A Level Physics at LMSC follows the Pearson Edexcel 9PH0 specification and is taught live by specialist physicists in small groups, on campus in London, fully online, or hybrid. You will complete the full core practical programme in our own laboratories, so your certificate carries the practical endorsement that competitive engineering and physics courses ask for.
A Level Physics explains how the physical world behaves, from the motion of everyday objects to the structure of matter and the evolution of stars. It is a mathematical subject: at least 40% of the marks across the three papers assess mathematics at Level 2 or above, a minimum set by the Department for Education for all A Level Physics specifications.
At LMSC you are taught by subject-specialist physicists in small groups, in real time. Lessons are structured around the Edexcel specification and built on worked examples, guided problem-solving and regular timed practice. Every live session is recorded, so difficult derivations can be revisited as often as you need.
Taught by physicists, not generalists. Physics is taught here by specialists who teach it every day, not by science teachers covering three subjects. That matters most in the topics students find hardest - fields, oscillations and particle physics.
Our own laboratories. You complete Edexcel's core practical programme on site, assessed against the Common Practical Assessment Criteria. Most online providers cannot offer this and send students elsewhere to find a laboratory.
Three ways to study, one qualification. On campus in London, fully online, or hybrid - the same specification, the same teachers, the same assessment schedule. Online and hybrid students attend scheduled laboratory blocks in London for the practical programme.
We teach you and we examine you. LMSC is a specialist STEM college and a private exam centre. Your teaching, your practical assessment and your exam entry sit under one roof, which removes the single biggest source of friction for students studying outside a conventional school.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need A Level Maths to study A Level Physics?
No - you can take A Level Physics without A Level Maths, and this course does not require it. But most physics and engineering degrees do. Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial and Manchester all require Mathematics alongside Physics for their physics and engineering courses. If that is your destination, take both.
What GCSE grades do you need for A Level Physics?
UK sixth forms typically ask for grade 6 to grade 7 in GCSE Physics or Combined Science, and grade 6 to 7 in GCSE Mathematics. LMSC recommends grade 7 in both, and will consider a strong grade 6 with a diagnostic assessment.
Can you study A Level Physics online?
Yes. The qualification is identical however it is taught - the certificate does not record where you studied. The one genuine obstacle is the practical endorsement, which requires a centre with laboratories. LMSC teaches online and delivers the practicals in its own laboratories in London.
What is the practical endorsement and what happens without it?
It is a separately reported Pass or Not Classified outcome covering your laboratory work across the course. It does not affect your A* to E grade, but it is printed on your certificate, and some universities make a pass a condition of their offer. Without access to a laboratory you cannot obtain it.
Is A Level Physics hard?
It is one of the more demanding A Levels, mainly because of the mathematics - at least 40% of the marks assess maths at Level 2 or above - and because questions are multi-step and often unfamiliar. Students who are comfortable with algebra and willing to practise problems regularly cope well. Memorisation alone does not work in physics.
Does A Level Physics have coursework?
No. There is no coursework and no written NEA. What is sometimes mistaken for coursework is the practical endorsement, which is assessed by your centre across the course and reported separately.
Can you do A Level Physics in one year?
It is possible, and we will discuss whether it is realistic for you. The constraint people underestimate is the practical programme - sixteen core practicals still have to be completed and assessed within the year.
Can you resit A Level Physics?
Yes. A Level Physics is resat as a whole qualification in the summer series. If you already hold a practical endorsement pass from a previous series, it can usually be carried forward rather than repeated - confirm this with us before entering.
The Edexcel 9PH0 specification is built from thirteen topics. All are compulsory - unlike AQA, Edexcel has no optional unit.
Paper 1 topics - Advanced Physics I
Paper 2 topics - Advanced Physics II
Paper 3 - General and Practical Principles in Physics
Synoptic. Questions can draw on any topic in the specification, and the paper assesses your understanding of experimental method and data analysis.
Core practicals
Edexcel specifies sixteen core practicals, CP1 to CP16. You must complete a minimum of twelve assessed practical activities to gain the practical endorsement. At LMSC you complete the full programme of sixteen in our laboratories.
This course suits you if you:
Should you take A Level Maths as well?
For most students, yes. Physics is not taught as applied mathematics, and you can take it on its own - but every physics and engineering degree we checked at Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial and Manchester requires A Level Mathematics alongside Physics. If you are aiming at those courses, treat Maths as part of the package rather than an option. If you are not, we will talk through the workload realistically at consultation.
