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OCR · GCSE

OCR GCSE Chemistry

OCR GCSE Chemistry A (Gateway Science) (J248). What it covers, how it is assessed, a link to the official specification, and the free study material Marlbridge publishes for it.

Syllabus
J248
Board
OCR
Qualification
GCSE
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Topics and resources

52 free resources, 6 of 6 topics covered

Each topic below is from the official OCR document for OCR GCSE Chemistry A (Gateway Science) (J248), with its study guides, revision notes and practice questions together. Everything here is for OCR GCSE Chemistry (J248) only.

  • Learn with study guides
  • Revise with revision notes
  • Practise with practice questions
  1. Topic 1 6 resources

    Topic C1 – Particles

    Covers The Particle Model, Atomic Structure

    Study guides 2

    Revision notes 2

    Practice questions 2

  2. Topic 2 9 resources

    Topic C2 – Elements, Compounds and Mixtures

    Covers Purity and Separating Mixtures, Bonding, Properties of Materials

    Study guides 3

    Revision notes 3

    Practice questions 3

  3. Topic 3 12 resources

    Topic C3 – Chemical Reactions

    Covers Introducing Chemical Reactions, Energetics, Types of Chemical Reactions, Electrolysis

    Study guides 4

    Revision notes 4

    Practice questions 4

  4. Topic 4 6 resources

    Topic C4 – Predicting and Identifying Reactions and Products

    Covers Predicting Chemical Reactions, Identifying the Products of Chemical Reactions

    Study guides 2

    Revision notes 2

    Practice questions 2

  5. Topic 5 9 resources

    Topic C5 – Monitoring and Controlling Chemical Reactions

    Covers Monitoring Chemical Reactions, Controlling Reactions, Equilibria

    Study guides 3

    Revision notes 3

    Practice questions 3

  6. Topic 6 9 resources

    Topic C6 – Global Challenges

    Covers Improving Processes and Products, Organic Chemistry, Interpreting and Interacting with Earth Systems

    Study guides 3

    Revision notes 3

    Practice questions 3

Covering more than one topic

Course guides, exam preparation and pages that span several topics.

Study guides

No study guide for this course yet.

Revision notes

No revision notes for this course yet.

Practice questions

Source: OCR — official GCSE (9-1) Chemistry A (Gateway Science) J248 specification PDF — Version 4.0 (August 2026), for first assessment in 2018. Verified 2026-09-02. Subtopics are shown where Marlbridge has entered them; a topic may have more in the official document. This syllabus is tiered: see “About this course” below for the tier structure. A topic listed here is part of the syllabus; it does not mean Marlbridge has published material for it. Always check the current syllabus for your examination year.

About this course

Qualification
OCR GCSE Chemistry
Spec code
J248
Does Marlbridge teach it?
Yes, one-to-one only (Rs 6,000 per class; other currencies) — request a free trial class
Who teaches it?
Farhat ul Ain Sehgal · Nouman Ahmed
Are resources available?
Yes — 52 published
Is enrolment open?
Enquire to join — no online enrolment yet
Official specification
OCR specification
Topic checklist
Printable J248 checklist
Where was this verified?
2026-08-18, official OCR specification

Compiled and maintained by the Marlbridge Academic Team, checked against the official OCR specification on 2026-08-18.

Spotted something wrong on this page? Report an error — see the corrections policy.

The qualification

OCR GCSE Chemistry A (Gateway Science) (J248)

Marlbridge's summary of the course

Our GCSE Chemistry A (Gateway Science) qualification develops students' broad scientific knowledge as well as their conceptual understanding of a range of topics within chemistry itself. They develop practical and problem-solving skills and an ability to evaluate claims based on science through critical analysis.

The board's own description is on the official OCR syllabus page.

Qualification number 601/8663/X. A parallel "Twenty First Century Science" suite (Chemistry B, J258) also exists; J248 (Gateway Science) recorded here for consistency with a single-code-per-subject pattern.

Specifications change between examination series. Always confirm the current syllabus and assessment structure on the OCR syllabus page for your examination year.

Assessment structure

Linear qualification

Assessment components for OCR Chemistry J248
Component Duration Marks Weighting Type
J248/01: Paper 1 (Foundation Tier) (Foundation) 1h 45m 90 50% Written exam
J248/02: Paper 2 (Foundation Tier) (Foundation) 1h 45m 90 50% Written exam
J248/03: Paper 3 (Higher Tier) (Higher) 1h 45m 90 50% Written exam
J248/04: Paper 4 (Higher Tier) (Higher) 1h 45m 90 50% Written exam

Source: official OCR specification, verified 2026-08-28. Directly confirmed against OCR's own official "GCSE (9-1) Gateway Science: Exploring our question papers" guide (covering J247/J248/J249/J250, 2026-08-28). For each separate science, assessment is through two exams per tier: Paper 1/3 tests topics 1-3 plus topic 7 (practical); Paper 2/4 tests topics 4-6 plus topic 7 (practical), with assumed knowledge of topics 1-3 and synoptic assessment. Each paper is 90 marks, 1 hour 45 minutes, 50% weighting, for both Foundation tier (Papers 1-2) and Higher tier (Papers 3-4).

Questions about this course

How is OCR Chemistry (J248) assessed?

OCR Chemistry (J248) is assessed through: Foundation candidates take: J248/01 (Paper 1 (Foundation Tier)) — 1h 45m, 90 marks, 50% of the qualification; J248/02 (Paper 2 (Foundation Tier)) — 1h 45m, 90 marks, 50% of the qualification. Higher candidates take: J248/03 (Paper 3 (Higher Tier)) — 1h 45m, 90 marks, 50% of the qualification; J248/04 (Paper 4 (Higher Tier)) — 1h 45m, 90 marks, 50% of the qualification. It is a linear qualification. Source: official OCR specification, verified 2026-08-28.

What topics does OCR GCSE Chemistry (J248) cover?

6 topics in the current syllabus: Topic C1 – Particles; Topic C2 – Elements, Compounds and Mixtures; Topic C3 – Chemical Reactions; Topic C4 – Predicting and Identifying Reactions and Products; Topic C5 – Monitoring and Controlling Chemical Reactions; Topic C6 – Global Challenges. The printable topic checklist lists every topic and subtopic on one page.

Can I get a tutor for OCR GCSE Chemistry (J248)?

Yes. Marlbridge teaches OCR GCSE Chemistry (J248) live online, one-to-one only, taught by a named subject teacher from its academy in Lahore, Pakistan. The first trial class is free.

Are there free OCR GCSE Chemistry (J248) revision notes and practice questions?

Yes. Marlbridge has published 52 free resources for this course (study guides, practice questions, revision notes, exam preparation guides), free to read with no sign-up.

The subject

Chemistry teaching and study resources, organised by level and topic.

All Chemistry at Marlbridge

Chemistry at other qualifications

These are separate qualifications with different syllabuses and assessments — not different names for the same course. Check which one your school enters you for.

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