GCSE grade calculator: 2026 grade boundaries
Choose your exam board and subject, enter your total mark or percentage, and see the grade it would have earned in the June 2026 exams, how many marks you need for the next grade, and the full set of boundaries for that subject.
Exam board
Add up your marks across all papers (and any coursework) for the total.
Enter a mark to see the grade it would have earned in June 2026.
AQA GCSE Mathematics (Higher tier): June 2026 boundaries
| Grade | Minimum mark | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 219 / 240 | 91.3% |
| 8 | 192 / 240 | 80% |
| 7 | 166 / 240 | 69.2% |
| 6 | 131 / 240 | 54.6% |
| 5 | 97 / 240 | 40.4% |
| 4 | 63 / 240 | 26.3% |
| 3 | 46 / 240 | 19.2% |
Specification 8300. Boundaries change every year, and school mocks often use older papers with their own boundaries.
How GCSE grade boundaries work
A grade boundary is the minimum total mark for a grade. Boards set them after the papers are marked, which is why they move each year: a harder paper gets lower boundaries, so a grade 7 means a similar standard every year. Boundaries apply to your total across all papers, not to each paper.
A grade 4 is a standard pass and a grade 5 a strong pass. Many sixth forms ask for 4s or 5s in English and Maths, and 6s or 7s in subjects you want to take at A level.
Tiers and Combined Science
Tiered subjects such as Maths, the sciences and languages have two sets of papers. Foundation covers grades 1 to 5. Higher covers grades 4 to 9, with an allowed grade 3 just below the grade 4 boundary; below that is a U.
Combined Science is worth two GCSEs and gets a double grade, from 9-9 down to 1-1. A 5-4, for example, sits between a 5-5 and a 4-4.
Key boundaries from June 2026
- โ Maths Higher: grade 4 at 63/240 (AQA) and 50/240 (Edexcel); grade 7 at 166 and 146; grade 9 at 219 and 208
- โ English Language: grade 4 at 75/160 (AQA) and 87/160 (Edexcel); grade 9 at 122 and 132
- โ Combined Science Higher: 4-4 at 111/420 (AQA Trilogy) and 108/360 (Edexcel)
- โ Biology Higher: grade 9 at 133/200 (AQA) and 170/200 (Edexcel)
- โ Chemistry Higher: grade 9 at 155/200 (AQA) and 165/200 (Edexcel)
- โ Physics Higher: grade 9 at 157/200 (AQA) and 163/200 (Edexcel)
Using it well
- โ Add up every paper (and any coursework) before entering a total; the boundaries are for the whole qualification
- โ Use the percentage option for a mock marked out of a different total
- โ Look at the gap to the next grade: a few marks on one paper often decides it
- โ Treat the result as a guide; 2027 boundaries will be published on results day
FAQs
What mark was a grade 4 in GCSE Maths in 2026?๏ผ
AQA: 63 out of 240 on the Higher tier and 154 out of 240 on Foundation. Pearson Edexcel: 50 out of 240 on Higher and 151 out of 240 on Foundation.
What mark was a grade 9 in GCSE Maths in 2026?๏ผ
219 out of 240 (91%) with AQA and 208 out of 240 (87%) with Pearson Edexcel, both on the Higher tier.
What was a grade 4 in GCSE English Language in 2026?๏ผ
75 out of 160 with AQA and 87 out of 160 with Pearson Edexcel. A grade 9 needed 122 (AQA) and 132 (Edexcel).
Are grade boundaries the same every year?๏ผ
No. They are set after each exam series, so the same grade reflects a similar standard even when a paper is harder or easier. Use 2026 boundaries as a guide for 2027, not a promise.
Can I use this for my mock exams?๏ผ
Yes, as a guide. Mocks often use past papers, and your school may set its own boundaries, so your mock grade can differ from what this shows.
Does it cover OCR and WJEC Eduqas?๏ผ
Not yet. It covers every AQA and Pearson Edexcel GCSE except History and Religious Studies, whose boundaries differ by route.
Related
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