This course may not suit you if you:
Awarding body and qualification
Pearson Edexcel A Level Physics, specification code 9PH0. Graded A* to E.
Three written papers, no coursework
All questions are compulsory. Papers combine short answers, structured calculations, extended responses and data-analysis questions. Paper 3 is synoptic and can draw on any topic.
Mathematics in the papers
A minimum of 40% of the marks across the three papers assess mathematics at Level 2 or above. This is a Department for Education requirement and applies to every A Level Physics specification, not only Edexcel.
The practical endorsement - read this if you are studying online or as a private candidate
A Level Physics carries a practical endorsement, reported separately from your grade as either Pass or Not Classified. It does not contribute to your A* to E grade, but it is printed on your certificate.
Edexcel specifies sixteen core practicals. You must complete a minimum of twelve assessed practical activities, judged against the five Common Practical Assessment Criteria: following written procedures; applying investigative approaches; using equipment safely; making and recording observations; and researching, referencing and reporting.
This matters more than most providers admit. A number of universities make a pass in the practical endorsement a condition of the offer - the University of Manchester requires a pass in the practical element of any science A Level taken, and King's College London applies the same condition to Dentistry. You can be awarded the A Level on your written papers alone, but Not Classified will appear on your certificate.
A practical endorsement can only be delivered and assessed by a centre with laboratories and qualified science staff. LMSC has both. Online and hybrid students complete the full core practical programme in our own laboratories in London, in scheduled blocks.
Calculators
Permitted in all papers. Full working and correct units are required regardless.
Exam series
Normally the May/June series. LMSC students sit their examinations in London.
GCSE or IGCSE Physics
Grade 7 or above in Physics, or in the Physics component of Combined Science, is strongly recommended. A strong grade 6 may be considered alongside evidence of mathematical ability and a diagnostic assessment.
GCSE or IGCSE Mathematics
Grade 7 or above recommended. You should be confident with algebraic manipulation, rearranging equations, graphs, ratios and basic trigonometry before you start.
International qualifications
Strong performance in Grade 10 Physics and Mathematics, or local equivalent, demonstrating readiness for algebra-based physics.
Mathematical readiness
You should already be comfortable with algebraic substitution and rearrangement, sketching and interpreting graphs, standard form and powers, and units and their conversion.
Diagnostic assessment
A short diagnostic may be used to confirm readiness, particularly for students joining from a non-UK curriculum.
Foundations support
Students who meet the threshold but need consolidation may be asked to complete a short foundations module covering algebra for physics, graph and data skills, core mechanics, and scientific notation and uncertainty.
If you are close to these requirements but not quite at them, speak to us. We would rather assess your readiness properly than turn you away on a single grade.
On completion you are awarded the Pearson Edexcel A Level Physics qualification (9PH0), graded A* to E, on the basis of three externally assessed written papers - plus the practical endorsement, reported separately as Pass.
By the end of the course you will have:
You also leave with a portfolio of assessed work - timed papers, practical analysis and marked scripts - which supports predicted grades, academic references and your UCAS application.
Where A Level Physics is essential
Physics is a required subject, alongside Mathematics, for physics and engineering degrees at the most selective universities. Verified requirements for 2027 entry include:
Where it helps but is not required
Natural Sciences, materials science, architecture and some engineering routes accept Physics as one of several permitted subjects. The University of Sheffield's MEng in Civil and Structural Engineering, for example, requires Mathematics but not A Level Physics.
Where it is not required
Physics is not required for Medicine or Dentistry. UCL's MBBS requires Chemistry and Biology, with a free choice of third subject. King's College London's Dentistry BDS accepts Physics only as one of several acceptable second sciences. If medicine is your goal, Chemistry and Biology come first.
Subject combinations that work
Careers
Engineering across all branches, scientific research, energy and sustainability, aerospace and automotive, medical physics and healthcare technology, data modelling and simulation, and finance and actuarial work.
Progression support at LMSC
UCAS guidance and subject-combination advice, predicted grades supported by assessed evidence, academic references, help with admissions tests and interviews where a course requires them, and results-day support including Clearing.
University entry requirements change each cycle. Always check the current requirement on the university's own website before making decisions.
Explore other programmes that pair well with A Level Physics or extend your specialist focus.
Book a consultation for tailored guidance on admissions, timetable planning and portfolio preparation. We will map a personalised progression route for your ambitions.
Course highlights
What the course covers, how it is taught and what is included. These pages answer the other questions people ask about the same subject.
