A-Level Key Dates 2026: Results Day, Mock Exams, Exam Timetable and How to Prepare

If you're sitting A-Levels in 2026, the next few months are some of the most important of your academic life. Knowing exactly when everything happens, from mock exams to results day, isn't just helpful for planning. It removes one source of anxiety and lets you focus entirely on preparation.

This guide pulls together every key date for the 2026 A-Level cycle, along with practical advice on how to use the time between now and your exams as effectively as possible. Whether you're a student mapping out a revision schedule or a parent trying to understand the timeline, this is everything you need in one place.

The 2026 A-Level Timeline at a Glance

Mock Exams: November to February

Most sixth form colleges schedule mock exams between November and February. The exact timing varies by institution, but the two most common windows are:

November/December mocks are favoured by colleges that want to identify gaps early. These give students and teachers a clear picture of where things stand before the Christmas break, leaving the spring term for targeted improvement.

January/February mocks are more common at colleges that prefer students to have covered more of the syllabus before sitting formal practice papers. Many private sixth form colleges schedule these for mid to late February, typically around the 16th to 27th of February 2026.

Some colleges run both: an early set in November to diagnose, and a second set in February to measure progress. If your college does this, take both seriously. The comparison between your two sets of results is one of the most useful pieces of data you'll have going into the summer.

Why Mock Results Matter More Than You Think

Mock exams serve several critical purposes beyond simple practice:

Predicted grades. Your mock results heavily influence the predicted grades your teachers submit to UCAS. For students who have already applied, strong mock performance can reinforce those predictions. For anyone considering retaking A-Levels, mock results help determine whether a different approach is needed.

Exam technique. Content knowledge is only half the battle. Mocks reveal whether you can apply what you know under timed conditions, structure essay answers effectively, and manage your time across a full paper. These skills are separate from subject knowledge and need deliberate practice.

Stress inoculation. Sitting in an exam hall with a clock ticking is a fundamentally different experience from revising at your desk. The more you expose yourself to that environment before May, the less overwhelming it feels when the real papers arrive.

Making the Most of Mock Results

When you get your mock results back, resist the temptation to simply look at the grade and move on. The detailed feedback is where the real value lies.

Go through each paper question by question. Identify whether your mistakes were caused by gaps in knowledge (you didn't know the content), errors in technique (you knew the content but answered poorly), or time management (you ran out of time). Each type of error requires a different fix, and knowing which category your mistakes fall into shapes the rest of your revision.

If your college offers one-to-one feedback sessions with subject teachers after mocks, treat these as essential rather than optional. A ten-minute conversation with a teacher who has marked your paper can be worth hours of self-study.

The Summer Exam Period: 11 May to 23 June 2026

A-Level exams run for approximately six weeks, from Monday 11 May to Tuesday 23 June 2026. This is consistent across all major exam boards: AQA, OCR, Edexcel (Pearson), and WJEC/Eduqas.

How the Timetable Works

Exams are scheduled in two daily sessions:

Your personal timetable depends on which subjects you're taking and which exam board your college uses. Some students find their exams clustered in the first few weeks; others have papers spread across the entire period. Check your college's specific timetable as soon as it's published so you can plan revision accordingly.

Wednesday 24 June 2026 is the designated contingency day, held in reserve in case national disruption (severe weather, security incidents) forces papers to be rescheduled. You must keep this day free even if you believe all your exams are complete.

Subject-Specific Timing

While exact dates vary by exam board, there are general patterns worth knowing:

Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) typically have papers spread across the full six-week window, often with practical endorsement components earlier in the period.

Maths and Further Maths papers are usually scheduled in the second half of May and into June, giving students the maximum teaching time.

Essay-based subjects (English, History, Politics) often have papers in the first half of the window, which can be both a blessing (get them done early) and a challenge (less revision time).

Languages include speaking exams that may be scheduled separately from the written papers, sometimes as early as April. Check your language exam dates carefully as they can catch students off guard.

Clashes and Special Arrangements

If you have two exams scheduled at the same time (a clash), your college will arrange for you to sit one paper in the morning and the other later in the day, with supervision in between to prevent any sharing of content. This is stressful but manageable. If you anticipate a clash, raise it with your exams officer early so arrangements are confirmed well in advance.

