Exam day, rules & kit
What can you bring into a GCSE or A-level exam?
Bring black pens (at least two), pencils and your maths kit in a clear pencil case or a clear bag, plus a calculator when the paper allows one. Water is fine in a clear bottle with the label removed. Leave phones, smart devices, watches of any kind, earbuds and notes outside the exam room - having one on you counts as breaking the rules even if you never touch it.
Last updated 29 July 2026 · Written and fact-checked by the GCSEwiz team
The quick checklist
Every UK exam room runs on the same JCQ rules (the Joint Council for Qualifications - the exam boards acting together), so this list holds wherever you sit your papers:
- Two or more black pens - answers must be in black ink.
- Pencil, rubber, sharpener; ruler, protractor and compasses for maths and science papers.
- A scientific calculator, on the papers that allow one (with the case left outside).
- A clear, see-through pencil case - or loose items in a clear bag.
- Still water in a clear bottle, label removed.
- Your candidate number and anything your school asks you to carry (some issue exam cards).
What must stay outside
Phones, smartwatches - and in practice any watch, since invigilators cannot check each one, JCQ treats all watches as banned from the desk - earphones and earbuds, smart glasses, notes, and pencil cases you cannot see through. The rule that surprises people: possession is the offence. A phone in your blazer pocket, switched off, that rings at no point and is never touched, is still a reportable incident that can cost marks or, in serious cases, the qualification. The safest habit is to leave devices in your bag outside the hall, every time.
If you realise you have something you shouldn't as the exam is about to start - say so immediately. Handing a forgotten phone to an invigilator before the exam begins is a non-event; being found with it an hour in is not.
The small print people actually ask about
Gel pens and erasable pens: no - black ballpoint or ink. Highlighters: fine for marking up the question paper, not for writing answers. Correcting fluid: not allowed; cross mistakes out. Tissues, medicine, glasses: yes. Uniform: that is your school's policy, not an exam rule - most schools keep normal uniform during exam season. Food: generally not unless you have a medical need agreed in advance. Toilet trips: allowed with an invigilator escort, one at a time - you don't get the time back, so go before.
If something goes wrong on the day
Arrive late and you may still be allowed to sit the paper - go straight in and ask; schools can admit latecomers, and even significant lateness is often workable if you have not seen anything about the paper. Feeling ill, or something serious happening at home, is exactly what special consideration exists for: tell your teacher or the exams officer on the day, not after results. None of these situations is improved by staying silent - the system deals kindly with honesty and badly with surprises.