Science
August 2026 Teaching Science update
Dear colleagues,
In this update, you’ll find key information and guidance for the results day period, including key dates, post-results services, grade boundaries and useful guidance for teachers and students. You’ll also find training and support to help you prepare for the new academic year.
Best wishes,
Irine Muhiuddin
Science Subject Advisor
Included in this update
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 13 August 2026 | Results Day for A levels and BTEC Nationals |
| 20 August 2026 | Results Day for GCSE and BTEC L1/L2 Firsts |
| 25 August 2026 | GCSE Examiner reports on the qualification webpages |
| 11 December 2026 |
Last day for free access to scripts |
Understanding your students' results - a guide to post-results services
As you prepare for results day, take a look at our post-results support guide to help you find the information you need to understand and analyse your students’ results, and what you can do if you have any queries about grading or marking.
Access our result day information and guidance
You can access Summer 2026 grade boundaries on our website from results day. In addition to the official grade boundaries that are produced at subject level, we will also be providing notional grade boundaries at paper level. These can help you mark and assess future mocks.
ResultsPlus is our free online results analysis tool, that gives you a detailed breakdown of your students’ performance in Pearson Edexcel exams.
It provides you with the most detailed analysis available of your students’ performance. ResultsPlus will help you to identify topics and skills where your students could benefit from further learning – helping them gain a deeper understanding of their subject.
Teachers can sign into ResultsPlus using their Edexcel Online username and password if their account profile has ResultsPlus access granted by the Exams Officer.
Examiner reports can be obtained from ResultsPlus on results day by following the steps below:
- Log into ResultsPlus using your Edexcel Online details. Once you are logged in under your centre, select 'ResultsPlus Analysis'.
- Then select 'Whole cohort results' followed by 'Cohort paper analysis'.
- Select the relevant qualification and series, eg 'GCE' and 'June 2026', followed by the relevant subject and 'View paper analysis'.
- Select 'Exam docs' and you will find the Examiner Report for that component.
You can also use our free Access to Scripts service to view your candidates’ marked exam scripts online or download as a PDF. It is available from results day until the 11 December 2026.
Providing a rich source of information, you can use this service to help make decisions about requesting a review of marking, but it can also help inform future teaching and learning and gives insights and visibility that performance data alone cannot provide.
If scripts have been marked ‘traditionally’ (ie not online), you will need to request them, free of charge, by 11 December 2026, via the Post Results section of Edexcel Online as in previous exam series.
Note, you will need 'Exam viewer' in your Edexcel Online profile if you want to download candidate scripts from results day. Please ask your Exams Officer if you need this adding to your profile. Discover more about Access to Scripts, along with FAQs and a step-by-step User Guide.
Please note, candidate consent is required before requesting script copies, as per section 4.2 of the JCQ's Post-results services guide. Candidate consent can only be obtained after results have been published.
See how teachers have been using Access to Scripts
"An excellent service, we have used it to inform our teaching"
Take a look at the Access to Scripts case studies to see how a number of schools and colleges have been using this service to evaluate how their students performed in the exams, identify skills gaps, help tailor future teaching plans and to develop staff CPD.
If you're not happy with your students' results from the Summer exam series, you can take the following steps:
- View the grade boundaries, question papers, mark schemes and examiner reports for the paper/qualification concerned. View your students’ scripts using our free access to scripts service that is available from results day until the 11 December 2026.
- Log in to ResultsPlus to see how your students have performed on every question for the externally assessed component and compare their performance to the national average.
- If you are still unhappy with your students' results, you may apply for a review of marking via our post-results services. Full details of all our post-results services are available on our website.
Please speak to your Exams Officer if you wish to proceed with a review of marking or moderation. Exams officers should contact their Centre Account Specialist on 0344 463 2535 if they require guidance or watch our post results video. All applications for reviews of marking or moderation must be submitted through Edexcel Online.
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of a review of marking or moderation, you may wish to appeal against the decision. We will allow the head of centre (or designated member of the centre’s senior management team or examinations manager) 30 calendar days from the receipt of the outcome of the review of marking or moderation, during which an appeal may be lodged by filling in the form below. All appeals must be submitted by the entering centre.