Students with approved access arrangements (extra time, separate rooms, rest breaks) should confirm these are in place before the exam period begins. Don't assume that arrangements from your mocks will automatically carry over. Check explicitly.

Results Day: Thursday 13 August 2026

A-Level results are released on Thursday 13 August 2026. Results are typically available from 08:00, though the exact time depends on your college. Some release results online from midnight or early morning; others require you to collect them in person.

What Happens on Results Day

If you meet your offer conditions, your university place is confirmed through UCAS. You'll see this reflected in UCAS Track, often before you've even opened your results envelope. Congratulations.

If you've exceeded your offer, you may want to consider whether your insurance choice or an alternative through Adjustment might be a better fit. Adjustment opens on results day and allows students who've done better than expected to explore other options while keeping their original offer as a safety net.

If you've missed your offer, don't panic. Many universities confirm students who are a grade or two below their offer, especially if the course isn't full. Check UCAS Track first. If your place isn't confirmed, call the university admissions office directly. They may still accept you. If not, Clearing opens on results day and thousands of courses are available.

If you're considering retaking, read our detailed guide on A-Level retakes. Private sixth forms often provide the most focused retake programmes, with small classes and intensive one-to-one support designed to maximise improvement in a single year.

Preparing for Results Day

Regardless of confidence levels, it's worth having a plan for each scenario before the day arrives:

• Know your firm and insurance offer conditions
• Have the admissions phone numbers for both universities saved
• Understand how Clearing and Adjustment work (UCAS publishes guides each year)
• If relevant, research retake options in advance so you're not making rushed decisions on the day
• Talk through the possibilities with your family beforehand so everyone knows the plan

Building Your Revision Plan: February to May

With mocks behind you and summer exams ahead, the period from February to May is when the real work happens. Here's how to use it effectively.

Start With Your Mock Analysis

Your mock results are your revision roadmap. For each subject, list:

• Topics where you scored well (maintain these, don't over-revise them)
• Topics where you lost marks through knowledge gaps (these need learning, not just reviewing)
• Topics where you understood the content but lost marks on technique (these need practice papers, not more notes)

This analysis prevents the common mistake of spending revision time on topics you already know while neglecting the areas that would actually improve your grade.

Create a Realistic Schedule

The most effective revision schedules share several characteristics:

They're specific. "Revise Biology" is not a plan. "Complete past paper questions on protein synthesis and mark against the mark scheme" is a plan. The more specific your tasks, the less time you waste deciding what to do.

They're balanced. Allocate time roughly in proportion to each subject's weight in your overall results. If you're taking three A-Levels, each should get roughly equal attention unless mock results suggest one needs significantly more work.

They include rest. Burnout is real and counterproductive. Schedule days off. Take evenings away from your desk. Exercise. Sleep properly. The research on this is unambiguous: students who rest adequately perform better than those who revise constantly.

They build in practice papers. By April, at least half your revision time should be spent on timed practice under exam conditions. Familiarity with the format, timing, and pressure of real papers is one of the strongest predictors of exam success.

The February Half-Term Window

The February half-term break (typically the week of 16 to 20 February 2026) is a critical revision window. It's early enough that you still have time to address gaps, but late enough that most of the syllabus has been covered.

Use this week strategically. If your mocks revealed significant weaknesses in particular topics, this is the time to address them. If your mocks went well, use the time to get ahead on past paper practice.

Many colleges run structured revision courses during half-term, offering intensive sessions on high-value exam topics. Our Easter revision courses offer similar focused preparation later in the cycle.

March and April: Intensification

As Easter approaches, revision should become increasingly focused on exam technique rather than content learning. By this point, you should know the syllabus. The question is whether you can demonstrate that knowledge under exam conditions.

Past papers are your best tool. Work through as many as possible under timed conditions. Mark them honestly using the official mark schemes. Identify patterns in where you lose marks.

Mark scheme literacy is an underrated skill. Understanding what examiners are looking for, and the specific language they reward, can be the difference between a B and an A. Spend time reading examiner reports (published by each exam board after previous series). They explicitly state common mistakes and what strong answers look like.

Interleaved practice is more effective than blocked practice. Rather than revising one topic exhaustively before moving to the next, mix topics within each revision session. This is harder and feels less productive, but research consistently shows it produces better long-term retention.

