6 min read · updated 10 October 2026
Why the codes matter more than the subject name
Most students searching for a past paper do not type "IGCSE physics past paper". They type 4PH1/1P — the code printed at the top of the paper their teacher handed them. That code is the only thing that identifies a paper exactly, and getting it wrong means revising from a paper that is not the one you will sit.
The codes look impenetrable, but they follow a pattern. Once you can read one, you can find any paper in seconds.
International GCSE codes
An IGCSE code has two halves, separated by a slash. The first half is the qualification, the second is which paper within it.
- 4PH1 — the qualification. The 4 marks it as an International GCSE, PH is Physics, and the final digit is the specification generation.
- /1P — the paper. The 1 is the paper number; the trailing letter varies by subject and tier.
So 4PH1/1P is International GCSE Physics, paper 1. A student sitting both papers will meet 4PH1/1P and 4PH1/2P.
In Maths you will also see F and H — Foundation and Higher tier. 4MA1/1F and 4MA1/1H are the same paper number at two different difficulty levels, and they are not interchangeable. Check which tier you are entered for before you revise from one.
The specification digit, and why old papers can mislead you
The number at the end of the qualification code tells you which version of the course the paper was written for. Edexcel Physics ran as 4PH0 under the old specification and became 4PH1 when the course was revised.
Papers from the older specification are still useful — the physics has not changed — but some topics were added, removed or moved between papers. If you work through an old-specification paper and meet a question on something you have never been taught, that is usually why. It is not a gap in your revision.
On this site both are listed, labelled with their code, so you can see at a glance which generation a paper belongs to.
International A Level codes
IAL codes start with W and work differently: the unit number is built into the code itself, not written after the slash.
- WPH11/01 — International A Level Physics, Unit 1.
- WPH14/01 — the same subject, Unit 4.
- WBS11/01 — Business, Unit 1. WEC12/01 — Economics, Unit 2.
This catches people out constantly. The /01 on the end is the component, and it is almost always 01 — it is the last digit before the slash that tells you the unit. WPH11 and WPH14 look nearly identical and are completely different exams.
Maths is the exception worth knowing: the applied units carry their own letters. WME01 is Mechanics 1, WST01 is Statistics 1, and WFM01 is Further Pure 1. Pure Mathematics runs WMA11 to WMA14 for P1 to P4.
What the R means
Some papers carry an R — 4MB1/01R, or WCH12/01R. R stands for a replacement paper, set for a different time zone so that students who sit the exam hours ahead cannot pass on the questions.
The R paper covers the same specification, to the same standard, in the same format. For revision it is exactly as valuable as the main paper — and because fewer students have worked through them, R papers are often the better choice when you want a paper you have not already seen the answers to.
The number on the front cover
There is a second code on every paper: something like P73469A, printed in small type on the front. That is Pearson's own print reference for that specific booklet. It identifies the exact document rather than the exam, so it is the surest way to confirm you have the right file.
The sitting pages on this site show that reference next to each paper, so you can check it against the copy in front of you.
Finding a paper quickly
The search box at the top of every page accepts codes. Type wph11 and it will take you to IAL Physics Unit 1; type 4ma1 and you land on International GCSE Mathematics A. You do not need to know the subject name, the year or the session — the code is enough.
Find your papers
Every Edexcel International GCSE and International A Level past paper on this site is free, with its mark scheme beside it. No account needed.