GCSE Mathematics Grade Boundaries
This blog post breaks down the grade thresholds for Edexcel, AQA, and OCR exam boards on both Higher and Foundation levels, ranging from grades 1 to 9. Dive into this guide to grasp the nuances and expectations, helping you navigate the grading landscape of GCSE Mathematics more confidently.
What Are the Grade Boundaries for GCSE Mathematics?
This guide breaks down the grade cutoffs for exams like Edexcel, AQA, and OCR, covering both the Higher and Foundation levels (from grades 1 to 9). Remember that these boundaries change every year based on how tough the actual test was.
So, take it as a handy tool, but know that each year's test can shake things up.
Note: missing dates are due to COVID cancellation of exams.
Edexcel Higher Grade Boundaries
| Exam Series | Max Mark | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | U |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2023 | 240 | 203 | 174 | 145 | 112 | 79 | 47 | 31 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2022 | 240 | 194 | 165 | 137 | 104 | 71 | 38 | 21 | - | - | 0 |
| June 2022 | 240 | 194 | 165 | 137 | 104 | 71 | 38 | 21 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2021 | 240 | 187 | 154 | 122 | 93 | 65 | 37 | 23 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2020 | 240 | 189 | 157 | 126 | 96 | 66 | 37 | 22 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2019 | 240 | 197 | 165 | 133 | 103 | 73 | 43 | 28 | - | - | 0 |
| June 2019 | 240 | 198 | 167 | 137 | 108 | 80 | 52 | 38 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2018 | 240 | 194 | 159 | 125 | 95 | 66 | 37 | 22 | - | - | 0 |
| June 2018 | 240 | 202 | 170 | 139 | 109 | 79 | 50 | 35 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2017 | 240 | 189 | 150 | 112 | 85 | 58 | 32 | 19 | - | - | 0 |
| June 2017 | 240 | 190 | 157 | 124 | 96 | 68 | 41 | 27 | - | - | 0 |
Edexcel Foundation Grade Boundaries
| Exam Series | Max Mark | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | U |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2023 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 182 | 147 | 109 | 71 | 33 | 0 |
| November 2022 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 173 | 135 | 100 | 66 | 32 | 0 |
| June 2022 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 173 | 135 | 100 | 66 | 32 | 0 |
| November 2021 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 166 | 134 | 100 | 66 | 32 | 0 |
| November 2020 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 165 | 136 | 99 | 63 | 27 | 0 |
| November 2019 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 166 | 142 | 104 | 67 | 30 | 0 |
| June 2019 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 184 | 149 | 111 | 73 | 36 | 0 |
| November 2018 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 167 | 132 | 96 | 61 | 26 | 0 |
| June 2018 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 169 | 136 | 101 | 66 | 31 | 0 |
| November 2017 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 145 | 113 | 83 | 53 | 23 | 0 |
| June 2017 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 158 | 122 | 90 | 58 | 26 | 0 |
AQA Higher Grade Boundaries
| Exam Series | Max Mark | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | U |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2023 | 240 | 214 | 186 | 158 | 125 | 92 | 59 | 42 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2022 | 240 | 201 | 172 | 143 | 111 | 79 | 48 | 32 | - | - | 0 |
| June 2022 | 240 | 214 | 185 | 156 | 121 | 86 | 51 | 33 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2021 | 240 | 192 | 155 | 119 | 90 | 62 | 34 | 20 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2020 | 240 | 194 | 159 | 124 | 95 | 76 | 39 | 25 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2019 | 240 | 199 | 168 | 137 | 107 | 78 | 49 | 34 | - | - | 0 |
