The 9 to 1 scale
GCSE Grades Explained
GCSE grades in England run on a 9 to 1 scale, where 9 is the highest result and 1 the lowest, with U (ungraded) below grade 1. This replaced the old A* to G letters. Grade 4 is a standard pass and grade 5 a strong pass. Grade 4 lines up roughly with an old grade C, the traditional pass mark.
How 9 to 1 compares with A* to G (Ofqual's anchor points: grade 7 = bottom of A, grade 4 = bottom of C, grade 1 = bottom of G)
| 9 to 1 grade | Old A* to G grade | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | High A* | |
| 8 | Low A* / high A | |
| 7 | A | Anchor: bottom of 7 = bottom of A |
| 6 | High B | |
| 5 | Low B / high C | Strong pass |
| 4 | Low C | Standard pass. Anchor: bottom of 4 = bottom of C |
| 3 | D / E | |
| 2 | E / F | |
| 1 | F / G | Anchor: bottom of 1 = bottom of G |
| U | U | Ungraded |
What does each number on the GCSE 9 to 1 scale mean?
Each GCSE is graded from 9 down to 1, with 9 the highest and 1 the lowest before U for ungraded. Grades 9, 8 and 7 sit where the old A* and A used to be, with grade 9 set deliberately above the old A* so fewer students reach it. Grades 6, 5 and 4 cover the old B and C range, and grades 3, 2 and 1 cover the old D to G range. England switched to 9 to 1 from summer 2017, starting with English language, English literature and maths, with almost all subjects graded this way by summer 2019.
How does the 9-1 scale map to the old A*-G grades?
The 9 to 1 scale lines up with the old A* to G letters at three fixed anchor points set by Ofqual: the bottom of grade 7 matches the bottom of an old grade A, the bottom of grade 4 matches the bottom of an old grade C, and the bottom of grade 1 matches the bottom of an old grade G. As a rough guide, 9 is a high A*, 8 spans A*/A, 7 is an A, 6 is a high B, 5 is a low B or high C, and 4 is a low C. There is no one-to-one letter for every number, because nine numbers (9 down to 1) replaced eight letters (A* to G).
Is a 4 a pass in GCSE? Grade 4 vs grade 5
Grade 4 is a standard pass and grade 5 is a strong pass, so a 4 does count as a pass. Grade 4 is roughly equivalent to the old grade C, the long-standing benchmark for a pass. Schools are measured on grade 5 in English and maths as the strong pass in performance tables, which is why a 5 carries more weight than a 4 even though both clear the pass line. Students in England who do not reach grade 4 in English or maths usually have to keep studying the subject after 16 as a condition of funding.
What is a 7, an 8 and a 9 in GCSE?
A grade 7 is equivalent to the old grade A, a grade 8 sits between the old A and A*, and a grade 9 is above the old A*, awarded to the highest-scoring students in each subject. Many sixth forms and colleges ask for at least a grade 6 or 7 in a subject before you can take it at A-Level. Grade 9 was created so the very top performers could be separated from strong A* candidates, and a smaller share of entries reaches a 9 than reached the old A*.
Can a tutor lift a GCSE grade from a 5 to a 7?
Moving from a grade 5 to a grade 7 means crossing two grade boundaries, which usually comes down to exam technique and a handful of recurring topics rather than starting the subject again. One-to-one tutoring targets the specific marks a student keeps dropping, for example the longer extended-answer questions in English or the harder algebra and problem-solving questions in GCSE maths. StudyGuru's first four lessons are the £15 Starter Pack, from £15 each, regular lessons are from £24 per hour at every level including A-Level, and you can book a free 15-minute intro call with a tutor to talk through the target grade before committing.
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GCSE grades: common questions
Is 4 a pass in GCSE?
What is a 4 in GCSE?
What is a 5 in GCSE?
What is a 6 in GCSE?
What is a 7 in GCSE?
What is a 9 in GCSE?
What is a pass in GCSE?
How do GCSE grades work?
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