The GCSE results for 2023 have now been announced by exam boards. How well do you think you did in this year's exams? And what are the mark equivalents between the new numerical grades and the old system?
As students find out whether they have passed - and if they have the grades needed for further education - many will be wondering how the exams were marked. This is especially true if you didn't get the grades you needed or failed one or more subjects.
What is on your GCSE results sheet is determined by grade boundaries - the minimum mark to get any particular grade. We've included all the details below.
READ MORE:
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Full list of grade boundaries for 2023
AQA GCSE grade boundaries 2023
The grade boundaries for exams set by AQA are available here.
They include:
English Language: Maximum mark 160, Grade 9 - 121, Grade 8 - 111, Grade 7 - 102, Grade 6 - 91, Grade 5 - 81, Grade 4 - 71, Grade 3 - 52, Grade 2- 34, Grade 1 - 16
English Literature: Maximum mark 160, Grade 9 - 135, Grade 8 - 119, Grade 7 - 104, Grade 6 - 88, Grade 5 - 72, Grade 4 - 57, Grade 3 - 42, Grade 2 - 27, Grade 1 - 12
Maths (Higher): Maximum mark 240, Grade 9 - 214, Grade 8 - 186, Grade 7 - 158, Grade 6 - 125, Grade 5 - 92, Grade 4 - 59, Grade 3 - 42
Maths (Foundation): Maximum mark 240, Grade 5 - 189, Grade 4 - 158, Grade 3 - 117, Grade 2 - 76, Grade 1 - 35
Pearson Edexcel GCSE grade boundaries 2023
The grade boundaries for exams set by Pearson Edexcel are available here.
They include:
English Language: Maximum mark 160, Grade 9 - 131, Grade 8 - 122, Grade 7 - 113, Grade 6 - 102, Grade 5 - 91, Grade 4 - 80, Grade 3 - 58, Grade 2 - 36, Grade 1 - 15
English Language 2.0: Maximum mark 160, Grade 9 - 134, Grade 8 - 123, Grade 7 - 113, Grade 6 - 99, Grade 5 - 86, Grade 4 -73, Grade 3 - 52, Grade 2 - 31, Grade 1 - 10
English Literature: Maximum mark 160, Grade 9 - 132, Grade 8 - 121, Grade 7 - 110, Grade 6 - 95, Grade 5 - 81, Grade 4 - 67, Grade 3 - 49, Grade 2 - 31, Grade 1 - 13
Maths (Higher): Maximum mark 240, Grade 9 - 203, Grade 8 - 174, Grade 7 - 145, Grade 6 - 112, Grade 5 - 79, Grade 4 - 47, Grade 3 - 31
Maths (Foundation): Maximum mark 240, Grade 5 - 182, Grade 4 - 147, Grade 3 - 109, Grade 2 - 71, Grade 1 -33
CCEA GCSE grade boundaries 2023
In Northern Ireland, exams are marked using a nine-category grade scale of A* to G, which includes a C*, rather than the numbers now used in England. The grade boundaries for exams set by CCEA are available here.
For most subjects, the maximum mark is 400 and you'd need 320 to get an A, 292 to get a B, 268 to get a C*, and 240 to get a C.
OCR GCSE grade boundaries 2023
The grade boundaries for exams set by OCR are available here.
They include:
English Language: Maximum mark 160, Grade 9 - 129, Grade 8 - 118, Grade 7 - 107, Grade 6 - 94, Grade 5 - 81, Grade 4 - 69, Grade 3 - 50, Grade 2 - 32, Grade 1 - 14
English Literature: Maximum mark 160, Grade 9 -134, Grade 8 - 118, Grade 7 - 103, Grade 6 - 85, Grade 5 - 67, Grade 4 - 49, Grade 3 - 37, Grade 2 - 25, Grade 1 - 13
Maths (Higher): Maximum mark 300, Grade 9 - 242, Grade 8 - 193, Grade 7 - 144, Grade 6 - 109, Grade 5 - 74, Grade 4 - 39, Grade 3 - 21
Maths (Foundation): Maximum mark 200, Grade 5 - 178, Grade 4 - 129, Grade 3 - 92, Grade 2 - 56, Grade 1 - 20
WJEC GCSE grade boundaries 2023
In Wales, exams are still graded A* to G, rather than the numbered system used in England. The grade boundaries for exams set by WJEC are available here from August 24.
They include:
Biology: Maximum mark 400, A* - 360, A - 320, B - 280, C- 240, D- 200, E - 160, F- 120, G - 80
Chemistry: Maximum mark 400, A* - 360, A - 320, B - 280, C- 240, D- 200, E - 160, F- 120, G - 80
French: Maximum mark 400, A* - 360, A - 320, B - 280, C- 240, D- 200, E - 160, F- 120, G - 80
German: Maximum mark 400, A* - 360, A - 320, B - 280, C- 240, D- 200, E - 160, F- 120, G - 80
English Literature: Maximum mark 200, A* - 180, A - 160, B - 140, C- 120, D- 100, E - 80, F- 60, G - 40
History: Maximum mark 300, A* - 270, A - 240, B -210, C- 180, D- 150, E - 120, F- 90, G - 60
Eduqas GCSE grade boundaries 2023
The grade boundaries for exams set by Eduqas are available here.
They include:
English Language: Maximum mark 200, Grade 9 - 145, Grade 8 - 132, Grade 7 - 120, Grade 6 - 105, Grade 5 - 90, Grade 4 - 75, Grade 3 - 56, Grade 2 - 38, Grade 1 - 20
English Literature: Maximum mark 200, Grade 9 - 153, Grade 8 - 141, Grade 7 - 129, Grade 6 - 114, Grade 5 - 99, Grade 4 - 85, Grade 3 - 65, Grade 2 - 45, Grade 1 - 26
Maths (Higher): Maximum mark 240, Grade 9 - 187, Grade 8 - 152, Grade 7 - 117, Grade 6 - 88, Grade 5 - 60, Grade 4 - 32, Grade 3 - 18
Maths (Foundation): Maximum mark 240, Grade 5 - 133, Grade 4 - 105, Grade 3 - 77, Grade 2 - 49, Grade 1 - 21,
How the GCSE number and letter grades compare
The grading system changed in 2017 in England with some subjects instead given a grade of 9 to 1 rather than A* to G. Additional subjects moved across in 2018 and even more subjects were marked with the new grade boundary system in 2019 and 2020, when the rollout finished.
The Department for Education said the 9 to 1 grading scale is "to better differentiate between the highest performing students and distinguish clearly between the old and new qualifications."
Grade 9 is the highest grade and is being awarded to fewer students than the old A*. The old and new GCSE grading scales do not directly match up but there are three points where they align. You can find out more here
A standard pass is a 4 and a strong pass is a 5. Schools are pushing for students to get at least a 5 because the Government's school league tables show what percentage of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths and in the English Baccelaureate subjects (English language and literature, maths, sciences, geography or history, and a language).
