A-Level Physics Syllabus — 2026 onwards (H2 9478)

TL;DR
From the 2026 sitting onward, H2 Physics (code 9478) weighs the spreadsheet-ready Paper 4 Practical at 20 %, compresses the rest into three written papers, and expects candidates to manipulate calculus, vectors and uncertainty almost on autopilot.
This article maps every paper, flags the most teacher-quoted pitfalls, and links out to official SEAB documents plus specimen papers you can download tonight.

1 Quick-Glance Table — All Four Papers

Source: SEAB 9478 syllabus

2 What Changed vs the old 9749 Spec

1. Spreadsheet skills become explicit
   Specimen Paper 4 asks candidates to determine gradient ± standard error using =LINEST() and to quote \(R = (5.12 \pm 0.07) \space \Omega\). Specimen Paper 4
2. No optional “Stretch” questions
   All candidates answer the same number of marks; depth is tested through cross-topic synthesis instead.
3. Practical weight up from 17 % → 20 %
   In the legacy 9749 spec, PDO + ACE together carried 17 %. Paper 4 is now a clean one-fifth of the grade.
4. Command words tightened
   Determine now signals spreadsheet calculation, while state with uncertainty flags a table check. See Appendix B of the syllabus for definitions.

3 Skills Lattice — How Topics Interlock

3.1 Mechanics ↔ Fields ↔ Modern

Parents are often surprised that the same calculus shows up three times:

\[ \vec F = -\nabla U,\quad \vec E = -\nabla V,\quad \vec B = \nabla \times \vec A \]

Grasping the gradient/divergence language early turns a memorisation treadmill into one concept applied thrice.

3.2 Uncertainty Propagation

The specimen mark scheme awards 2 marks in Paper 3 for quoting percentage uncertainty of the gradient:

\[ \%\Delta m = \frac{\text{SE}}{m} \times 100 \]

Make the fractional-then-percentage chain a reflex by Sec 4 IP — it recurs in every ACE paragraph.

4 Year-4 IP Implications

MOE's 2023 removal of mid-year exams means many IP students will meet their first 3 h physics paper only at the JC 1 Promos. MOE press release

5 Paper-by-Paper Drill Checklist

5.1 Paper 1 MCQ (15 %)

• Pace rule: 2 min / 4 questions — aim to finish in 45 min, bank 15 min for review.
• Drill: 30 Q speed round every fortnight using the specimen MCQ.

5.2 Paper 2 Structured (30 %)

• Target 1 mark : 1.5 min.
• Keep an error-journal: classify each slip as content, process or careless.

5.3 Paper 3 Long Q (35 %)

• Practise a full data-analysis set weekly — include units & final-line rounding.
• Write planning answers in bullet tables (apparatus | variable | step) for easy method marks.

5.4 Paper 4 Practical (20 %)

• Home lab hack: pendulum \(T^2\) vs \(L\) — import CSV, use =LINEST(), quote \(g \pm \Delta g\).
• Key sentence frame:
  “The gradient \(m = (4.02 \pm 0.04) \space \pu{s2.m-1}\) gives \(g = \dfrac{4\pi^2}{m} = 9.81 \space \pu{m.s-2}\) with 0.4 % uncertainty, agreeing with literature within error.”

6 Official Docs & Must-Grab Downloads

1. SEAB 9478 syllabus PDF
2. Specimen Paper 1 MCQ
3. Specimen Paper 2 Structured
4. Specimen Paper 3 Long Q
5. Specimen Paper 4 Practical
6. A-Level syllabus list (2026)
7. MOE “Learn-for-Life” reforms
8. SEAB command-word definitions
9. Spreadsheet LINEST() tutorial
10. Physics Classroom — uncertainty basics

7 Next Actions for Parents & IP Students

1. Download the full syllabus & specimen bundle (links above).
2. Audit your current Y4 notes: highlight any term in the 9478 content list you cannot define in 30 s.
3. Run one 30 Q MCQ under 45 min this weekend; mark & journal errors.
4. Practice one spreadsheet lab before Term 1 — pendulum or \(I-V\) gradient.
5. Plan tuition or self-study loops early; the lack of mid-years means fewer natural checkpoints.

Version 1.1 — Last updated 13 Jul 2025. Next review when SEAB posts the 2027 specimen set.