What is the difference between practice papers and past papers?

Atom gives you two powerful ways to prepare for your GCSE exams: practice papers, based on our team’s 2026 predictions and past papers.

They work together to help you revise smarter and feel fully prepared.

Practice Papers

Atom’s practice papers are created by our subject experts to show you the types of questions that are likely to appear in the 2026 exams.

They follow the exam board style closely, helping you practise the right skills and spot patterns before the real thing.

Past Papers

Past papers are the official exam papers that students sat in previous years.

They show the exact questions each exam board asked, giving you a clear sense of difficulty, structure, and timing.

Both are valuable; practice papers help you look ahead, while past papers help you understand what’s come before. Together, they make your revision stronger, clearer, and more focused.