GCSE grade boundaries explained: what does my child need for a 4, 5 or 7?

Grade boundaries are one of the most confusing parts of GCSEs for parents. Your child gets a score out of a total, and that score is turned into a grade from 9 to 1. This guide explains how that works, using real figures from the exam boards.

What do the GCSE grades 9 to 1 mean?

Grade 9 is the top grade and grade 1 is the lowest pass grade; a U means ungraded. The scale replaced the old A* to G letters in England.

The Department for Education's factsheet for parents says the new scale is not a direct copy of the old one. But there are three fixed points:

Grade 9 is given to fewer students than the old A*. AQA explains that around 20% of all grades at 7 or above will be a grade 9.

What is a "standard pass" and a "strong pass"?

A grade 4 is a standard pass and a grade 5 is a strong pass. These are the two words you will hear most from schools.

• Grade 4 (standard pass): the DfE says this is similar to the old grade C. If your child does not get a 4 in English or maths, they must keep studying that subject after Year 11 (DfE factsheet).
• Grade 5 (strong pass): the DfE uses a 5 in English and maths in its headline school performance measure (DfE factsheet for employers and colleges). AQA describes a 5 as roughly a high C or low B in old money.

Many sixth forms ask for more than a 4. For example, some selective sixth forms in East London ask for 7s (see our guide to selective sixth forms in East London).

How are grade boundaries set?

Grade boundaries are set after all the papers have been marked, not before. Senior examiners look at real student work and at statistics, then decide the lowest mark for each grade.

AQA says it is only after marking that they can see how hard students found the paper compared with other years. They take this into account so that a student working at a certain level gets the same grade whichever year they sit the exam.

The exam regulator, Ofqual, has explained that exam boards also use statistics. For 16-year-olds, they look at how the same group did at Key Stage 2 (the Year 6 SATs) to predict likely results at the key grades (Ofqual blog). The aim is that, if a year group is similar to the last one, roughly the same share of students get each grade.

Why do grade boundaries change every year?

Boundaries change because the papers change. If a paper is harder, fewer marks are needed for each grade. If it is easier, more marks are needed.

Here is a real example from AQA's official grade boundaries for June 2025 and June 2026:

The changes are small, but they show why no one can promise a mark in advance. This is also why any "predicted boundaries" you see online are guesses.

Roughly what does a 4, 5 or 7 need?

It depends on the subject, exam board, tier and year. Below are the real June 2026 figures for AQA GCSE Maths, from the official AQA document. Each tier has three papers worth 80 marks, so 240 in total.

Two things stand out:

1. Higher tier needs a lower percentage for a 4. That is because Higher papers are harder. But a Higher student who does badly can get a 3 or even a U.
2. Foundation tier stops at grade 5. A student on Foundation cannot get a 6 or above, however well they do.

Other boards set their own numbers. In June 2026, Pearson Edexcel GCSE Maths Higher needed 50 for a 4 and 146 for a 7, out of 240. So always check your child's own board. Our guide to AQA vs Edexcel GCSE Maths shows how to find it.

Are grades given for each paper?

No. Your child gets one grade for the whole subject. The marks from all papers are added up, then the subject boundary is applied. AQA also publishes "notional" boundaries for single papers, but only as a guide.

This is good news. A weak paper can be made up for with a strong one.

How should we use grade boundaries at home?

Use them as a rough guide, not a target to aim at exactly. Here is what works:

• Mark mocks and past papers against a recent year's boundaries. It gives a fair idea of the current grade.
• Aim above the boundary. If 166 was a 7 last year, aim for 175 or more to be safe.
• Count the marks, not the grade. Ten more marks across three maths papers can be one grade higher at the borderline. That is often just a few topics.
• Check the tier early. If your child is on Foundation but could reach a 6, talk to the school before entries close.

For a full plan to climb grades, read how to go from grade 4 to 7 in GCSE Maths. If your child's mocks went badly, see GCSE mock results: what next.

How can LCB help?

We start with a free 30-minute assessment, in person in Barking or online. We find the gaps, set a target grade and explain what that means in marks for your child's exam board.

Lessons are in small groups of 3 to 5, with the same tutor each week, and we teach to your child's exam board. You get a monthly progress report. See our GCSE tutoring and maths tutoring pages, or book a free assessment.