| June 2019 | 240 | 206 | 171 | 136 | 105 | 74 | 43 | 27 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2018 | 240 | 194 | 160 | 126 | 96 | 66 | 37 | 22 | - | - | 0 |
| June 2018 | 240 | 201 | 169 | 138 | 107 | 77 | 47 | 32 | - | - | 0 |
| November 2017 | 240 | 194 | 159 | 124 | 96 | 68 | 40 | 26 | - | - | 0 |
| June 2017 | 240 | 189 | 157 | 125 | 98 | 72 | 46 | 33 | - | - | 0 |
AQA Foundation Grade Boundaries
| Exam Series | Max Mark | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | U |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2023 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 189 | 158 | 117 | 76 | 35 | 0 |
| November 2022 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 167 | 130 | 97 | 64 | 31 | 0 |
| June 2022 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 172 | 135 | 101 | 67 | 33 | 0 |
| November 2021 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 145 | 106 | 79 | 51 | 23 | 0 |
| November 2020 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 146 | 116 | 86 | 56 | 26 | 0 |
| November 2019 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 162 | 134 | 98 | 62 | 27 | 0 |
| June 2019 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 157 | 122 | 89 | 57 | 25 | 0 |
| November 2018 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 153 | 121 | 88 | 56 | 24 | 0 |
| June 2018 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 161 | 125 | 92 | 59 | 27 | 0 |
| November 2017 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 157 | 127 | 93 | 59 | 25 | 0 |
| June 2017 | 240 | - | - | - | - | 156 | 124 | 91 | 59 | 25 | 0 |
OCR Higher Grade Boundaries
| Exam Series | Max Mark | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | U |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2023 | 300 | 242 | 193 | 144 | 109 | 74 | 39 | 21 | - | - | - |
| November 2022 | 300 | 244 | 202 | 160 | 123 | 86 | 49 | 30 | - | - | - |
| June 2022 | 300 | 242 | 200 | 158 | 120 | 82 | 45 | 26 | - | - | - |
| November 2021 | 300 | 239 | 193 | 147 | 115 | 83 | 51 | 35 | - | - | - |
| November 2020 | 300 | 241 | 195 | 150 | 117 | 84 | 52 | 36 | - | - | - |
| November 2019 | 300 | 245 | 204 | 163 | 131 | 100 | 69 | 53 | - | - | - |
| June 2019 | 300 | 256 | 213 | 171 | 136 | 102 | 68 | 51 | - | - | - |
| November 2018 | 300 | 239 | 193 | 147 | 118 | 90 | 62 | 48 | - | - | - |
| June 2018 | 300 | 256 | 210 | 164 | 129 | 94 | 60 | 43 | - | - | - |
| November 2017 | 300 | 238 | 191 | 145 | 111 | 77 | 44 | 27 | - | - | - |
| June 2017 | 300 | 248 | 203 | 159 | 121 | 83 | 46 | 27 | - | - | - |
OCR Foundation Grade Boundaries
| Exam Series | Max Mark | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | U |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2023 | 300 | - | - | - | - | 178 | 129 | 92 | 56 | 20 | 0 |
| November 2022 | 300 | - | - | - | - | 168 | 117 | 84 | 51 | 19 | 0 |
| June 2022 | 300 | - | - | - | - | 170 | 119 | 85 | 52 | 19 | 0 |
| November 2021 | 300 | - | - | - | - | 155 | 121 | 87 | 53 | 20 | 0 |
| November 2020 | 300 | - | - | - | - | 158 | 123 | 88 | 53 | 18 | 0 |
| November 2019 | 300 | - | - | - | - | 176 | 139 | 102 | 65 | 28 | 0 |
| June 2019 | 300 | - | - | - | - | 189 | 144 | 104 | 64 | 24 | 0 |
| November 2018 | 300 | - | - | - | - | 180 | 154 | 113 | 72 | 31 | 0 |
| June 2018 | 300 | - | - | - | - | 187 | 146 | 105 | 64 | 24 | 0 |
| November 2017 | 300 | - | - | - | - | 149 | 117 | 85 | 54 | 23 | 0 |
| June 2017 | 300 | - | - | - | - | 174 | 126 | 93 | 60 | 28 | 0 |
