GCSE grades explained: what 9 to 1 means for your child

How the 9 to 1 scale works

Most GCSEs in England are graded from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). A student who does not reach the minimum standard for grade 1 gets a U, which means ungraded. The scale replaced A* to G, and it was introduced to give more room at the top, so that the strongest students can be told apart.

The numbers do not map exactly onto the old letters, but a rough guide helps. Grade 7 is broadly the old A. Grade 4 is broadly the bottom of the old C. Grade 1 is broadly the old G. Grade 9 sits above the old A*, and only a small share of students in each subject receive it.

Because there are three grades above the old B (7, 8 and 9), a grade 6 is a solid result. Many parents see a 6 and wonder why it is not a 9. A 6 is a good grade, and for most sixth form courses it is more than enough.

Standard pass and strong pass

The government describes grade 4 as a standard pass and grade 5 as a strong pass. These two labels matter because schools, colleges and employers use them.

• Grade 4: the standard pass. This is the level most sixth forms and colleges treat as the baseline in English and maths.
• Grade 5: the strong pass. This is the figure used in some school performance measures, and some courses and employers prefer it.
• Grade 7 and above: roughly the old A grade and higher. Competitive courses often ask for this.

Nothing special happens to a child who gets a 3 in a subject other than English or maths. They simply have a grade 3. It matters most in English language and maths, which we cover below.

How grade boundaries work

A GCSE is marked out of a total number of marks across all the papers. The exam board then sets grade boundaries: the lowest total mark needed for each grade. These boundaries are set after the exams are marked, and they can move from year to year depending on how hard the papers were and how students performed overall.

That is why you cannot say that 60 per cent will always be a particular grade. A tricky paper can mean a lower boundary. An easier paper can mean a higher one. Boundaries also differ between subjects and between exam boards such as AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and WJEC Eduqas.

Where you can, look at the published boundaries from past papers for your child's exam board. They give a feel for how many marks a grade needs. They are a guide, not a promise for next summer.

Past grade boundaries are on each exam board's website. Use them to turn a practice paper mark into a rough grade, then focus on the topics where marks were lost, not on the grade itself.

Foundation and higher tier

Some subjects, including maths and science, are taken at one of two tiers. Foundation covers a lower range of grades and higher covers a higher range. This changes the highest grade a student can reach, so it is worth understanding before entries are made. Schools decide entries using mock results and classwork, and it is worth asking how.

What sixth forms and colleges ask for

Entry requirements vary by school and college, so always check the prospectus for the place your child wants. As a general picture, most sixth forms ask for a minimum number of grade 4s or 5s overall, usually including English and maths.

For A-Level subjects, many sixth forms ask for a grade 6 or 7 in the same subject, or a related one. Maths A-Level commonly asks for a higher grade in GCSE maths than other subjects do, because the jump in difficulty is large. Subjects with a heavy writing load, such as English literature or history, often look at English grades too.

Vocational courses and apprenticeships also set their own thresholds, and these are often lower. A grade 4 in English and maths keeps many routes open. If your child is aiming for a specific course, ask the school or college which grades it needs in which subjects, and then work back from there.

Resits in English and maths

In England, students who leave school without a grade 4 in English language or maths are generally expected to keep studying that subject after 16. Those with a grade 3 are usually expected to work towards a GCSE resit. Those with a grade 2 or lower are usually expected to study towards a different qualification, such as Functional Skills, though this can vary.

There are resit opportunities in the autumn as well as the summer for English language and maths. A resit is not a failure. It is a second go at a subject with the benefit of knowing what the papers look like. Many students improve on their second attempt, especially when they know exactly which topics cost them marks.

Helping your child with grades, not just about them

Talk about targets in terms of the next step. A child aiming for a 6 who is working at a 4 does not need to hear the gap. They need to hear which three topics will move them most. Ask their teacher for their current working grade, the topics holding it back, and the exam board they are following.

1. Find out the exam board and tier for each subject.
2. Ask for a topic list of weaker areas, ranked by marks available.
3. Set a small weekly goal, such as one past paper question set on a weak topic.
4. Review mock results against the published grade boundaries.

If a subject needs extra support, one to one tutoring can help a student work through the gaps at their own pace. A tutor who knows the exam board can go straight to the topics that matter. We offer this for GCSE maths and GCSE English language, among other subjects, and you can read how it works on our how it works page.