OCR GCSE Summer 2027 Exam Dates: Final Timetable and Maths Papers

OCR’s June 2027 GCSE exam series begins on Monday, May 10, with GCSE Computer Science J277/01. The final timetable also fixes the English, mathematics, and physics paper dates below. Although OCR calls this the June series, several papers take place in May.

For example, imagine Maya, a fictional candidate entered for OCR Computer Science, English Language, English Literature, and Foundation Mathematics. She can use the published dates to build a first-pass calendar, then compare every subject code and session with the statement of entry issued by her exam center. This is an illustrative example, not a real student’s account.

Key OCR GCSE Summer 2027 dates

The dates below come from OCR’s June 2027 final GCSE and Cambridge Nationals timetable. Each listed paper is scheduled in the morning. OCR’s published morning start is 9:00 a.m. UK time. Because these exams fall in May and June, the UK is on British Summer Time (BST, UTC+01:00): 9:00 a.m. BST is 8:00 a.m. UTC. The exam center may set a different start within OCR’s permitted morning window, so candidates should use the time confirmed by their own center.

For Maya’s fictional calendar, that means Computer Science on May 10; English Literature papers on May 12 and May 19; Foundation Mathematics on May 14, May 27, and June 14; and English Language on May 24 and June 8. She would still need to check any other OCR subjects she takes in the full timetable. The schedule is specific to OCR qualifications, not a complete list of every exam board’s GCSE dates.

How the mathematics tiers are scheduled

OCR GCSE Mathematics (J560) has three papers for each tier. Foundation Papers 1–3 are J560/01, J560/02, and J560/03. Higher Papers 4–6 are J560/04, J560/05, and J560/06. The first paper is on May 14, the second on May 27, and the third on June 14. All six entries appear in the morning session.

The middle paper is the non-calculator exam at both tiers: J560/02 for Foundation and J560/05 for Higher. The first and third papers are calculator papers. A candidate should confirm the tier and component codes on their entry statement rather than assume that a friend’s schedule applies to them. The exact paper duration and any approved arrangements should also be checked against the final timetable and the center’s instructions.

UK time, standard starts, and center changes

OCR’s timetable labels papers as morning or afternoon and publishes standard starts of 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The 2027 dates in this article fall during BST: the UK clocks go forward on March 28, 2027, and do not return to GMT until October 31, according to the GOV.UK clock-change calendar. Therefore, the standard afternoon start is 1:30 p.m. BST (UTC+01:00), or 12:30 p.m. UTC; a standard morning start is 9:00 a.m. BST, or 8:00 a.m. UTC.

Those are published session starts, not a guarantee of the time printed for every candidate. OCR permits centers to move a morning exam within the allowed window from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and an afternoon exam from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. local UK time. The center must tell affected candidates when it changes a published start. For Maya, this means the May 10 morning label is not enough to plan a bus or an arrival time: she must check her center’s specific instructions.

Check your entry, clashes, and contingency availability

Each candidate needs to be entered for the OCR qualification through an exam center. OCR says candidates should receive a statement of entry showing the qualifications and timetabled exams. Check that the name, subject, tier, component codes, dates, and sessions are correct. If an entry is missing or wrong, contact the exam officer promptly so the center can investigate.

1. Download or view the final OCR timetable and match each component code to the qualification you are taking.
2. Compare those codes and dates with your statement of entry. Keep a copy available and note the center’s specific start and arrival instructions.
3. Look for two exams assigned to the same session or any other clash. Contact your exam center immediately; OCR advises candidates to do so straight away so the center can consider the necessary arrangements.
4. Recheck any message from the center if a start time changes. Do not assume an internet timetable or another candidate’s arrival time replaces your individual instructions.

Finally, keep Wednesday, June 23, 2027, free as the summer series contingency day. OCR and the other awarding bodies may require candidates to remain available in case national or significant local disruption forces an exam to be rescheduled. The contingency session is not an extra paper that every student will automatically sit, but candidates are expected to remain available until that date.

OCR notes on its key dates page that its final June 2027 timetable is the reference document; changes from the provisional schedule are highlighted in red in its final spreadsheets. For the full subject list and any paper not shown in the short table above, consult OCR’s key dates and timetables page. Private candidates can also review OCR’s guidance on exam entries and exam arrangements.