' report - Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 1MB
  • Question paper - Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 1MB
  • Mark scheme - Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 697KB
  • Examiners' report - Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 1MB
  • Question paper - Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 3MB
  • Mark scheme - Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 632KB
  • Examiners' report - Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 1MB
  • Data booklet - Physics A (CST992) H156/H556 - PDF 1MB
  • Moderators' report - Practical endorsement H420/04, H422/04, H432/04, H433/04, H414/04, H556/04, H557/04 - PDF 754KB
  • Modified papers H556/01/02/03 - ZIP 62MB
  • Summer highlights report H556/H557 - PDF 659KB

2018 - June series

  • Question paper - Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 4MB
  • Question paper - Modelling physics erratum H556/01 - PDF 531KB
  • Mark scheme - Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 418KB
  • Examiners' report - Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 2MB
  • Question paper - Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 5MB
  • Question paper - Exploring physics erratum H556/02 - PDF 694KB
  • Mark scheme - Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 422KB
  • Examiners' report - Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 2MB
  • Question paper - Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 3MB
  • Mark scheme - Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 400KB
  • Examiners' report - Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 2MB
  • Data sheet H156/01/02 - PDF 1MB
  • Modified papers H556/01-H556/03 - ZIP 50MB
  • Moderators' report - endorsed component H420, H422, H432, H433, H556, H557 - PDF 482KB
  • Modified papers H556/01-H556/03 - ZIP 50MB

2017 - June series

  • Question paper - Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 4MB
  • Mark scheme - Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 375KB
  • Question paper - Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 4MB
  • Mark scheme - Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 460KB
  • Question paper - Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 3MB
  • Question paper - Unified physics (notice to centres) H556/03 - PDF 502KB
  • Mark scheme - Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 375KB
  • Examiners' report PDF 430KB
  • Modified papers ZIP 20MB
  • Modified papers ZIP 37MB

Withdrawn qualification materials

2017 - June series

  • Mark scheme - Unit G484 - The Newtonian world - June PDF 517KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G485 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics PDF 379KB
  • Question paper - Unit G484/01 - The Newtonian world PDF 2MB
  • Question paper - Unit G485/01 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics PDF 2MB

2016 - June series

  • Examiners' report - June PDF 406KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G484 - The Newtonian world - June PDF 293KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G485 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics - June PDF 1MB
  • Modified papers ZIP 16MB
  • Question paper - Unit G484/01 - The Newtonian world PDF 489KB
  • Question paper - Unit G485/01 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics PDF 869KB

2015 - June series

  • Examiners' report - June PDF 384KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G484 - The Newtonian world - June PDF 588KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G485 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics - June PDF 302KB
  • Modified papers ZIP 6MB
  • Question paper - Unit G484/01 - The Newtonian world PDF 472KB
  • Question paper - Unit G485/01 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics PDF 666KB

2014 - June series

  • Examiners' report - June PDF 497KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G484 - The Newtonian world - June PDF 468KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G485 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics - June PDF 351KB
  • Question paper - Unit G484/01 - The Newtonian world PDF 182KB
  • Question paper - Unit G485/01 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics PDF 438KB

2013 - June series

  • Examiners' reports - June PDF 489KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G484 - The Newtonian world - June PDF 405KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G485 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics - June PDF 89KB
  • Modified papers ZIP 1MB
  • Question paper - Unit G484/01 - The Newtonian world PDF 162KB
  • Question paper - Unit G485/01 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics PDF 223KB

2013 - January series

  • Examiners' reports - January PDF 112KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G484 - The Newtonian world - January PDF 146KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G485 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics - January PDF 99KB
  • Modified papers ZIP 1MB
  • Question paper - Unit G484/01 - The Newtonian world PDF 164KB
  • Question paper - Unit G485/01 - Fields, particles and frontiers of physics PDF 214KB

Sample assessment materials

  • Marking instructions are included at the beginning of specimen assessment material mark schemes and were accurate at the time of publication. Marking instructions may be revised in live papers as appropriate during the lifetime of the qualification.

    We're currently revising our SAMs to update third-party copyright agreements. For question examples see our question papers, marks schemes and reports.

