Hot on the heels of A-Level results day, GCSE students will be receiving their exam grades on Thursday 22 August.
For many, the results will determine what A-Level subjects they choose and which sixth form or college they will be attending.
Last year’s cohort of pupils were the first to be graded by a numerical system which replaces the traditional A*-C grades.
But what have these new grade boundaries meant for students and have they made GCSEs harder? Here’s everything you need to know about grade boundaries this GCSE results day:
How does the GCSE grading system work?
Changes introduced by then-Education Secretary Michael Gove saw the replacement of the A*-G grades with 1-9 grades.
Subjects like chemistry and biology were also stripped of assessments and students’ marks will depend entirely on final exams.
The overhaul of traditional GCSEs in favour of “more demanding, more fulfilling and more stretching” exams was an effort to help the UK better compete academically on a financial level.
It’s also hoped that tougher exams will mean GCSE grades are taken more seriously by employers.
What are the GCSE grade boundaries this year?
There are five different exam boards used within every school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The list includes; Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA), Council for Curriculum and Examinations Assessment (CCEA), Pearson Edexcel, Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Exams (OCR) and Welsh Joint Examinations Committee (WJEC).
Each exam board has its own set of grade boundaries which change annually. You can check these on their websites:
As a general guide:
- 9, 8 or 7 is equivalent to an A* or A grade
- 6, 5 or 4 is equivalent to a B or C grade
- 3, 2 or 1 is equivalent to a D, E or F grade
- A U is mark is judged as ungraded
What does the numbered grading system mean for students?
The new grading system is intended to give higher achievers the chance of scoring a grade greater than A*, which means less 9s will be awarded.
This could have implications for students when it comes to securing a university place for the future.
Universities that previously set their entry requirements at A* may now ask for grade 9.
Also, because A-Levels have been changed from two separate qualifications to one, more attention will be given to GCSE grades.
Students will need a grade 4 or 5 in English and Maths for A-Levels and future university applications.
