How do they compare to the traditional GCSE grades? Grades 9, 8 and 7 are broadly equivalent to an A* and an A. Grades 6, 5 and 4 are in line with B and C grades. A grade 4 is broadly equivalent to a C grade.
4. GCSEs may limit the universities you can apply to. Grades B and C (or a 4 to 6) at GCSE are suggestive of Cs and Ds at A-level – which won't be enough to get into some universities. The more competitive the university and course, the higher the number of high-achieving students with top GCSE marks applying.
The 9-1 grading scheme was brought in alongside a new GCSE curriculum in England. The highest grade is 9, while 1 is the lowest, not including a U (ungraded). Exams watchdog Ofqual says fewer grade 9s are awarded than A*s, and that anyone who gets a 9 has "performed exceptionally".
Grade 6 indicates a good level of achievement and will help support progression into higher education and future employment.
The new grading scheme is being brought in alongside a new GCSE curriculum in England. 9 is the highest grade, while 1 is the lowest, not including a U (ungraded). It says that, broadly, the same proportion of teenagers will get a grade four and above as used to get a grade C or above.
So most GCSEs are now graded 9 to 1, and the very last of the new exams will be sat in 2020. 9 is the highest grade, and will be awarded to fewer students than the old A*. The new grading scale has more grades above a grade 4 than above the old grade C, to provide greater differentiation for higher achieving students.
A student who gets a mark halfway between the Grade D threshold and Grade C threshold achieves a percentage uniform mark of 55. is no Grade 'a*', the percentage uniform mark range for Grade 'a' is 80–100.
The Level 2 grade is the equivalent of a GCSE grade between A*-C (dependant upon final grade achieved), the Level 1 grade is equivalent to a GCSE grade between D and G. Students who wish to progress onto a BTEC National Diploma will usually need to attain merit grades or above in order to meet the entry requirements.
A level 2 qualification is similar to having a GCSE at grade A*–C or 4-9. And also: NVQ level 2. GNVQ Intermediate.
How many GCSEs should I take? You should expect to take around nine subjects. Most courses and jobs you might want to apply for in the future require you to have grades between 9 and 4 in a minimum of five subjects.
For the Mathematics exam, a score of 206 gets you a 9, 171 an 8, 136 a 7, 105 a 6, 74 a high pass 5, and 43 a standard pass 4.
Exam dates and papersAll GCSE Science students (both Double and Triple students on all three exam boards) will take a total of six papers, two for each subject, as follows: Biology (Paper 1) Summer 2021 (date to be confirmed)
Fourth grade (also called grade four, equivalent to Year 5 in England and Wales) is a year of elementary education in some countries. This can vary in different school districts; in some, fourth grade is the first or second year of intermediate school. In others, it may be the last year of elementary.
Grade 5 is a 'strong pass' and equivalent to a high C and low B on the old grading system. Grade 4 remains the level that students must achieve without needing to resit English and Maths post-16.
Grade 4 score = 26.5% / Grade 7 score = 51%. Grade 4 score = 26% / Grade 7 score = 56%. Grade 4 score = 47.5% / Grade 7 score = 67.5%.
The A* at A Level is awarded to candidates who achieve a grade A on the A Level overall (80%), and who also achieve at least 90% on the uniform mark scale (UMS) across their A2 units.
- Grades 6, 5 and 4: Higher standard pass. Equivalent to B and C grades. - Grade 4: Standard pass. - Grade 3: D grade.
“The lack of understanding about the new GCSE syllabus and having to guess the grade boundaries has led to more work-place pressure and stress for staff and pupils. Too much content, more planning and marking.”
We have seen quite a few comments about new GCSEs being 'too hard', or similar, as pupils take mock exams. The new GCSEs do have more challenging content – set by the Department for Education – than previously, but they are designed to be as accessible to the same range of student abilities as before.
England and WalesIn English and Welsh schools, 9th grade (in terms of age requirements) is equivalent to Year 10 (called Year 11 in Northern Ireland), the fourth year of comprehensive/high/grammar school.
Results are in: What next? You're more likely to be able to go into Further Education or get a good job if you have five or more GCSEs at grade 4 or above. Many sixth-forms and colleges do expect at least 4 grades but some schools may take pupils with lower grades, so it's worth giving them a call to check.
Age Requirements & Grades
| Birth Date | Age | US Grade |
|---|
| Sept. 1, 2012 - Aug. 31, 2013 | 8-9 | Grade 3 |
| Sept. 1, 2011 - Aug. 31, 2012 | 9-10 | Grade 4 |
| Sept. 1, 2010 - Aug. 31, 2011 | 10-11 | Grade 5 |
| Sept. 1, 2009 - Aug. 31, 2010 | 11-12 | Grade 6 |
The proportion of grade 9s – the top grade – has risen by 1.9 percentage points, up to 6.6 per cent this year. Meanwhile, the proportion of grade 4s (considered a pass) or above has risen by 8.9 percentage points to 78.8 per cent this year – meaning nearly four in five grades issued were a standard pass.
Allowed grades for Higher TierIn GCSE Sciences, there is an allowed grade 3 for Separate Sciences and allowed grade 4-3 in Combined Science, to minimise the risk of students being entered for Higher Tier and just missing out on the 4-4 grade.
The full range of GCSE grades A* – G spans Levels 1 and 2 of the Credit and Qualification Framework for Wales: Grades A*– C are Level 2; grades D – G are Level 1. In GCSE Mathematics and GCSE Mathematics (numeracy), there are three tiers: Higher A* – C. Intermediate B – E.
