Guide to Cambridge IGCSE Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics

The Cambridge IGCSE exams are globally recognized and offer a strong academic foundation in key subjects like Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. This article will provide detailed information on each subject, separating the content for IGCSE. We’ll also cover syllabus content, paper structures, and explore the differences between Cambridge and Edexcel.

Cambridge IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education)

IGCSE Biology

Subject Code: 

0610

Syllabus Content:

The IGCSE Biology syllabus introduces students to fundamental biological concepts such as cell biology, genetics, and human physiology. Key topics include:

  • Characteristics of living organisms
  • Cell structures and functions
  • Enzymes, nutrition, and digestion
  • Respiratory and circulatory systems
  • Reproduction and inheritance
  • Ecology and conservation

Paper Structure:

  • Paper 1: Multiple choice (30%), 40 questions covering core topics.
  • Paper 2/Paper 3: Structured questions (50%) based on either the core syllabus (Paper 2) or the extended syllabus (Paper 3).
  • Paper 4: Alternative to practical (20%), focusing on practical skills without requiring students to complete laboratory work.

Resource Books

Cambridge IGCSE Biology (Collins)

  • Authors: D.G. Mackean and Dave Hayward
  • Overview: This textbook provides clear explanations of concepts with engaging diagrams and illustrations. It is comprehensive and aligns closely with the Cambridge syllabus, making it a great resource for students aiming for top marks.


Cambridge IGCSE Biology Coursebook (Cambridge University Press)

  • Authors: Mary Jones and Geoff Jones
  • Overview: This is an official coursebook endorsed by Cambridge Assessment International Education, covering the entire syllabus in great detail.


Cambridge IGCSE Biology Revision Guide (Oxford University Press)

  • Authors: Ian J. Burton and Ron Pickering
  • Overview: This guide is useful for revision purposes and focuses on helping students understand the key concepts and facts required for the exams.


IGCSE Biology Study and Revision Guide (Hodder Education)

  • Authors: Dave Hayward and Sue Kearsey
  • Overview: This is an excellent supplementary book for exam preparation. It summarizes key concepts in concise, student-friendly language.

IGCSE Chemistry

Subject Code: 

0620

Syllabus Content:

The IGCSE Chemistry syllabus focuses on core chemical concepts, including atomic theory, bonding, and environmental chemistry. Key topics include:

  • Atomic structure and bonding
  • Chemical reactions and equations
  • Acids, bases, and salts
  • Organic chemistry: hydrocarbons and polymers
  • The periodic table and the reactivity of metals

Paper Structure:

  • Paper 1: Multiple choice (30%), with 40 questions on core topics.
  • Paper 2/Paper 3: Structured questions (50%), with Paper 2 for core and Paper 3 for extended.
  • Paper 4: Alternative to practical (20%), assessing practical laboratory skills through written questions.

Resource Books

Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry Coursebook (Cambridge University Press)

  • Authors: Richard Harwood, Ian Lodge
  • Overview: This is an official textbook endorsed by Cambridge Assessment International Education. It covers the syllabus thoroughly with clear explanations and a strong focus on practical skills.

Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (Collins)

  • Authors: Chris Sunley, Roger Norris, and Philippa Gardom Hulme
  • Overview: This book provides comprehensive coverage of the Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry syllabus and is designed to help students achieve high marks.

Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry Revision Guide (Oxford University Press)

  • Authors: Roger Norris
  • Overview: This book is perfect for revision and reinforces key concepts with concise summaries and plenty of practice questions.

Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry Study and Revision Guide (Hodder Education)

  • Authors: Bob McDuell
  • Overview: This guide focuses on simplifying complex chemistry concepts and offers a structured approach to revision, making it ideal for students preparing for exams.

Complete Chemistry for Cambridge IGCSE (Oxford University Press)

  • Authors: RoseMarie Gallagher and Paul Ingram
  • Overview: This is a popular textbook among IGCSE students, offering a detailed and engaging exploration of chemistry topics, with strong support for practical skills.

IGCSE Physics

Subject Code: 

0625

Syllabus Content:

The IGCSE Physics syllabus covers core concepts in mechanics, energy, waves, and atomic physics. Key topics include:

  • Motion, forces, and energy
  • Thermal properties of matter
  • Waves, sound, and light
  • Electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetism
  • Radioactivity and nuclear physics

Paper Structure:

  • Paper 1: Multiple choice (30%), with 40 questions covering the core syllabus.
  • Paper 2/Paper 3: Structured questions (50%), with Paper 2 for core and Paper 3 for extended.
  • Paper 4: Alternative to practical (20%), testing experimental and practical skills through written questions.

