GCSE marking system: The 9-1 grade boundaries explained as pupils await exam results

• GCSEs have been graded using a new, more detailed system for the past few years.
• There are now six different passing grades available.
• The grade boundaries to achieve each one are unfortunately still to be set.
• GCSE students will need to pay special mind to their English and maths results.

The first major exams of English secondary school students’ careers are now out of the way - as it shifts into a waiting game for results day.

Just like A Level exams, the GCSE - or General Certificate of Secondary Education - exam period has also recently drawn to a close, in this instance on 19 June. But GCSE students face a somewhat lengthier wait to find out how they did, and what the next step of their education could look like.

But with the system used to grade GCSEs recently overhauled, what exactly do the new ‘9 to 1’ grades mean, and how are grade boundaries selected? And when WILL the anxious wait for results day be over for students? Here’s everything you need to know:

How are GCSEs marked, and what are the different grades?

Exams will now be sent off for marking. This may be done by one person or several, online or on paper, depending on what the awarding organisation (AQA for most students) chooses - or by their teacher if the exam involved a performance. But marking will be quality checked and follow official standards at every stage.

Just like A Level exams, GCSEs used to be graded using a letter system. But that has been slowly changing, and since 2020 all final results now come in the form of a number grade. These numbers run from 9, which is the highest grade and loosely equivalent to an A*, to 1 - the lowest, equivalent to a G. Ofqual, the government’s qualifications regulator, has confirmed that fewer students will be awarded 9s than the old A* top mark, as the more detailed grading system is designed to better reflect student knowledge and development.

A passing grade will be 4 - considered a ‘standard pass’ equivalent to the old C grade - or higher, while a score of 7 or up roughly aligns with getting an A grade. It’s worth noting that if students don’t receive at least a passing grade of 4 in their Maths and English exams, they will need to continue studying those subjects until they either pass a resit exam, or turn 18.

The new GCSE grading system does not exactly correlate with letter grades from the old one, but as an example using last year’s grade boundaries, students who received a 9 frequently received more than 80% of all possible marks in their exam. A lower passing grade of 4, however, only required 30-40% of possible marks in many subjects.

What will this year’s grade boundaries be?

Examining authorities - like AQA - actually decide on what each year’s grade boundaries - the minimum amount of marks needed to receive each grade - should be based on student performance in the exams. This means that unfortunately, this year’s grade boundaries will be released alongside final results in August.

But there is a good chance they will be similar to 2023’s GCSE grade boundaries. You can find these in full for all subjects online here.

When is results day?

For students who have just sat their GCSE exams, they will be able to get their results on Thursday, 22 August. While there are options to either receive them digitally or over the post, it’s worth noting that they usually can’t be given out over the phone or via email for privacy reasons.

However, many students opt to pick them up from their school on results day. From early morning - usually 8am onwards - students can go and collect their results from their school. They are able to open them then and there, but can also opt to take the sealed results home to open with family.

The government has issued some advice for parents and carers supporting students as they wait receive their exams results. This can often be a tense and emotionally fraught time, especially if things don’t go as expected. You can check this advice out online here.