IGCSE Physics: hardest papers & score statistics

Across 2,302 attempts from 395 students, IGCSE Physics averages 80.4% with a median of 85%, and a typical timed sitting takes about 24.2 minutes. The median sitting above the mean tells you most students do well, with a tail of lower scores pulling the average down.

Physics is the toughest of the big four IGCSE sciences in our data, and the slowest to work through. The recent 2025 Extended papers sit at the hard end of the range below, while the 2023-2024 papers tend to score higher, a useful signal for what to leave until last when the exam is close. Build timing into your practice: Physics attempts take the longest of any IGCSE science here.

Every paper, ranked by difficulty

The table lists every IGCSE Physics paper with at least 30 recorded attempts, hardest first. The hardest is the 2025 Oct/Nov Paper 2 (Extended) (Variant 1) at 75.2%; the most comfortable is the 2024 Feb/Mar Paper 2 (Extended) (Variant 2) at 86.5%. Practising from the top of this list is the fastest way to expose weak spots.

How scores are distributed

About 71% of IGCSE Physics attempts land at 80% or above. That clustering near the top is why the harder papers above matter so much: when everyone is scoring well, a few dropped marks move you a long way down the pack.

Put it into practice

Read the IGCSE Physics revision guide for how to use these papers in a revision plan, or browse the other subject breakdowns in the Revision Hub. When you're ready, you can attempt any of these papers free on QuickMark.