GCSE grades explained: a parent's guide to the 9 to 1 scale

GCSEs in England are graded from 9 to 1. Grade 9 is the highest and grade 1 is the lowest. A grade 4 is officially called a standard pass, and a grade 5 a strong pass. If a student does not reach the standard for grade 1, the result is U, which means ungraded.

That is the short version. The rest of this guide explains where the numbers came from and how they compare with the old A* to G letters. It then explains what each grade means in practice, and what the results mean for sixth form, college or a UK university. It is written for parents, including families outside the UK who are meeting the system for the first time.

What does GCSE mean?

GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. It is the main qualification taken by students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland at the end of compulsory secondary school, usually at age 16, in Year 11 (Year 12 in Northern Ireland). Students study for GCSEs over two years, in Years 10 and 11, and sit most of the exams in May and June of Year 11. Results usually come out in the third or fourth week of August.

Most students take between eight and ten GCSEs. English language, English literature, maths and science are taken by almost everyone. The other subjects are chosen by the student, within what the school offers.

Scotland does not use GCSEs. Scottish students take National 5 qualifications at a similar age, followed by Highers. If you are comparing a Scottish school with an English one, the systems are different at every stage.

The GCSE grading scale from 9 to 1

Each subject is graded separately. The scale runs from 9 at the top to 1 at the bottom. The table below gives a one-line meaning for each grade. These descriptions are a guide to help you read a results slip, not official definitions.

GCSE grades in numbers and letters

Until 2017, GCSEs in England were graded from A* to G. The number grades were introduced between 2017 and 2020, subject by subject, as new, harder courses came in. The two scales do not match one to one. There are nine number grades and eight letter grades, so the numbers give more detail at the top.

The official comparison, published by the government, fixes three points:

• The bottom of grade 7 is the same standard as the bottom of the old grade A.
• The bottom of grade 4 is the same standard as the bottom of the old grade C.
• The bottom of grade 1 is the same standard as the bottom of the old grade G.

Everything else is approximate. The table below is the most common way to compare the two. Use it as a guide, not a rule.

If a job advert, a college or a university still writes its entry requirements in letters, a C means a 4, a B is usually read as a 5 or 6, and an A means a 7.

What is a pass at GCSE?

This is a common question, and the answer has two parts.

Grade 4 is a standard pass. The Department for Education describes grade 4 as the standard pass. It is usually the level a college, sixth form or employer means when they ask for a pass. If a student gets a grade 4 in every subject, they have passed every subject.

Grade 5 is a strong pass. The government uses grade 5 in English and maths to measure how well schools are performing. Some sixth forms and some courses ask for a 5 or higher in particular subjects, so it is worth checking the requirements of the next school early.

Grade 3 and below is not a pass. It is still a grade, and it still appears on the certificate, but it does not meet the standard. For English and maths there is a specific rule. In England, a student who gets below a grade 4 in English or maths must keep studying that subject at their next school or college. This continues until they reach grade 4 or leave education at 18. Students with a grade 3 usually resit the GCSE. Students with a 2 or lower may take a different English or maths qualification instead.

So if your child’s results slip shows a 4, that is a pass. A 5 meets more entry requirements. A 3 is close, and in English or maths it means the subject continues.

What each grade means, one by one

Parents often search for a single grade. Here is each one in a sentence.

Is a grade 9 an A*? Not exactly. Grade 9 sits above the old A*. The government set it up so that fewer students would get a 9 than used to get an A*. It marks the very top performers in each subject.

Is a grade 8 an A*? Grade 8 sits between a high A and an A*. If a requirement is written as A*, institutions usually read this as a grade 8 or 9. Check with them.

Is a grade 7 an A? Yes. The bottom of grade 7 is the same standard as the bottom of the old grade A. This is one of the three official fixed points.

Is a grade 6 an A? No. Grade 6 is below the A line. It is roughly a B, and a good result. It is above the strong pass.

Is a grade 5 a B or a C? Both, depending on where in the grade the student fell. Grade 5 covers the top of the old C and the bottom of the old B. Officially it is the strong pass.

Is a grade 4 a C? Yes. The bottom of grade 4 is the same standard as the bottom of the old grade C. It is the standard pass.

Is a grade 3 a pass? No. Grade 3 is just below the pass line, roughly an old D. In English and maths, a 3 means the student continues studying the subject.

What are grades 2 and 1? They are the lowest grades that still count as a result. Grade 1 lines up with the bottom of the old grade G.

GCSE grades and percentages

There is no fixed percentage for any GCSE grade. This can surprise parents from countries where a percentage always means the same thing.

Grade boundaries, the minimum mark for each grade, are set after the exams are marked, separately for every subject, every exam board and every year. The boards use statistics and the judgement of senior examiners to decide where each boundary falls. The aim is that a grade 5 in 2026 means the same standard as a grade 5 in 2025, even if one year’s paper was harder than the other. So a mark of 60% might be a grade 6 in one subject and a grade 7 in another.

The boards publish the boundaries on results day. Any website that gives you a fixed percentage for a grade in advance cannot know this.