  • Modelling physics H556/01 - Sample question paper and mark scheme. PDF 3MB
  • Exploring physics H556/02 - Sample question paper and mark scheme. PDF 3MB
  • Unified physics H556/03 - Sample question paper and mark scheme. PDF 2MB
  • Data, formulae and relationships booklet H156 H556 - PDF 2MB

Practice papers and mark schemes

  • Building a topic test in ExamBuilder Instructions on how to create your own practice test DOCX 354KB
  • H556 and H557 PAG practice question sets Compiled from the ExamBuilder bank of exam questions, these sets are designed to support the teaching and learning of Module 1 – Development of practical skills in biology - interchange login required
  • H156 and H556 practice papers and mark schemes set 1 and set 2 (ZIP) interchange login required
  • H156 and H556 topic tests (ZIP) interchange login required

Candidate exemplars

2019 - June series

  • Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 1MB
  • Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 2MB
  • Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 2MB

2018 - June series

  • Modelling physics H556/01 - PDF 11MB
  • Exploring physics H556/02 - PDF 6MB
  • Unified physics H556/03 - PDF 5MB
  • Examiner comment summary H556, H557 - PDF 730KB

2017 - June series

  • Examiner comment summary H556 - PDF 655KB
  • Modelling physics H556/01 - Exemplar candidate work with commentary PDF 11MB
  • Exploring physics H556/02 - Exemplar candidate work with commentary PDF 5MB
  • Unified physics H556/03 - Exemplar candidate work with commentary PDF 9MB

Additional exemplars

  • Exemplar responses to level of response questions This resource has been designed to aid teachers and students in preparing for level of response questions in their examinations. PDF 4MB

Practical endorsement

  • Positive about practical Key documents, FAQs and training videos to help you get the most out of the practical endorsement. Our PAG approach helps you integrate practical activities to best support your students’ learning.
  • Practical endorsement resources Including 36 editable suggestions for PAG practical activities as well as the ‘fixed’, ‘flexible’ and 'portable' tracker spreadsheets for recording student progress. - interchange login required
  • Practical endorsement training for A Level sciences Online OCR practical endorsement standardisation training for lead teachers in A Level sciences
  • Practical endorsement skills tick table H556/H557 - The table allows learners to track their coverage of the skills, apparatus and techniques included in the Practical Endorsement. - interchange login required

Legacy coursework tasks

  • Practical assessment tasks from legacy units G483 and G486 Available for use in teaching the new specifications H156/H556 - interchange login required

Resources for students

  • Exam hints for students H556 - PDF 1MB
  • Student revision checklist H556 - A checklist of the learning outcomes and the content you need to cover and work on. DOCX 1MB

Question papers, mark schemes and reports

2022 - June series

  • Question papers H156/H556 - interchange login required
  • Modified papers H156/H556 - interchange login required
  • Examiners' report - Breadth in physics H156/01 - interchange login required 2 days ago
  • Examiners' report - Depth in physics H156/02 - interchange login required 2 days ago

2021 - November series

  • Question papers H156/H556 - interchange login required
  • Question papers H156/H556 - interchange login required
  • Mark schemes H156, H556 - interchange login required

2020 - November series

  • Question paper - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 6MB
  • Mark scheme - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 416KB
  • Examiners' report - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 410KB
  • Question paper - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 5MB
  • Mark scheme - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 449KB
  • Examiners' report - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 444KB
  • Data booklet H156//H556 - PDF 1MB
  • Modified papers H156/01-H156/02 - ZIP 5MB

2019 - June series

  • Question paper - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 3MB
  • Mark scheme - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 586KB
  • Examiners' report - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 1MB
  • Question paper - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 3MB
  • Mark scheme - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 644KB
  • Examiners' report - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 1MB
  • Data Sheet H156-H556 - PDF 1MB
  • Modified papers H156/01-H156/02 - ZIP 20MB

2018 - June series

  • Question paper - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 3MB
  • Mark scheme - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 441KB
  • Examiners' report - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 1MB
  • Question paper - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 3MB
  • Mark scheme - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 423KB
  • Examiners' report - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 1MB
  • Data sheet H156/01/02 - PDF 1MB
  • Modified papers H156/01-H156/02 - ZIP 11MB

2017 - June series

  • Question paper - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 4MB
  • Mark scheme - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 463KB
  • Question paper - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 3MB
  • Mark scheme - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 483KB
  • Modified papers ZIP 37MB
  • Examiners' report H156 - PDF 399KB

2016 - June series

  • Question paper - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 958KB
  • Mark scheme - Breadth in physics H156/01 - PDF 261KB
  • Question paper - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 630KB
  • Mark scheme - Depth in physics H156/02 - PDF 538KB
  • Examiners' report H156 - PDF 335KB
  • Modified papers H156 - ZIP 6MB
  • Modified papers ZIP 8MB

Withdrawn qualification materials

2017 - June series

  • Mark scheme - Unit G481 - Mechanics PDF 238KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 271KB
  • Question paper - Unit G481/01 - Mechanics PDF 2MB
  • Question paper - Unit G482/01 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 3MB

2016 - June series

  • Examiners' report - June PDF 406KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G481 - Mechanics - June PDF 347KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons - June PDF 469KB
  • Modified papers ZIP 16MB
  • Question paper - Unit G481/01 - Mechanics PDF 780KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482/01 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 475KB

