The GCSE grading system forms an important part of the education journey for students across the UK. Since 2017, GCSEs have been graded using a numerical scale from 9 to 1, replacing the old letter grades from A* to G.
Grade 9 is the highest possible grade, considered above the old A*, while grade 1 is the lowest, just above ungraded (U). Understanding how these grades correspond to student performance and what they mean for further education and employment is essential for students, parents, and educators alike.
This blog breaks down the GCSE grades explained in a simple, clear way.
GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. These are qualifications taken by students, usually around the age of 16, at the end of their secondary education in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
GCSEs cover a wide range of subjects, including Maths, English, Science, History, Geography, Languages, and many others.
Since 2017, GCSEs in England have been graded on a numeric scale from 9 to 1. This replaced the older letter-grade system, which ranged from A* to G.
The new GCSE grading scale runs from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest), with U meaning ungraded (a fail). This scale was introduced to provide more differentiation among higher-achieving students and to better reflect the varied levels of student performance.
Here’s a simple comparison between the new numeric grades and the old letter grades:
|
New Grade |
Comparable Old Grade |
|
9 |
Above A* |
|
8 |
Between A* and A |
|
7 |
Equivalent to Grade A |
|
6 |
High Grade B |
|
5 |
Low Grade B / High Grade C |
|
4 |
Equivalent to Grade C |
|
3 |
Equivalent to Grade D or E |
|
2 |
Equivalent to Grade F |
|
1 |
Equivalent to Grade G |
|
U |
Ungraded (fail) |
Grades 4 and 5 are particularly important:
So, if an employer or further education college used to request at least a Grade C, now they’ll typically look for at least a Grade 4 or 5 in those subjects.
After students take their GCSE exams, the papers are marked, and grades are awarded based on a combination of data and expert examiner judgment. Each year, exam boards set grade boundaries to reflect the difficulty of that year’s exams and to ensure fairness.
Grade boundaries represent the minimum number of marks a student needs to achieve a specific grade. These boundaries can shift slightly from year to year. For example, if an exam paper was especially hard, the marks needed for a grade 4 might be lower than in previous years.
The move to the 9 to 1 scale was part of a wider reform aimed at improving standards and making GCSEs more demanding. One of the goals was to recognise outstanding achievement more clearly.
The former A* grade covered a broad range of high performers, so the new Grade 9 was introduced to single out truly exceptional students at the very top (roughly the top 5%).
The new system also provides more granularity in the middle and lower parts of the scale, helping to differentiate student ability more accurately than the old A* to G system.
Grades below 4 correspond to lower performance levels and are still awarded a certificate. Students who achieve a Grade 3 or below in key subjects such as Maths and English are usually offered extra support to improve their skills.
Ungraded (U) means a student did not meet the minimum standard required for a grade and does not receive a certificate for that subject.
GCSE results day is an event for students and their families, as it provides the official grades for all subjects taken. Alongside the grades, some schools or exam boards may publish the grade boundaries for that year’s exams. This shows the number of marks needed to achieve each grade and can indicate how close a student was to the next grade level.
If students are very close to a higher grade, they might consider requesting a remark or review of their exam paper.
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This new grading system helps to make GCSE results more transparent and meaningful, supporting students as they take the next step in their education or career pathways.
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