Resource Books

Cambridge IGCSE Physics Coursebook (Cambridge University Press)

  • Authors: David Sang
  • Overview: This is an official coursebook endorsed by Cambridge Assessment International Education, covering the entire IGCSE Physics syllabus in detail.

Cambridge IGCSE Physics (Collins)

  • Authors: Heather Kennett, Ken Slee, and Patrick Fullick
  • Overview: This textbook provides thorough coverage of the Cambridge IGCSE Physics syllabus with clear and engaging content.


Cambridge IGCSE Physics Revision Guide (Oxford University Press)

  • Authors: Sarah Lloyd
  • Overview: This revision guide is concise and well-structured, making it perfect for last-minute revision or to reinforce key concepts.


Cambridge IGCSE Physics Study and Revision Guide (Hodder Education)

  • Author: Mike Folland
  • Overview: This book focuses on revision strategies, helping students develop a strong understanding of the IGCSE Physics syllabus while practicing exam-style questions.

Complete Physics for Cambridge IGCSE (Oxford University Press)

  • Authors: Stephen Pople
  • Overview: This textbook is widely recommended for its clear explanations and comprehensive coverage of the syllabus, with an emphasis on both theoretical and practical knowledge.


IGCSE Mathematics

Subject Code:

0580

Syllabus Content:

The IGCSE Mathematics syllabus includes key mathematical topics such as algebra, geometry, and statistics. Core topics include:

  • Number and algebra
  • Trigonometry
  • Vectors and transformations
  • Probability and statistics

Paper Structure:

  • Paper 1/Paper 2: Multiple choice and short-answer questions for core or extended syllabus.
  • Paper 3/Paper 4: Structured and long-answer questions, depending on whether the student is taking the core or extended syllabus.

Resource Books

Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics Core and Extended Coursebook (Cambridge University Press)

  • Authors: Karen Morrison, Nick Hamshaw
  • Overview: This is an official coursebook endorsed by Cambridge Assessment International Education, covering both the Core and Extended syllabuses.


Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (Collins)

  • Authors: Chris Pearce
  • Overview: This textbook is well-known for its engaging explanations and comprehensive coverage of the IGCSE syllabus, making it ideal for students studying at both Core and Extended levels.


IGCSE Mathematics Revision Guide (Cambridge University Press)

  • Authors: Martin Law
  • Overview: This revision guide is designed for students preparing for both Core and Extended papers, offering concise notes and practice questions.


Extended Mathematics for Cambridge IGCSE (Oxford University Press)

  • Authors: David Rayner
  • Overview: This book is specifically for students aiming to take the Extended IGCSE Mathematics papers. It offers clear explanations of advanced topics.

Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics: Core and Extended Practice Book (Cambridge University Press)

  • Authors: Karen Morrison, Nick Hamshaw
  • Overview: This practice book complements the coursebook and provides extra exercises and questions to help students consolidate their learning.

IGCSE Combined Science 

Subject Codes:

0653

Syllabus Content:

Covers essential topics from Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, providing a broad understanding of the three sciences.

Paper Structure:

Consists of multiple-choice, core theory, and alternative to practical papers.

Resource Books

Cambridge IGCSE Combined Science Coursebook (Cambridge University Press)

  • Authors: Mary Jones, Richard Harwood, Ian Lodge, and David Sang
  • Overview: This is an official coursebook endorsed by Cambridge Assessment International Education, providing in-depth coverage of all three sciences — biology, chemistry, and physics.

IGCSE Combined Science (Collins)

  • Authors: Malcolm Bradley, Richard Fosbery, Lawrie Ryan, and Ian Honeysett
  • Overview: This textbook is designed specifically for the IGCSE Combined Science course and covers the core topics from biology, chemistry, and physics in a clear and engaging way.

Cambridge IGCSE Combined and Co-ordinated Sciences Revision Guide (Oxford University Press)

  • Authors: Primrose Kitten
  • Overview: This revision guide is ideal for reinforcing key concepts and practicing exam questions. It’s tailored for both Combined and Co-ordinated Science syllabuses.

Cambridge IGCSE Combined Science Study and Revision Guide (Hodder Education)

  • Authors: David Sang, Sue Kearsey, and Dave Hayward
  • Overview: This study and revision guide is ideal for last-minute revision and reinforcement of key concepts.