2015 - June series

  • Examiners' report - June PDF 384KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G481 - Mechanics - June PDF 297KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons - June PDF 308KB
  • Modified papers ZIP 6MB
  • Question paper - Unit G481/01 - Mechanics PDF 529KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482/01 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 487KB

2014 - June series

  • Examiners' report - June PDF 497KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G481 - Mechanics - June PDF 585KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons - June PDF 269KB
  • Question paper - Unit G481/01 - Mechanics PDF 522KB
  • Question paper - Unit G481/01 - Mechanics - Post-exam correction PDF 495KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482/01 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 177KB

2013 - June series

  • Examiners' reports - June PDF 489KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G481 - Mechanics - June PDF 113KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons - June PDF 166KB
  • Modified papers ZIP 1MB
  • Question paper - Unit G481/01 - Mechanics PDF 173KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482/01 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 215KB

2013 - January series

  • Examiners' reports - January PDF 112KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G481 - Mechanics - January PDF 85KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons - January PDF 127KB
  • Modified papers ZIP 1MB
  • Question paper - Unit G481/01 - Mechanics PDF 180KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482/01 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 215KB

2012 - June series

  • Mark scheme - Unit G481 - Mechanics - June PDF 74KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons - June PDF 326KB
  • Question paper - Unit G481 - Mechanics PDF 175KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 183KB

2012 - January series

  • Mark scheme - Unit G481 - Mechanics - January PDF 217KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons - January PDF 124KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 176KB

2011 - June series

  • Mark scheme - Unit G481 - Mechanics - June PDF 173KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons - June PDF 224KB
  • Question paper - Unit G481 - Mechanics PDF 179KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 369KB

2011 - January series

  • Mark scheme - Unit G481 - Mechanics - January PDF 177KB
  • Mark scheme - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons - January PDF 245KB
  • Question paper - Unit G481 - Mechanics PDF 173KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 258KB

2010 - June series

  • Mark scheme - Unit G482/01 - Electrons, waves and photons - June PDF 91KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 390KB

2009 - June series

  • Question paper - Unit G481 - Mechanics PDF 313KB
  • Question paper - Unit G481 - Mechanics - Visually impaired PDF 145KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 340KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons - Visually impaired PDF 171KB

2009 - January series

  • Mark scheme - January PDF 199KB
  • Question paper - Unit G481 - Mechanics PDF 397KB
  • Report on the units - January PDF 95KB

2010 - January series

  • Question paper - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons PDF 239KB
  • Question paper - Unit G482 - Electrons, waves and photons - Visually impaired PDF 168KB

Sample assessment materials

  • Marking instructions are included at the beginning of specimen assessment material mark schemes and were accurate at the time of publication. Marking instructions may be revised in live papers as appropriate during the lifetime of the qualification.

    We're currently revising our SAMs to update third-party copyright agreements. For question examples see our question papers, marks schemes and reports.

  • Breadth in physics H156/01 - Sample question paper and mark scheme. PDF 2MB
  • Depth in physics H156/02 - Sample question paper and mark scheme. PDF 2MB
  • Data, formulae and relationships booklet H156 H556 - PDF 2MB

Practice papers and mark schemes

  • H156 and H556 practice papers and mark schemes set 1 and set 2 (ZIP) interchange login required
  • H156 and H556 topic tests (ZIP) interchange login required

Candidate exemplars

Additional exemplars

  • Exemplar responses to level of response questions This resource has been designed to aid teachers and students in preparing for level of response questions in their examinations. PDF 4MB

Practical endorsement

  • Positive about practical Key documents, FAQs and training videos to help you get the most out of the practical endorsement. Our PAG approach helps you integrate practical activities to best support your students’ learning.
  • Practical endorsement resources Including 36 editable suggestions for PAG practical activities as well as the ‘fixed’, ‘flexible’ and 'portable' tracker spreadsheets for recording student progress. - interchange login required
  • Practical endorsement training for A Level sciences Online OCR practical endorsement standardisation training for lead teachers in A Level sciences

Legacy coursework tasks

  • Practical assessment tasks from legacy units G483 and G486 Available for use in teaching the new specifications H156/H556 - interchange login required
  • ExamBuilder

    Assemble bespoke mock exams and topic tests from past papers with ExamBuilder, our free assessment builder platform.

    ExamBuilder >
  • Supporting the moderation process

    A new free online training resource has been developed to support the moderation processes for internally assessed qualifications.

    Supporting the moderation process >
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

© OCR

  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Accessibility
  • Statement on modern slavery
  • Use of cookies
  • Copyright statement

© OCR

We use cookies. By clicking any link on this page you are giving your consent for us to set cookies Accept