A Level Exam Dates 2026

Whether you're sitting AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Cambridge International, or WJEC exams — the same principle applies: plan backwards from your first exam date. This is more effective than planning forwards from today because it forces you to prioritise and allocate time based on deadlines, not optimism.

A 12-week countdown framework works well for most A Level students. Weeks 12–8: content coverage, working through each chapter systematically. Weeks 8–4: topic-focused practice — MCQs and exam questions per topic, identifying weak areas. Weeks 4–2: past papers under timed conditions, full mock exams. Final 2 weeks: weak areas only, exam technique refinement, and rest.

Build in buffer time. Things always take longer than expected, and rest days are not wasted days — they are when your brain consolidates what you have learned. A realistic timetable with built-in flexibility beats an ambitious one that collapses by week three.

Using a platform that tracks your progress across all chapters means you can see exactly which topics need more time and which are already solid. This makes your revision countdown data-driven rather than guesswork. Track your revision progress on Nexelia →

Your school or college will give you a personal exam timetable showing your exact dates, times, and room allocations. This is more reliable than the official board PDFs because it accounts for your specific subject entries, any timetable clashes, and access arrangements.

If you haven't received your personal timetable yet, ask your school's exams officer. They handle all exam administration and will have your confirmed dates.

To find the official board timetable PDFs yourself, search for your exam board name followed by "A Level timetable 2026" — for example "AQA A Level timetable 2026" or "Edexcel GCE timetable 2026". The official board websites are the only reliable source — avoid third-party PDFs which may be outdated.