The Final Weeks: May

Once exams begin on 11 May, your routine shifts from revision to exam management:

• Focus revision on the next upcoming paper, not the one you've just sat
• Don't post-mortem completed exams with friends (this causes unnecessary anxiety and you can't change the answers)
• Maintain sleep, exercise, and nutrition routines
• Keep revision sessions shorter and more targeted
• Trust the preparation you've done

Effective Revision Techniques

Not all revision is equal. These proven revision techniques consistently produce the best results:

Active recall beats passive re-reading every time. Close your notes and test yourself. The effort of retrieving information strengthens the memory far more than simply looking at it again.

Spaced repetition means revisiting topics at increasing intervals rather than cramming everything into one session. Review a topic after one day, then three days, then a week, then two weeks.

Past paper practice under timed conditions is the single most valuable revision activity. It combines content recall, exam technique, and time management in one exercise.

Teaching others forces you to organise your understanding and identify gaps. If you can explain a concept clearly to someone else, you understand it. If you can't, you've found a gap to fill.

The Role of Your College

The quality of support your college provides during this period makes an enormous difference. The best colleges offer:

Structured revision programmes rather than simply giving students time off to "revise independently." This might include timetabled revision sessions, topic workshops, and exam technique masterclasses.

One-to-one support for students who need it. A fifteen-minute session with a subject specialist who can explain a concept you've been struggling with is worth hours of re-reading notes.

Pastoral support that acknowledges the pressure. Exam season is genuinely stressful, and colleges that take student wellbeing seriously will have counsellors, mentor support, and practical stress-management resources available.

If you're struggling with exam anxiety, speak to your college sooner rather than later. There are practical strategies that help, and leaving it until exam week makes everything harder.

Key Dates for Year 12 Students

If you're currently in Year 12, this timeline matters for you too, albeit differently:

AS exams (if applicable): Some colleges still enter Year 12 students for AS-Level exams in May/June. If yours does, the same exam period applies (11 May to 23 June 2026).

End-of-year exams: Most colleges run internal Year 12 exams in June, often using past A-Level papers. These results inform predicted grades for your UCAS application in the autumn, so treat them seriously.

Subject choices: If you're carrying four subjects and planning to drop to three for Year 13, your Year 12 results will influence that decision. Strong performance across all four keeps your options open.

Summer preparation: The summer between Year 12 and Year 13 is an excellent time to get ahead. Reading around your subjects, starting personal statement drafts, and arranging work experience gives you a significant advantage when Year 13 begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is A-Level Results Day 2026?

Thursday 13 August 2026. Results are typically available from 08:00, though the exact time varies by college. Some release results online; others require in-person collection.

When do A-Level exams start and finish in 2026?

Exams begin on Monday 11 May 2026 and end on Tuesday 23 June 2026. Wednesday 24 June is the contingency day and you must remain available for it.

When are A-Level mock exams in 2026?

Most colleges schedule mocks between November 2025 and February 2026. The exact dates vary by institution. Some run two rounds of mocks; others run one. Check with your college for specific dates.

Do mock exam results affect my university application?

Yes, significantly. Teachers use mock results (alongside classwork and coursework) to determine the predicted grades submitted to UCAS. Strong mock performance supports strong predictions, which directly influence the offers universities make.

What happens if I miss my university offer on results day?

Don't panic. Many universities confirm students who narrowly miss their offer conditions. Check UCAS Track first. If your place isn't confirmed, call the university directly. If they can't offer a place, Clearing provides access to thousands of available courses. You can also consider retaking A-Levels for a focused, intensive year of study.

How should I structure my revision between now and May?

Start by analysing your mock results to identify knowledge gaps and technique weaknesses. Create a specific, balanced schedule that includes rest days. As exams approach, shift from content learning to timed past paper practice. Use mark schemes and examiner reports to understand exactly what earns marks.

Is February half-term too early to start serious revision?

Not at all. February half-term is one of the most valuable revision windows. It's early enough to address genuine gaps in understanding, and structured work during this week can set the tone for the months ahead. Many colleges run intensive revision courses during half-term for exactly this reason.

What if I don't get the grades I need?

You have several options. Many universities still accept students through Clearing, even on results day. If you want to improve your grades, retaking A-Levels privately with a specialist college offers small class sizes and focused teaching. A gap year combined with retakes is also a common and effective route.