We cannot accept appeals directly from candidates, their parents or other third parties acting on their behalf. The only exception to this is if private candidates are appealing directly without the support of the entering centre. There is further guidance on appeals on our website.
Grade statistics summarise the overall grade outcomes of candidates sitting Pearson examinations.
BTEC grade statistics are published later at the end of October or early November. Please note that in line with all qualifications, learner achievement is reported at qualification level and not at unit level.
The BTEC Teaching, Learning and Assessment page provides the support you need for vocational qualifications in one place. The page is updated throughout the year right up to the release of results. It has recently been updated to help you prepare for Results Day.
Qualification grades are aggregated for the BTEC qualifications. You can use the calculator to calculate the overall grades based on results for each unit and model potential outcomes should a learner obtain certain grades in units.
We also have an 'Understanding Results' page that gives you clear guidance on how results are calculated.
The raw mark grade boundaries change from series to series. We provide raw marks to points calculators for each exam series to confirm how the raw marks are converted to points. They are updated soon after the results are published.
Getting help is now quicker and easier than ever with our Qualifications Support Portal.
Our Contact Us journey helps you connect quickly with the right support team in the way that suits you best. Choose live chat for real-time assistance, submit a webform enquiry, or get in touch by phone or email.
You can also sign in using your Pearson Portal (Edexcel Online) credentials to access secure, personalised support, track existing cases and get help even faster. Our comprehensive support article library is organised into dedicated sections for different user groups, including teachers, making it easier to find the information you need. Enhanced search functionality also helps you resolve queries quickly and independently.
Student results day support
Support for students ahead of results day
Waiting for exam results can be nerve-wracking for many students. Our guide for students, parents and carers on Understanding results and grades contains helpful information about what to expect on results day and where to find further support. The guide includes information on:
- dates for results days
- receiving and understanding results
- grades and grade boundaries
- what steps to take if students are not happy with their results
- university applications
- certificates
- where to find further support
Please pass this information on to your students.
We have a dedicated web page for student post-results support. Please forward this link to your students where they can find information on the services for students.
Ofqual released a set of classroom resources to help teachers, headteachers and their senior leadership teams explain GCSE and A level marking and grading to their students.
Ofqual provided information for students about arrangements for regulated qualifications. This explains what your students need to know before, during and after exams and assessments.
Ofqual Student Guide to Exams and Assessments in 2026
Multi-Factor Authentication reminder
As teachers and heads of department, you may not have needed to access our secure systems recently. Your next critical need is likely to be on Results Days, taking place on 13 and 20 August.
We'd like to remind users of Edexcel Online, ResultsPlus and Exam Viewer that multi-factor authentication (MFA) is now required to access these systems. This means you'll need to authenticate your sign-in using an app on a smartphone.
If you haven't logged in for some time, we strongly encourage you to do so before Results Days. This gives us time to help resolve any access issues and helps avoid delays when you need access most.You can find further guidance on multi-factor authentication in our customer support article.
Accessing Pearson Services Using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Exam Insights Summer 2026
Our Summer 2026 Exam Insights events will take place in October for GCSE Science and in November for A level Science.
These training events are for teachers of Pearson Edexcel GCSE and A level Sciences and provide feedback and insights on the summer 2026 exam series. The sessions identify key observations related to candidate performance highlighted in the examiner report and provides strategies to help with your planning for the year ahead. You will:
- look at candidate performance from the summer 2026 exam series
- review key observations and trends identified in the examiner reports
- explore these key observations in more detail using annotated exemplars
- discover teaching and learning strategies to address challenges identified.
Book from our Professional Development Academy page.
Review past training in preparation for the new academic year
If you missed any training, or would like a refresher before the new academic year begins, you can download past training materials from each A level, GCSE and BTEC qualification page. These can be found in the Teaching and learning materials section.
For GCSE and A level qualifications you can also visit our Professional Development Academy for GCSE and A level qualifications. Here, you'll find a range of pre-recorded training, including New to Edexcel, as well as information on upcoming GCSE and A level training events that you can book on to.
