OCR GCSE Exam Timetable for November 2026: English and Math

The OCR GCSE exam timetable for November 2026 places English Language papers on Tuesday, November 3, and Thursday, November 5. Mathematics papers are scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, Friday, November 6, and Monday, November 9. All six subject dates are morning sessions with a published start of 9:00 a.m. GMT (UTC+00:00). Your exam center may set a different morning start within OCR’s allowed window, so follow the time given directly by your center.

This schedule covers Cambridge OCR GCSE English Language (J351) and Mathematics (J560) only. GCSE timetables differ by awarding organization, subject, and qualification. Check the board and paper codes on your statement of entry before relying on these dates. The linked OCR November 2026 final GCSE timetable is the source for the paper details below.

OCR GCSE English and Math dates at a glance

The Foundation and Higher papers are listed on the same dates. A candidate takes the papers for the tier entered by their school, not both tiers. Confirm your own tier and paper codes with the exam office; the general timetable does not tell you which tier you personally will sit.

How the OCR Mathematics calculator order works

OCR uses the same calculator pattern across the three papers in each Mathematics tier: calculator, non-calculator, calculator. Foundation candidates sit J560/01 on November 4, J560/02 on November 6, and J560/03 on November 9. Higher candidates sit J560/04, J560/05, and J560/06 on those same dates, respectively. The middle paper on November 6 is the only non-calculator paper in either sequence.

That order is useful when planning revision and checking equipment, but it does not replace your center’s exam instructions. Use the calculator type permitted for the specific paper, and ask your teacher or exam office if you are unsure which model is allowed. Do not assume that calculator rules from another exam board or qualification apply to OCR J560.

What “9:00 a.m.” means for November exams

OCR labels these entries as morning examinations and publishes 9:00 a.m. as the standard morning start. The listed dates fall after the UK clock change on October 25, 2026, so the United Kingdom is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+00:00) for all five dates. The exam time is therefore 9:00 a.m. GMT and 09:00 UTC. The UK government clock-change calendar confirms the October 25 change for 2026.

OCR allows centers to adjust a morning examination’s start within the morning session. Candidates must start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. and no later than 9:30 a.m. GMT (UTC+00:00). This is a permitted range for the center to arrange the session, not a choice for individual candidates. If the center changes the published start, it is responsible for informing every affected candidate. The candidate timetable or a direct message from your exam office is the time to follow.

Checklist for candidates and families

• Verify the board: make sure your English and Mathematics entries say OCR or Cambridge OCR. AQA, Pearson Edexcel, WJEC, and other boards publish separate schedules.
• Match the paper codes: look for J351/01 and J351/02 for English Language, and the J560 code that matches your Mathematics tier.
• Check the center’s start time: 9:00 a.m. is the published start, but your center may notify you of an adjusted time between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. Do not interpret the adjustment window as permission to arrive or begin whenever you choose.
• Confirm arrival instructions: the exam start time is not necessarily the time you should arrive or register. Ask your center when to report and where to go.
• Recheck before exam week: OCR advises users to consult the latest timetable. Your center’s individual candidate timetable is the practical final check for your entries and any changes.

If a paper you expect is missing from the published OCR timetable, contact your school or exam center first so staff can check your entry. OCR’s timetable document directs centers to its Centre Data and Meetings service for papers not shown and lists timetable@ocr.org.uk for timetable date inquiries. Do not use that address to replace confirmation of your personal exam entry or adjusted start time.