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Edexcel GCSE Combined Science (1SC0): complete guide to the biology, chemistry and physics topics, the six papers and the core practicals

A complete guide to Pearson Edexcel GCSE Combined Science (specification 1SC0). Covers all the biology, chemistry and physics topics, how the six written papers work and award two GCSE grades, the Foundation and Higher tiers, the core practicals, the maths and formula demand, and how to study each science for top grades.

Browse guides →Syllabus dot points (36)

Edexcel GCSE Combined Science (specification 1SC0) is a linear, double-award course that covers biology, chemistry and physics and awards two GCSE grades. It is assessed by six written papers at the end of the course, with no coursework, but practical skills from the core practicals are examined in every paper. This page is the index: below is a map of the topics in each science, how the six papers work, and how to study them.

The three sciences and their topics

Combined Science is roughly two-thirds the content of the three separate GCSEs. Each science has its own topics, and Topic 1 (the key concepts) is examined on both of that science's papers.

Biology
Key concepts in biology (cells, enzymes, transport), cells and control (mitosis, stem cells, the nervous system), genetics (DNA, inheritance, variation), natural selection and genetic modification, health, disease and the development of medicines, plant structures and their functions, animal coordination, control and homeostasis, exchange and transport in animals, and ecosystems and material cycles.
Chemistry
Key concepts in chemistry (atomic structure, the periodic table, bonding), states of matter and mixtures, chemical changes (acids, electrolysis, the reactivity series), extracting metals and equilibria, groups in the periodic table, rates of reaction and energy changes, and fuels and Earth science.
Physics
Key concepts of physics (units and equations), motion and forces, conservation of energy, waves, light and the electromagnetic spectrum, radioactivity, energy and forces doing work, forces and their effects, electricity and circuits, magnetism and the motor effect, electromagnetic induction, the particle model, and forces and matter.

Exam structure

Combined Science is assessed by six written papers, all sat at the end of the course. A calculator is allowed in every paper, and a formula sheet is provided for the physics papers.

  • Biology Paper 1 - key concepts, cells and control, genetics, natural selection, and health and disease. 1 hour 10 minutes, 60 marks, 16.67%.
  • Biology Paper 2 - key concepts, plant structures, animal coordination, exchange and transport, and ecosystems. 1 hour 10 minutes, 60 marks, 16.67%.
  • Chemistry Paper 1 - key concepts, states of matter and mixtures, chemical changes, and extracting metals and equilibria. 1 hour 10 minutes, 60 marks, 16.67%.
  • Chemistry Paper 2 - key concepts, groups in the periodic table, rates and energy changes, and fuels and Earth science. 1 hour 10 minutes, 60 marks, 16.67%.
  • Physics Paper 1 - key concepts, motion and forces, conservation of energy, waves, light and the electromagnetic spectrum, and radioactivity. 1 hour 10 minutes, 60 marks, 16.67%.
  • Physics Paper 2 - key concepts, energy and forces doing work, forces and their effects, electricity, magnetism, electromagnetic induction, the particle model, and forces and matter. 1 hour 10 minutes, 60 marks, 16.67%.

The two GCSE grades are reported on the 17-point scale (9-9 down to 1-1). Around 15% of marks assess practical skills, and at least 10% assess maths.

How to study Combined Science

Combined Science rewards precise vocabulary, links between structure and function, confident calculation, and secure recall of the equations and core practicals.

  1. Work from the specification statements. Each numbered point is a checklist; questions are written directly from them.
  2. Learn definitions precisely. Mark schemes reward exact wording for terms like osmosis, neutralisation, acceleration and biodiversity.
  3. Master the core practicals. Their methods, variables and data analysis recur across all six papers.
  4. Drill the maths and the equations. Rearranging and substituting, magnification, moles, and the physics formula sheet all appear.
  5. Practise application and extended answers. Apply ideas to unfamiliar contexts and rehearse the longer six-mark questions.

The topics, dot point by dot point

Each topic has specification-statement-level answer pages with worked exam questions and cross-links, plus an overview guide and quiz. Browse the full set at /gcse-edexcel/combined-science/syllabus.

For the official specification

Pearson publishes the full specification (1SC0), past papers, mark schemes and the practical guidance at qualifications.pearson.com. Always revise from the current specification and Edexcel's own past papers, because question style is board-specific.

Combined Science guides

In-depth written guides with paired practice quizzes.

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Combined Science practice quizzes

Multiple-choice drills with worked answer explanations. Your scores stay on this device.

The GCSE-EDEXCEL system, explained

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Common questions about Combined Science

How is Edexcel GCSE Combined Science (1SC0) structured?
Edexcel GCSE Combined Science is a linear, double-award course covering biology, chemistry and physics. It is assessed by six written papers at the end of the course (two for each science) and awards two GCSE grades from the 17-point scale (9-9 down to 1-1). It is tiered into Foundation (grades 1-1 to 5-5) and Higher (grades 4-4 to 9-9), with no coursework, though practical skills from the core practicals are examined.
What are the six Edexcel Combined Science papers?
There are six papers, each lasting 1 hour 10 minutes, worth 60 marks and 16.67% of the qualification. Biology Paper 1 and Paper 2, Chemistry Paper 1 and Paper 2, and Physics Paper 1 and Paper 2. Each science contributes equally. Topic 1 of each science (the key concepts) is assessed on both of that science's papers, while the remaining topics are split between Paper 1 and Paper 2.
How does the double award work in Combined Science?
Combined Science is worth two GCSEs, so your overall result is reported as two grades, for example 7-6 or 5-5. The two grades are awarded across the whole of biology, chemistry and physics together (they are not one grade per science). The grades are taken from a 17-point scale running 9-9, 9-8, 8-8 and so on down to 1-1.
What is the difference between Foundation and Higher tier?
Foundation tier targets grades 1-1 to 5-5 and Higher tier targets grades 4-4 to 9-9. Higher tier includes more demanding material, such as the equilibrium ideas in extracting metals, more challenging rate and energy calculations, the full treatment of electromagnetic induction and the equation $v^2 - u^2 = 2as$. You sit all six papers at one tier, and the tier caps the maximum grade available.
What are the core practicals in Edexcel Combined Science?
Each science has a set of core practicals (around 16 to 18 in total across biology, chemistry and physics) whose methods, variables and data handling are examined directly. Examples include investigating osmosis in potato, the rate of reaction with sodium thiosulfate, electrolysis of copper sulfate solution, investigating acceleration on a ramp, and finding the resistance of a wire. Practical skills make up at least 15% of the marks.
How much maths is in Edexcel Combined Science?
At least 10% of the marks across the qualification assess mathematical skills, with the physics papers carrying the heaviest demand. Expect rearranging and substituting into equations from the formula sheet, magnification and percentage-change calculations, ratios and probability in genetics, moles and concentration in chemistry, and graph interpretation from the core practicals. A calculator is allowed in every paper.