Find out more in our Pearson Professional Development Guide (page 9 for science).
Links to BTEC National AAQ Applied Science recorded training can be found below.
This training will help you prepare to deliver the new BTEC National AAQ in the Applied Science qualification.
The event will help teachers plan the delivery of the new qualifications at Level 3, based on their and their learners' needs.
The training provides a general run-through of internal and external assessment.
This recorded training explores the assessment criteria and requirements for internal assessment and addresses common issues and frequently asked questions.
New training videos now available
We’ve uploaded new training videos to help with delivering the practical requirements for Physics tasks in Unit 4:
BTEC National Applied Science - Task 3A: Investigating the rate of transfer of thermal energy
( 7.37 )
BTEC National Applied Science - Task 3B: Investigating resistivity in electrical circuits
( 7.18 )
BTEC National Applied Science - Task 3c: Energy transfer from a renewable resource
( 5.20 )
Youtube Video Title
Youtube video contentRelated Videos
BTEC National Applied Science - Task 3A: Investigating the rate of transfer of thermal energy
( 7.37 )
BTEC National Applied Science - Task 3B: Investigating resistivity in electrical circuits
( 7.18 )
BTEC National Applied Science - Task 3c: Energy transfer from a renewable resource
( 5.20 )
You can explore T Level training, including on-demand training through our webpage below.
Upcoming training
We're running a range of live online training events over the coming months across GCSE, A level and BTEC qualifications. Visit our training page to explore upcoming events and book your place.
Highlighted below is BTEC training available this August and September.
Join our upcoming Digital Assessment Plan (DAP) training session, designed specifically for UK BTEC centre staff including Quality Nominees, Lead Internal Verifiers and Assessors.
This session will provide a clear and practical overview of the DAP, including its purpose and the benefits it brings to centres. Participants will explore which qualifications are in scope, learn how to access and navigate the DAP, and gain hands-on insight into key features of the centre dashboard through a guided walkthrough.
We will also outline key deadlines and milestones to support effective planning and submission, alongside dedicated time to address common questions and signpost available support and resources.
If you deliver BTEC qualifications, a range of training and support is available to help you prepare for the year ahead, including:
- Digital Assessment Plan training
- Digital Assessment Plan drop-in sessions
- Roles and Responsibilities training for Quality Nominees and Lead Internal Verifiers
- Quality Nominee Network events
Now is a great time to explore the available support and plan for the upcoming year.
We also provide centre-based training opportunities. Visit our training page to find out more.
Review BTEC funding to help you plan ahead
We've reviewed post-16 Level 2 and 3 BTEC availability across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, extending many current qualifications to help centres plan with confidence. Visit our website for more information and download your guide to funding and support.
You can also refer to our guides below to view qualification availability.
- Post-16 vocational qualifications funding guide for England
- Funding guide for Wales
- Funding guide for Northern Ireland
- Qualification availability guide for independent centres (private or apprenticeship funded)
If you’d like to be involved in the development of our future qualifications through this reform period, let us know. We rely on your expertise and experience to make sure our qualifications suit the needs of you and your learners.
Stay up-to-date on reforms and current curriculum developments via the webpages below.
Assessment support page for GCSE and A level
On our general qualifications assessment support page, you can find news, information and updates from Ofqual, the DfE, JCQ and Pearson relating to exams and assessments for our GCSE, AS and A level qualifications.
Subject advisor
Irine Muhiuddin and Tim Lawrence
UK and International Science
Subject updates
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International Science Qualification News August 2026
Hello colleagues,
Welcome to your August update for teachers of International Science qualifications! Below is a link to updated guidance for teachers regarding results and post-results services, a repeat of our earlier invitation to IAL teachers to get involved with the process of improving these qualifications, news of new onboarding guides and free training coming up in August.
As ever, don't hesitate to get in touch if I can help in any way - why not book a Teams call with me (follow the link below) if it would be helpful to talk something over?
Best wishes,
Tim Lawrence
Pearson Edexcel Subject Advisor for International Science Qualifications