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Q: What does A-Level Physics Syllabus: 2026 onwards (H2 9478) cover? A: A friendly walkthrough of the new 2026 A-Level, H2 Physics syllabus for IP students and their parents.
TL;DR From the 2026 sitting onward, H2 Physics (code 9478) weighs the spreadsheet-ready Paper 4 Practical at 20 percent, 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.
Use the H2 Physics notes hub alongside this syllabus overview to jump straight into topic-level guides, drills, and PDF downloads aligned with the 9478 spec.
Spreadsheet skills become explicit Specimen Paper 4 asks candidates to determine gradient ± standard error using =LINEST() and to quote R=(5.12±0.07)Ω. Specimen Paper 4
No optional “Stretch” questions All candidates answer the same number of marks; depth is tested through cross-topic synthesis instead.
Practical paper still 20 percent but with digital rigour The weighting stays at one-fifth, yet 9478 requires spreadsheet analysis and explicit uncertainty phrasing instead of the largely manual treatment centres used under 9749.
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:
F=−∇U,E=−∇V,B=∇×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:
Compute it as percentage = 100 × SE / m using spreadsheet output SE=standarderror.
Make the fractional-then-percentage chain a reflex by Sec 4 IP - it recurs in every ACE paragraph.
4 Year-4 IP Implications
IP Y4 topic
9478 echo
Why master it now
SUVAT & free-body diagrams
Paper 2 Q1-3 mechanics
vector-sign discipline travels unchanged
Uncertainty tables
Paper 4 PDO & ACE
half-division rule → ± percent cascade
Spreadsheet graphing
Paper 4 gradient ± SE
saves ≥4 marks vs hand-drawn fit
Energy bar charts
Fields & SHM synthesis
same work-energy algebra in E-fields
MOE's 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 percent)
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 percent)
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 percent)
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 percent)
Home lab hack: pendulum T2 vs L - import CSV, use =LINEST(), quote g±Δg.
Key sentence frame: “The gradient m=(4.02±0.04)s2⋅m−1 gives g=m4π2=9.81m⋅s−2 with 0.4 percent uncertainty, agreeing with literature within error.”
6 Official docs (SEAB/MOE) + optional practice references
Four papers: Paper 1 (MCQ, 15 %), Paper 2 (Structured, 30 %), Paper 3 (Long Questions, 35 %), and Paper 4 (Practical, 20 %). All four papers are compulsory - there are no optional questions under the 9478 spec.
What changed in the 9478 syllabus compared to the old 9749?
The biggest change is that spreadsheet skills are now explicitly examined in Paper 4. Candidates must use functions like LINEST() to determine gradients with standard error and quote final answers with uncertainty. The "Stretch" optional questions are removed - all candidates answer the same marks. Command words are also tightened: "determine" now signals spreadsheet calculation. The content topics remain largely the same, so older TYS theory questions are still valid practice.
Is the H2 Physics syllabus changing for 2027?
SEAB has not announced changes to the 9478 syllabus for 2027. The current paper structure (four papers, weightings 15/30/35/20 %) and topic list have been stable since the 2026 introduction. We will update this page if SEAB releases a revised specification.
What is the difference between H1 and H2 Physics?
H1 Physics (8867) is a single-paper subject covering a reduced set of topics (mechanics, waves, electricity, and nuclear physics) without the practical component. H2 Physics (9478) is a four-paper subject with deeper content (adds fields, electromagnetism, quantum physics, and more advanced modern physics) plus a full practical paper. H2 carries more UAS weight and is required for most engineering and physical science university courses.
Can I still use old 9749 TYS papers for practice?
Yes - the theory content is largely unchanged between 9749 and 9478. Papers 1–3 questions on mechanics, waves, fields, electricity, and modern physics remain valid practice. However, Paper 4 practical questions from 9749 used manual graph-drawing and ruler-based uncertainty, while 9478 expects spreadsheet analysis. Use old Paper 4 questions for content familiarity, but practise the spreadsheet workflow separately.
7 Next Actions for Parents & IP Students
Download the full syllabus & specimen bundle (links above).
Audit your current Y4 notes: highlight any term in the 9478 content list you cannot define in 30 s.
Run one 30 Q MCQ under 45 min this weekend; mark & journal errors.
Practice one spreadsheet lab before Term 1 - pendulum or I−V gradient.
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.