Cambridge IGCSE Combined Science Workbook (Cambridge University Press)

  • Authors: Mary Jones, Richard Harwood, Ian Lodge, and David Sang
  • Overview: This workbook complements the coursebook and offers extra practice questions for each topic, providing ample opportunities for students to consolidate their knowledge.

IGCSE Coordinated Science

Subject Codes:

0654

Syllabus Content:

A more in-depth approach, offering two IGCSE grades, with a deeper exploration of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.

Paper Structure:

Similar in structure to Combined Science but with extended theory and deeper questioning.

Resource Books

Cambridge IGCSE™ Co-ordinated Sciences Coursebook (Cambridge University Press)

  • Authors: Mary Jones, Richard Harwood, Ian Lodge, and David Sang
  • Overview: This official coursebook is endorsed by Cambridge Assessment International Education and covers all three sciences—biology, chemistry, and physics—in line with the IGCSE Co-ordinated Sciences syllabus.

Cambridge IGCSE™ Co-ordinated Sciences (Collins)

  • Authors: Mary Jones, Richard Fosbery, Lawrie Ryan, and Ian Honeysett
  • Overview: This textbook offers an engaging approach to learning all three sciences for the Co-ordinated Sciences course, with an emphasis on making science relevant to everyday life.

Cambridge IGCSE™ Co-ordinated Sciences Study and Revision Guide (Hodder Education)

  • Authors: Mary Jones, David Sang, and Sue Kearsey
  • Overview: This revision guide is ideal for reinforcing key concepts and practicing exam questions. It provides concise summaries and practice questions for all three sciences.

Cambridge IGCSE™ Co-ordinated Sciences Workbook (Cambridge University Press)

  • Authors: Mary Jones, Richard Harwood, Ian Lodge, and David Sang
  • Overview: This workbook provides additional practice questions and exercises, designed to complement the coursebook. It's useful for consolidating knowledge and practicing for exams.

Complete Science for Cambridge IGCSE™ Co-ordinated Sciences (Oxford University Press)

  • Authors: RoseMarie Gallagher and Paul Ingram
  • Overview: This textbook is comprehensive and detailed, covering all aspects of the Co-ordinated Sciences syllabus, including theory and practical work for biology, chemistry, and physics.

Regional Papers

For most science subjects, Cambridge uses a standardized global assessment. However, there may be regional papers in subjects like History or Geography. In science, the syllabus and exam format remain consistent across all regions.

Grading structure in Cambridge IGCSE 

The grading structure for Cambridge IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) is designed to reflect students' levels of achievement in their subjects.

Grade Scale

  • The Cambridge IGCSE grading scale ranges from A* to G, with A* being the highest grade and G being the lowest pass grade.

Grade Boundaries

  • Each grade has specific boundaries that define the minimum marks required to achieve that grade. These boundaries can vary from one exam session to another based on the difficulty of the paper and the overall performance of the cohort.
  • Grade boundaries are usually published by Cambridge International after the exam results are released.

Grading System for Different Subjects

  • Core Subjects: For some subjects, there is a Core and an Extended curriculum. The Core curriculum typically allows students to achieve grades C to G, while the Extended curriculum allows for grades A* to E.
  • Extended Subjects: Students taking the Extended option have access to higher grades but may find the material more challenging.

Assessment Weighting

  • IGCSE subjects are usually assessed through a combination of written exams, practical assessments, and sometimes coursework. The weighting of these components can vary by subject.
  • The final grade is determined by combining the scores from all assessment components according to their specified weightings.

Awarding of Certificates

  • Students receive a certificate for each IGCSE subject in which they have entered, showing their grades.
  • A candidate's overall performance may also be reflected in a Statement of Results, summarizing their achievements across multiple subjects.

Recognition of Grades

  • Cambridge IGCSE grades are recognized by universities and employers worldwide, making them a valuable qualification for further education and career opportunities.

Retake Opportunities

  • Students have the opportunity to retake exams to improve their grades. Cambridge International offers multiple examination sessions throughout the year.

General Study Tips for Cambridge IGCSE Subjects

  • Create a Study Schedule: Organize your study time effectively, allocating time for each subject.
  • Active Learning: Engage with the material through discussions, teaching others, and applying concepts.
  • Use Past Papers: Regularly practice past exam questions to familiarize yourself with the format and types of questions.
  • Group Study: Collaborate with peers to clarify doubts and enhance learning through discussion.
  • Seek Help When Needed: Don’t hesitate to ask teachers or tutors for assistance on challenging topics.