IGCSE October/November 2026 in Kenya: An Exam-Week Checklist for Candidates and Parents

The IGCSE October/November 2026 series is running now, and many Kenyan candidates are sitting papers spread across several weeks. While Kenya's attention is on KCSE, KPSEA and KJSEA, IGCSE families have their own long exam season to manage.

This checklist is for both the candidate and the parent. It does not list paper dates, because every candidate's timetable is different. Your own statement of entry from your school or exam centre is the only timetable that matters. Check it again tonight.

Part 1: The timetable check

• Find the statement of entry and confirm every paper, its date, its session (morning or afternoon) and the component number.
• Copy it onto one sheet and stick it on the fridge or the bedroom wall.
• Check for clashes. If two papers appear in the same session, ask the exams officer at the centre straight away. Do not assume it will be sorted out on the day.
• Note the candidate number and centre number. Written down, not remembered.

Part 2: Command words, the cheapest marks in the paper

A large share of lost IGCSE marks come from answering a different question from the one asked. The command word tells the candidate what kind of answer the examiner wants. Before every paper, spend ten minutes on this table.

A quick habit that helps: underline the command word and circle the number of marks before writing anything. A two mark "explain" question usually needs two linked points, not one.

Part 3: Timing inside the paper

• Work out the minutes per mark for each paper before the day. Divide the paper length by the total marks. That gives a rough budget for every question.
• Do not get stuck. If a question has taken double its budget, mark it and move on. Come back at the end.
• Leave the last five to ten minutes for checking units, labels on diagrams, significant figures and unanswered parts.
• Read the whole question, including any information given at the top of a multi-part question. Later parts often depend on it.

Part 4: What to carry

Centres set their own rules within the exam board's regulations, so check with yours. As a general guide, a candidate should have:

• Two or more black pens that work
• HB pencils, sharpener and a clean eraser
• A ruler, and for Mathematics and the sciences a protractor and compasses
• A calculator where the paper allows one, with fresh batteries and no stored notes
• A clear pencil case, so nothing looks like hidden notes
• A water bottle with the label removed, if the centre allows it
• The candidate number and the timetable

Phones, smart watches and any device that can store or send information must stay out of the exam room. A phone found on a candidate, even switched off, can lead to a penalty. Leave it with a parent or in the place the centre directs.

Part 5: Using past papers between papers

The gaps between IGCSE papers can be days or even weeks. Used well, they are the best revision time of the season. Used badly, they become anxious scrolling.

• Focus on the next paper only. Do not revise everything at once. Look at the timetable and work on whatever comes next.
• Do one timed past paper for that component, in the same session time as the real one if possible.
• Mark it against the mark scheme straight away. Pay attention to how marks are awarded, not just whether the answer was right. Our guide to marking a past paper at home works for IGCSE as well.
• Make a short error list. Three to five things that went wrong. Revisit only those the day before the paper.
• Do not post-mortem finished papers. Once a paper is done, it is done. Discussing answers with classmates rarely helps the next one.

If a bad day knocks the plan off course, our guide to a revision timetable that survives a bad week shows how to recover without cramming.

Part 6: The parent's checklist

• Know which days are exam days and which session, morning or afternoon.
• Plan transport with a clear margin. Nairobi traffic in October is unpredictable.
• Keep the house calm the night before each paper, with a normal bedtime.
• Make sure there is breakfast, or lunch before an afternoon paper.
• Ask "how did it go?" once, then talk about something else.
• If your child is unwell on the day, contact the centre immediately and ask about the board's procedures. Do not wait until afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find the exact date and time of my child's IGCSE papers?

On the candidate's statement of entry, issued by the school or exam centre. Use that rather than a general timetable found online, because it reflects the exact components your child is sitting.

Should my child keep doing past papers during the exam season?

Yes, but only for the next paper on the timetable, timed and marked against the mark scheme. One good paper with careful marking is worth more than three rushed ones.

Which command words cause the most lost marks?

Usually "describe" versus "explain", and "evaluate" or "discuss" where candidates give only one side. Teaching your child to underline the command word before writing helps with all of them.

Can my child take a calculator into every paper?

No. Some papers do not allow one. Check the paper details on the statement of entry or with the subject teacher before the day.

For past papers and mark schemes organised by paper for this series, see the IGCSE Countdown Bundle for November 2026, or the IGCSE All Subjects Bundle for wider revision.