Combined science: the double grade

Most students take science as one of two routes. Separate sciences means three GCSEs in biology, chemistry and physics, each with its own grade. Combined science is one course that covers all three and counts as two GCSEs. It gets a double grade, written as two numbers, for example 6-6 or 5-4. The two numbers are always the same or one apart, and they count as two grades towards any requirement.

Foundation and higher tier

In maths, science and modern languages, students sit either the foundation tier or the higher tier paper. The school decides which, usually in Year 10 or early in Year 11. The foundation paper covers grades 1 to 5. The higher paper covers grades 4 to 9, with a grade 3 possible for students who just miss a 4. A student entered for foundation cannot get above a 5, however well they do. If your child wants a 6 or more in maths, they need to be on the higher paper. Ask the school about this early, not in the final term.

GCSEs in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland

The 9 to 1 scale is used in England only. Each nation runs its own system.

Students in Wales and Northern Ireland can also sit some GCSEs from English exam boards, in which case those subjects are graded 9 to 1. A results slip from one of these nations can therefore mix letters and numbers.

GCSE and IGCSE: what is the difference?

International GCSEs, or IGCSEs, are taken mainly by international schools outside the UK and by some independent schools inside it. The two main providers are Cambridge International and Pearson Edexcel. The content and standard are designed to be comparable to GCSE. UK universities and most sixth forms accept IGCSEs as equal to GCSEs, but check with the individual school.

The grading can be either scale. Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs are graded 9 to 1. Cambridge IGCSEs are offered on both the 9 to 1 scale and the A* to G scale, and the school chooses which one it uses. If your child’s school uses letters, the comparison table above applies.

What GCSE grades mean for the next step

Sixth form and college. Sixth forms in England usually set minimum GCSE grades for starting A-levels. A common pattern is five grade 4s or 5s, plus a 6 in any subject the student wants to take at A-level. Requirements vary a lot, so check the sixth form’s own entry criteria. Selective schools often ask for more. Our guide to studying at Eton College gives one example.

University. UK universities look mainly at A-levels or equivalent, but GCSEs still matter in three ways. Many courses require at least a grade 4, and sometimes a 5 or 6, in English and maths. Competitive courses, especially medicine and the most selective universities, look at the whole GCSE profile. And GCSE results are one of the few confirmed grades on a UCAS form, because A-level grades are still predictions when the student applies. Our guides to UCAS points and writing a personal statement cover the next stage.

Employment. Employers who ask for GCSEs usually ask for English and maths at grade 4 or above. Some apprenticeships ask for a 5.

What if the grades are lower than expected?

The school can ask the exam board for a review of marking. This checks that the paper was marked correctly. It does not mark the paper again from the start, and the grade can go down as well as up. Students can resit English and maths in November, and any subject the following summer. Often the best option is to choose the next course based on the actual grades, not the grades you expected. A good sixth form or college will discuss the options with you.

For parents outside the UK

If you are reading a UK school report or results slip from abroad, three things cause the most confusion. First, the numbers run the opposite way to many systems: 9 is the best, not 1. Second, there is no fixed percentage behind a grade. Third, there is no official overall score. Each subject is graded on its own. When a UK school or university quotes a requirement, it will name the subjects and the grade for each.

If your child may move into the UK system for sixth form or university, a summer course at a UK school lets them see how the teaching and the standard compare before you decide. SBC’s College Pathways programmes in Oxford and Cambridge take students aged 15 to 17 who are preparing for this step.

Sources: GOV.UK, GCSE 9 to 1 grade scale explained; GOV.UK, GCSE new grading scale factsheets; Qualifications Wales; CCEA; Qualifications Scotland.

Frequently asked questions

Is 4 or 5 a pass in GCSE?

Both. Grade 4 is the standard pass and grade 5 is the strong pass. When a college or employer asks for a pass, they usually mean grade 4. Some sixth-form courses ask for a 5 in specific subjects.

What are the GCSE grades 1 to 9?

Grade 9 is the highest and grade 1 is the lowest. Grade 7 lines up with the old A, grade 4 with the old C and grade 1 with the old G. U means ungraded.

Is GCSE grade 6 an A?

No. Grade 6 is below the A line, which starts at grade 7. It is roughly a B, and a good result above the strong pass.

Is grade 3 GCSE a pass?

No. Grade 3 is just below the standard pass. In England, a grade 3 or lower in English or maths means the student keeps studying that subject after 16.

What is a grade 9 equivalent to?

There is no exact old-grade equivalent. Grade 9 sits above the old A* and is given to fewer students than the A* was.

What percentage is a grade 4?

There is no fixed percentage. Grade boundaries are set after marking, separately for each subject, exam board and year. The boards publish them on results day.

How many GCSEs do students take?

Usually between eight and ten. English language, English literature, maths and science are taken by almost all students.

Are IGCSEs graded the same way?

Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs use 9 to 1. Cambridge IGCSEs are available on either 9 to 1 or A* to G, depending on the school. UK universities and most sixth forms accept both; check with the individual school.