GCSE Maths
Revision
for
OCR Higher
OCR Higher is three 100-mark papers, so every grade boundary is out of 300. Start with a paper and see how close you are to a 6 or 7.
Your exam at a glance
How to Improve with OCR Past Papers
The four-step revision loop. Turn mistakes into marks.
Do a paper
Start with the newest J560 Higher series: Papers 4, 5 and 6, each out of 100.
Mark it
Mark it with the OCR mark scheme and total your score out of 300.
Fix weak topics
Find the 2-3 topics that cost the most marks across all three papers and fix them.
Test again
Sit another series and see whether your mark out of 300 has moved.
OCR Higher Past Papers
Past papers are the fastest way to see where the marks are going.
OCR Higher Grade Boundaries
See recent grade 6 and 7 boundaries and what marks you usually need.
Grade boundaries by year
June series · /300What your current score usually means
Based on 2023–2025 · out of 300Not yet secure for a recent grade 6
Recent grade 6 boundary zone
Solid 6 territory, building toward 7
Recent grade 7 boundary zone
Strong Higher performance
Topics Worth the Most Marks
on OCR Higher
Pick the topic costing you the most marks and start there.
Algebra
About 30% of the 300 marks on J560 Higher, which is about 90 marks. No other topic moves your grade as much.
Keep each algebra step on its own line. OCR mark schemes award method marks for correct working even after a slip.
Ratio and Proportion
About 60 of the 300 marks. Proportion and compound measures show up across all three papers.
Write the multiplier or the value of one part before you calculate. It keeps compound percentage questions under control.
Geometry and Measures
About 60 marks across Papers 4, 5 and 6. Trigonometry and circle theorems carry many of the harder marks.
Label the diagram and write the formula before you substitute. Give a reason for every step in angle questions.
Number
About 45 marks. Indices, surds, bounds and standard form should be automatic, especially on non-calculator Paper 5.
With 100 marks in 90 minutes there's little time to spare, so make fraction and mental arithmetic work quick and accurate.
Probability and Statistics
About 45 marks that reward careful reading. Tree diagrams and cumulative frequency graphs come up in most series.
Copy the numbers from the table or chart carefully first. Most lost marks here come from misreading the data.
OCR Higher GCSE Maths FAQs
Quick answers to the most common revision questions.
Start with one J560 Higher paper. Your mistakes across its 100 marks show which topics to revise first.
Stuck on a past paper question?
ChatCat is here to help.
Instant, step-by-step explanations for any maths question.
Start Free