GCSE Grade Estimator
Enter your exam marks below to estimate your GCSE grade. These estimates are based on typical boundary ranges across exam boards. Always check official boundaries on results day.
Estimate Your Grade
The GCSE 9–1 Grading System Explained
GCSEs in England have used a numerical 9–1 grading scale since 2017, replacing the previous A*–G letter grades. Grade 9 is the highest possible grade, and grade 1 is the lowest. A U (Ungraded) is awarded where students do not achieve the minimum standard for grade 1.
| Grade | Old Letter Grade (approx.) | Description | Typical % Range (guide only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | High A* | Top performance — exceptional | ~75–85%+ |
| 8 | Low A* | Outstanding performance | ~70–80% |
| 7 | A | Excellent performance | ~60–70% |
| 6 | High B | Very good performance | ~55–65% |
| 5 | Low B / High C | Strong pass | ~50–60% |
| 4 | C | Standard pass | ~40–50% |
| 3 | D | Below standard pass | ~30–40% |
| 2 | E | Limited performance | ~20–30% |
| 1 | F / G | Minimum grade awarded | ~15–20% |
| U | U | Ungraded | Below grade 1 |
Grade 4 vs Grade 5: What Is the Difference?
Grade 4 is the standard pass — the level generally required by employers, colleges, and government performance measures as evidence that a student has passed GCSE English and Maths. Without a grade 4 in English and Maths, students are typically required to resit these subjects in post-16 education.
Grade 5 is the strong pass, broadly equivalent to a high C or low B under the old grading system. Many sixth-form colleges and selective institutions require grade 5 in English Language and Maths for entry onto A-Level courses. The Department for Education uses grade 5 as the benchmark for "expected standard" in government school performance tables.
How GCSE Grade Boundaries Are Set
Grade boundaries are not fixed percentages. Each exam series, the major exam boards — AQA, Edexcel (Pearson), OCR, and WJEC — go through a detailed process to set appropriate boundaries for that specific paper.
The Grade Setting Process
After all papers have been marked, senior examiners review the scripts of students on the borderline between grades. They consider whether scripts at a given mark show sufficient evidence of achievement for that grade. This process is called awarding and involves experienced subject specialists.
Statistical Outcomes
Exam boards also consider statistical evidence, particularly for qualifications taken over many years. They aim for broadly comparable outcomes year-on-year, so that a student achieving grade 4 this year has demonstrated a similar level of knowledge and skill to a student who achieved grade 4 (or the old grade C) previously. This does not mean the same percentage always gets each grade — it means the standard is comparable.
As a general guide, approximately 70% of entries nationally achieve grade 4 or above in most GCSE subjects, though this varies considerably by subject. Around 20–22% of entries achieve grade 7 or above. Grade 9 is designed to be awarded to roughly the top 20% of students who achieve grade 7 or higher.
Subject Variation
Boundaries differ hugely between subjects. A grade 7 in GCSE History might require 75% of available marks, while a grade 7 in GCSE Further Maths might require only 55%, reflecting the relative difficulty of each paper. You should never use boundaries from one subject to estimate your grade in another.
Foundation vs Higher Tier
Many GCSE subjects are available in two tiers. Foundation tier covers grades 1–5 (students cannot achieve grade 6, 7, 8, or 9). Higher tier covers grades 4–9 (students who narrowly miss grade 4 on Higher tier receive a grade 3). If a Higher tier student achieves very low marks, they may receive a grade U rather than being given a grade 3.
Boundaries on Foundation tier papers are typically lower in raw mark terms than on Higher tier papers because the papers are of different difficulty. A mark of 70 out of 100 on Foundation does not mean the same thing as 70 out of 100 on Higher.
Where to Find Official Grade Boundaries
Official GCSE grade boundaries are published by each exam board on their websites shortly after results day (usually in late August). Here is where to look:
- AQA: aqa.org.uk → click "Exams administration" → "Grade boundaries"
- Edexcel / Pearson: qualifications.pearson.com → "Support" → "Grade boundaries"
- OCR: ocr.org.uk → "Administration" → "Grade boundaries"
- WJEC (Wales/some England): wjec.co.uk → "Qualifications" → "Grade boundaries"
- CCEA (Northern Ireland): ccea.org.uk
Historical Boundaries
Most exam boards keep several years of grade boundary data available, allowing you to see how boundaries have changed. This is useful for revision planning: if you look at recent boundaries for your specific subject and paper, you can set a realistic target mark for your revision goals. Bear in mind that boundaries for a new specification (first examined) tend to be somewhat lower in the first year as papers are new.
English and Maths: Government Performance Measures
GCSE English Language and GCSE Maths hold special significance within the UK education system. The government uses results in these subjects as key performance measures for schools:
Progress 8 and Attainment 8
Attainment 8 measures the average grade across a student's 8 GCSE qualifications (using a point score). English and Maths are double-weighted, meaning they count twice in the calculation. This makes achieving strong grades in these two subjects especially important for school league tables.
Progress 8 measures how much students improved from their starting point (Key Stage 2 results) to their GCSE results, compared to national averages. A positive Progress 8 score means students progressed better than average; a negative score means they progressed less than average.
The Resit Requirement
Students who do not achieve a grade 4 in GCSE English Language or GCSE Maths by the time they leave school at 16 are required to continue studying and resitting these subjects during post-16 education until they achieve grade 4. This underlines why grade 4 is described as the standard pass — it is the level at which this requirement ceases.
The EBacc: English Baccalaureate
The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a school performance measure that records the percentage of students who achieved grade 5 or above across a specific combination of subjects:
- English Language and English Literature
- Maths
- Two sciences (from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science)
- A humanity (History or Geography)
- A modern or ancient foreign language
The EBacc is not a separate qualification — students do not receive an "EBacc certificate". It is a measure that appears on school performance tables. However, government guidance has encouraged schools to increase the proportion of students taking EBacc subjects, so many schools prioritise these subject combinations in options choices (Year 9 GCSE selection).