Main guide: O Level and IGCSE Maths
O Level and IGCSE Maths: Syllabuses, Papers and Grading Explained
Cambridge O Level Mathematics (4024) and Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) are two papers each, with one non-calculator paper since 2025. O Level is graded A* to E; IGCSE Extended is graded A* to E and Core C to G. Edexcel's International GCSE (4MA1) is graded 9 to 1 and allows a calculator on both papers.
Key takeaways
- 4024 O Level: two 2-hour, 100-mark papers. Paper 1 non-calculator, Paper 2 calculator. Grades A* to E.
- 0580 IGCSE Extended: Paper 2 (non-calculator) and Paper 4 (calculator), 2 hours and 100 marks each. Grades A* to E.
- 0580 IGCSE Core: Papers 1 and 3, 1 hour 30 minutes and 80 marks each. Grades C to G.
- Edexcel 4MA1: two 2-hour, 100-mark papers per tier, calculator on both, graded 9 to 1.
- Since 2025, every Cambridge maths paper prints a list of formulas on page 2, but not every formula you need is on it.
Secondary school maths in Cambridge and Edexcel schools usually means one of three syllabuses: Cambridge O Level Mathematics (4024), Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) or Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A (4MA1). Many students also add Additional Mathematics. This guide explains how each is examined and graded, and links to the detailed comparisons.
The three main syllabuses at a glance
| O Level 4024 | IGCSE 0580 (Extended) | Edexcel 4MA1 (Higher) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board | Cambridge | Cambridge | Pearson Edexcel |
| Papers | Paper 1 + Paper 2 | Paper 2 + Paper 4 | Paper 1H + Paper 2H |
| Time and marks | 2 h, 100 marks each | 2 h, 100 marks each | 2 h, 100 marks each |
| Calculator | Paper 1 no, Paper 2 yes | Paper 2 no, Paper 4 yes | Both papers |
| Grades | A* to E | A* to E | 9 to 4 targeted |
| Series | June, November | June, November (March in India) | January, June |
0580 also has a Core tier (Papers 1 and 3, 1 hour 30 minutes and 80 marks each, graded C to G) for students expected to get grade D or below. 4MA1 has a Foundation tier (1F and 2F) targeting grades 5 to 1.
What changed in 2025?
Cambridge revised both 4024 and 0580 for first exams in 2025:
- A non-calculator paper was introduced at every tier. In 0580, Papers 1 and 2 are now non-calculator; in 4024, Paper 1 is.
- Every paper now prints a list of formulas on page 2. Not every formula you need is on it; the syllabus says which are given.
- 4024 gained surds, exponential growth and decay, recurring decimals, composite functions and the alternate segment theorem, and lost loci, matrices and proper subsets.
- 0580 Extended gained surds, exact trigonometric values, domain and range, and recall of certain squares, cubes and roots, and lost linear programming, proper subsets, congruence criteria and box-and-whisker plots.
Old past papers are still good practice, but skip questions on removed topics and do extra non-calculator practice.
O Level or IGCSE: which one?
Cambridge describes O Level, IGCSE and IGCSE (9 to 1) as being at the same level. The practical differences are in the O Level vs IGCSE comparison. The headline: the two syllabuses now share almost all their topics, but 0580 Extended also covers differentiation, trigonometric functions and exact values, and conditional probability. O Level is only offered in Cambridge administrative zones 3, 4 and 5.
If your school is choosing between Cambridge and Edexcel, see 0580 vs 4MA1.
What grade boundaries look like
In June 2026:
- 4024 (components 12 and 22, out of 200): A* 173, A 147, B 104, C 62.
- 0580 Extended (components 21 and 41, out of 200): A* 162, A 138, B 114, C 90.
- 0580 Extended (components 22 and 42): A* 177, A 154.
So an A* needed somewhere between about 81% and 89% depending on the syllabus and variant. How to get an A* in O Level and IGCSE maths turns this into a study plan.
Should you add Additional Maths?
Cambridge O Level Additional Mathematics (4037) and IGCSE Additional Mathematics (0606) are taken alongside the main maths syllabus by students who are strong in maths and planning A Level. They cover almost all of the topics in A Level Paper 1. See is Additional Maths worth it?
After O Level and IGCSE
Cambridge’s A Level Maths (9709) assumes the content of 0580 Extended or 4024. Read how big the jump to A Level is before you start Year 12, and the 9709 guide for how the A Level works.
Everything in this guide
- Cambridge IGCSE 0580 vs Edexcel 4MA1: Which Maths Exam Is Easier?Neither is officially easier: both are international GCSE-level maths qualifications. The real differences are format. Cambridge 0580 has a non-calculator paper and grades A* to G; Edexcel 4MA1 allows a calculator on both papers and grades 9 to 1. Both have two tiers and two 2-hour, 100-mark papers at the higher tier.
- How to Get an A* in O Level and IGCSE MathsAn A* in Cambridge IGCSE Maths (0580 Extended) or O Level Maths (4024) needed between 81% and 89% in June 2026. To get there, cover the whole syllabus, practise the non-calculator paper as seriously as the calculator one, work through past papers by topic and then under timed conditions, and show working so method marks are never lost.
- Is A Level Maths Hard? The Jump From IGCSE and O LevelA Level Maths is a real step up from IGCSE or O Level, mostly in algebra, abstraction and pace rather than in brand-new arithmetic. Cambridge expects about 360 guided learning hours for the full 9709 A Level and assumes IGCSE 0580 Extended or O Level 4024. Students with fluent algebra, and especially those who took Additional Maths, find the jump much smaller.
- Is Additional Maths (4037 / 0606) Worth Taking?Additional Maths is worth taking if you are strong at maths and plan to study A Level Maths. Cambridge O Level 4037 and IGCSE 0606 cover the same 14 topics, and those include all eight topic areas of A Level 9709 Paper 1: quadratics, functions, coordinate geometry, circular measure, trigonometry, series, differentiation and integration. If you are not continuing with maths, it adds workload for little extra benefit.
- O Level vs IGCSE Maths: 4024 and 0580 ComparedCambridge O Level Maths (4024) and IGCSE Maths (0580 Extended) are at the same level and share almost all their content. Both have a 2-hour non-calculator paper and a 2-hour calculator paper worth 100 marks each. The main differences: 0580 Extended adds differentiation, trigonometric functions and conditional probability, 0580 has a Core tier graded C to G, and O Level is only offered in some regions.
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better, O Level or IGCSE maths?
- Cambridge says they are at the same level and equivalent grade for grade. The real differences are the grading scale, which administrative zones can take O Level, and a few topics: IGCSE 0580 Extended includes differentiation and conditional probability, and 4024 does not.
- Is there a non-calculator paper in IGCSE maths?
- Yes, since 2025. In Cambridge 0580, Paper 1 (Core) and Paper 2 (Extended) are non-calculator. Edexcel 4MA1 still allows a calculator on both papers.
- Can I take O Level and IGCSE maths in the same series?
- No. Cambridge does not allow 4024 to be combined with 0580, 0980 or 0607 in the same exam series.
- Are formulas given in O Level and IGCSE maths?
- A list of formulas is printed on page 2 of every 4024 and 0580 paper, but not every formula you need is on it. The syllabus marks which formulas are given and which you must know.
Sources
Checked against these official documents on 26 Oct 2026. Boards update them, so check the latest version before your exam.
- Cambridge O Level Mathematics (Syllabus D) 4024 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027
- Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics 0580 syllabus for 2025, 2026 and 2027
- Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A (4MA1) specification, Issue 2
- Cambridge 0580 grade thresholds, June 2026
- Cambridge 4024 grade thresholds, June 2026
