GCSE Maths grade boundaries
Each year the exam boards endeavour to make sure that exam papers are designed to be no easier or harder to achieve a particular grade than previous years. This does mean that each year the percentage required for each grade changes slightly depending on how hard the exam paper is. And so, Oxford Revise has collected all the grade boundaries for the last 5 years of exams, giving you an idea of what percentage you will need to achieve to get a specific grade.
Grade boundaries for your subject are not published before the exams take place. Boundaries are set after exams have been completed and papers have been marked.
An important decision for many maths students who are aiming for a level 4 or 5 in maths will be deciding which paper they should sit. This should be discussed with your parents and your school to see whether the higher or foundation paper will be suitable. Check below for your exam board and what was required in previous years for both higher and foundation levels.
AQA GCSE Maths Higher
| 2023 June | 2022 June | 2021 Nov | 2020 Nov | 2019 June | 2018 June | |
| 9 | 214/240 (89%) | 214/240 (89%) | 192/240 (80%) |
194/240 (81%) |
206/240 (86%) |
201/240 (84%) |
| 8 | 186/240 (78%) | 185/240 (77%) | 155/240 (65%) |
159/240 (66%) |
171/240 (71%) |
169/240 (70%) |
| 7 | 158/240 (66%) | 156/240 (65%) | 119/240 (50%) |
124/240 (52%) |
136/240 (57%) |
138/240 (58%) |
| 6 | 125/240 (52%) | 121/240 (51%) | 90/240 (38%) |
95/240 (40%) |
105/240 (44%) |
107/240 (45%) |
| 5 | 92/240 (38%) | 86/240 (36%) | 62/240 (26%) |
67/240 (28%) |
74/240 (31%) |
77/240 (32%) |
| 4 | 59/240 (25%) | 51/240 (21%) | 34/240 (14%) |
39/240 (16%) |
43/240 (18%) |
47/240 (20%) |
AQA GCSE Maths Foundation
| 2023 June | 2022 June | 2021 Nov | 2020 Nov | 2019 June | 2018 June | |
| 5 | 189/240 (79%) | 172/240 (72%) | 145/240 (61%) |
146/240 (61%) |
157/240 (65%) |
161/240 (67%) |
| 4 | 158/240 (66%) | 135/240 (56%) | 108/240 (45%) |
116/240 (48%) |
122/240 (51%) |
125/240 (52%) |
| 3 | 117/240 (49%) | 101/240 (42%) | 79/240 (33%) |
86/240 (36%) |
89/240 (37%) |
92/240 (38%) |
| 2 | 76/240 (32%) | 67/240 (28%) | 51/240 (21%) |
56/240 (23%) |
57/240 (24%) |
59/240 (25%) |
| 1 | 35/240 (15%) | 32/240 (14%) | 23/240 (10%) |
26/240 (11%) |
25/240 (10%) |
27/240 (11%) |
Edexcel GCSE Maths Higher
| 2023 June | 2022 June | 2021 Nov | 2020 Nov | 2019 June | 2018 June | |
| 9 | 203/240 (85%) | 194/240 (81%) | 187/240 (78%) |
189/240 (79%) |
198/240 (82.5%) |
202/240 (84%) |
| 8 | 174/240 (73%) | 165/240 (69%) | 154/240 (64%) |
157/240 (65.5%) |
167/240 (69.5%) |
170/240 (71%) |
| 7 | 145/240 (60%) | 137/240 (57%) | 122/240 (51%) |
126/240 (52.5%) |
137/240 (57%) |
139/240 (58%) |
| 6 | 112/240 (47%) | 104/240 (43%) | 93/240 (39%) |
96/240 (40%) |
108/240 (45%) |
109/240 (45.5%) |
| 5 | 79/240 (33%) | 71/240 (30%) | 65/240 (27%) |
66/240 (27.5%) |
80/240 (33.5%) |
79/240 (33%) |
| 4 | 47/240 (20%) | 38/240 (16%) | 37/240 (15%) |
37/240 (15%) |
52/240 (21.5%) |
50/240 (21%) |
Edexcel GCSE Maths Foundation
| 2023 June | 2022 June | 2021 Nov | 2020 Nov | 2019 June | 2018 June | |
| 5 | 182/240 (76%) | 173/240 (72%) | 166/240 (69%) |
165/240 (69%) |
184/240 (76.5%) |
169/240 (70.5%) |
| 4 | 147/240 (61%) | 135/240 (56%) | 134/240 (56%) |
136/240 (56.5%) |
149/240 (62%) |
136/240 (56.5%) |
| 3 | 109/240 (45%) | 100/240 (42%) | 100/240 (42%) |
99/240 (41.5%) |
111/240 (46.5) |
101/240 (42%) |
| 2 | 71/240 (30%) | 66/240 (28%) | 66/240 (28%) |
63/240 (26.5%) |
73/240 (30.5%) |
66/240 (23.5%) |
| 1 | 33/240 (14%) | 32/240 (13%) | 32/240 (13%) |
27/240 (11%) |
36/240 (15%) |
31/240 (13%) |