A-Level Exam Dates 2026: Complete Timetable

A parent once told me their son missed the morning of his Chemistry Paper 2 because the family had assumed his exams finished in late May. They had already booked travel for early June. The paper was actually on 10 June. That single oversight cost a year of preparation. Knowing your A-Level exam dates 2026 is not just about revision planning. It is the foundation for every family decision you make between now and the end of June.

This guide gives you the confirmed exam window, key subject dates across major exam boards, the contingency day rule that catches many families out, and practical advice for navigating a six-week exam season.

When Are A-Level Exams in 2026?

A-Level exams in 2026 run from Monday 11 May to Tuesday 23 June, with a national contingency day on Wednesday 24 June. AS exams run within the same window. There is no January exam series for A-Levels: all papers are sat in the summer session only.

This six-week window applies across all exam boards: AQA, Edexcel (Pearson), OCR, and WJEC/Eduqas. The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) coordinates the national timetable so that the same subject is examined on the same day across all boards, preventing clashes for students taking subjects across multiple exam boards.

Morning and Afternoon Session Times

Each exam day has up to two sessions. Morning (AM) sessions typically start at 9:00 AM and afternoon (PM) sessions begin at 1:30 PM. These times are standard across all exam boards, though individual schools may adjust slightly for students with access arrangements.

Most A-Level papers fall in the morning session. Afternoon papers are less common but do occur, particularly for Maths, Further Maths, and some science components. Your child's personalised timetable from school will confirm which session each paper falls in.

What Happens If Two Exams Clash

If your child has two exams scheduled for the same session (for example, two papers both set for a Tuesday morning), the school handles it. Your child sits one paper first, then the second immediately after, with a supervised break in between. During the break, they are not allowed access to phones, notes, or other students.

This is uncommon with A-Levels since most students take only three or four subjects, but it can happen with less popular subject combinations. The school's exams officer will notify you in advance if a clash affects your child.

Key Subject Dates for 2026

Every A-Level subject has its papers spread across the six-week window. Below are confirmed dates for the most popular subjects. Your child's school will provide a personalised timetable, but these dates give you an immediate sense of when the pressure points fall.

Maths and Further Maths (Edexcel 9MA0 and 9FM0)

A-Level Maths is the single most popular A-Level in England, and Edexcel is the dominant exam board for it. The three papers are well spaced across June, giving students revision time between each one. If your child is also taking A-Level Maths, understanding this spacing is crucial for planning focused revision blocks.

Further Maths papers start earlier and overlap with the main Maths timetable. Students taking both subjects will have a demanding schedule across May and June.

Sciences (AQA and OCR)

Science A-Levels typically have three written papers each, spread across the full exam window. This means your child may have science exams in mid-May and again in mid-June, with other subjects filling the gaps. Understanding the A-Level physics syllabus or the A-Level chemistry topics helps you see why the papers need to be spaced out: each one covers different parts of the specification.

English Literature and Psychology

Psychology is one of the fastest-growing A-Levels, and its papers are among the earliest in the window: Paper 1 on 18 May and Paper 2 on 20 May. This means your child needs to have their Psychology revision largely complete before the exam season even begins.

English Literature, by contrast, has its papers more spread out. Edexcel's Paper 1 (Drama) falls on 13 May, with Paper 2 (Prose) not until 1 June. That 19-day gap is an opportunity, but it also requires discipline to return to English Literature after focusing on other exams in between.

The Contingency Day: 24 June 2026

The A-Level contingency day 2026 is Wednesday 24 June, with two sessions reserved (AM and PM). This day exists so that JCQ can reschedule any exam that is disrupted nationally, for example by severe weather, a security incident affecting exam papers, or another event that prevents exams from running on their scheduled date.

In most years, the contingency day is not used. But it has been activated before, and the consequences of ignoring it are severe: if your child is unavailable on the contingency day and their exam is rescheduled to it, they will receive no marks for that paper.

Why the Contingency Day Matters for Parents

When I worked in tutoring, I saw families caught out by this every year. The pattern was always the same: a student's final paper was in early June, the family booked flights for mid-June, and then the school sent a letter reminding everyone about the contingency day. In most cases, the family could change plans. In some cases, they could not.

The safest approach is simple: treat 24 June as the last day of the exam season, not 23 June. Plan everything around that date, and you will never be caught out.

Where to Find Your Child's Exact Timetable

The dates in this guide are from published exam board timetables, but your child's personalised timetable is what matters most. This lists their specific papers, exact times, and the rooms they will sit in. Schools typically issue these in March or April.

Exam Board Timetable Links

If you want to check the official source before your child's school issues their timetable, each exam board publishes the full A-Level timetable 2026 on their website:

For the official Edexcel timetable, visit the Pearson Edexcel exam timetables page. For AQA, check the AQA dates and timetables page.

Practical Planning for Parents

The A-Level exam schedule 2026 spans six weeks. That is a long time for your family to be in “exam mode.” Here is how to manage the practical side so your child can focus on their papers.

Holidays and Travel

Do not book any holidays or travel between 11 May and 24 June 2026. This is the single most important practical rule for A-Level parents. Sciences, Maths, and Languages often have papers in both mid-May and mid-June, with no safe gap in between.

The contingency day on 24 June means your child must be available even after 23 June. Book summer travel for 25 June or later to be completely safe.

Sleep, Routine, and Exam Mornings

Morning exams start at 9:00 AM, which means your child needs to arrive at school by 8:30 AM at the latest. If your child typically wakes at 7:30 or later during term time, start shifting their routine earlier from late April. A consistent sleep schedule of at least two weeks before exams begin makes a genuine difference to concentration and recall.

On exam mornings, keep the routine simple and calm. A familiar breakfast, a clear bag check (pens, calculator, ID if required), and a quiet journey to school. Avoid last-minute cramming in the car park: research on testing effects shows that anxious last-minute review often interferes with retrieval rather than helping it.

Access Arrangements

If your child has access arrangements (extra time, rest breaks, a reader, a scribe, or a separate room), confirm these with the school's SENCO or exams officer well before May. The deadline for applications is usually in early spring, and late applications may not be processed in time.

Access arrangements can affect your child's finish time. A student with 25% extra time on a 2-hour paper will not finish until 11:30 AM instead of 11:00 AM. This matters if they have an afternoon paper on the same day. Make sure you and your child understand the adjusted timings.

A-Level Results Day 2026

A-Level results day 2026 is Thursday 13 August. Students typically collect results from their school or sixth form college from around 8:00 AM. Some exam boards offer online access from 6:00 AM for schools that have opted in. Schools receive results the day before, on Wednesday 12 August, but are not permitted to share them with students until Thursday.

GCSE results day follows one week later on Thursday 20 August 2026. If you have children sitting both A-Levels and GCSEs, you will have two results days within a week of each other.

For a fuller guide to the A-Level subjects themselves, including what each one covers and how the exams are structured, see our guides on A-Level maths topics, A-Level biology topics, and how A-Level grade boundaries work.