Edexcel GCSE grade boundaries Summer 2023
The minimum whole-subject marks Edexcel set for each GCSE grade in the Summer 2023 series, covering Mathematics, English Language, English Literature and 6 more subjects. Subjects link to their past papers, so you can see the exams these boundaries applied to.
Edexcel GCSE · Summer 2023 · minimum whole-subject totals
Official Edexcel boundaries| Subject | Out of | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MathematicsHigher 1MA1 | 240 | 203 | 174 | 145 | 112 | 79 | 47 | 31 | – | – |
MathematicsFoundation 1MA1 | 240 | – | – | – | – | 182 | 147 | 109 | 71 | 33 |
1EN0 | 160 | 131 | 122 | 113 | 102 | 91 | 80 | 58 | 36 | 15 |
1ET0 | 160 | 132 | 121 | 110 | 95 | 81 | 67 | 49 | 31 | 13 |
BiologyHigher 1BI0 | 200 | 162 | 146 | 131 | 107 | 83 | 59 | 47 | – | – |
BiologyFoundation 1BI0 | 200 | – | – | – | – | 119 | 98 | 72 | 47 | 22 |
ChemistryHigher 1CH0 | 200 | 159 | 142 | 125 | 101 | 77 | 54 | 42 | – | – |
ChemistryFoundation 1CH0 | 200 | – | – | – | – | 124 | 103 | 75 | 48 | 21 |
PhysicsHigher 1PH0 | 200 | 163 | 147 | 131 | 111 | 92 | 73 | 63 | – | – |
PhysicsFoundation 1PH0 | 200 | – | – | – | – | 134 | 119 | 86 | 54 | 22 |
1GA0 (Geography A) | 256 | 199 | 183 | 167 | 148 | 130 | 112 | 81 | 50 | 20 |
1GB0 (Geography B) | 256 | 211 | 194 | 177 | 156 | 136 | 116 | 82 | 48 | 14 |
1CP2 | 150 | 127 | 112 | 97 | 80 | 64 | 48 | 34 | 20 | 7 |
Combined Science · double award, grades come in pairs
| Subject | Out of | 9-9 | 9-8 | 8-8 | 8-7 | 7-7 | 7-6 | 6-6 | 6-5 | 5-5 | 5-4 | 4-4 | 4-3 | 3-3 | 3-2 | 2-2 | 2-1 | 1-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Combined ScienceHigher 1SC0 | 360 | 279 | 265 | 251 | 237 | 223 | 203 | 183 | 163 | 144 | 125 | 106 | 96 | – | – | – | – | – |
Combined ScienceFoundation 1SC0 | 360 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 224 | 206 | 189 | 164 | 139 | 114 | 89 | 64 | 39 |
Boundaries are set after each series, once the boards have seen how everyone did, so they move year to year. Confirm against the official Edexcel document before relying on a number.
Edexcel GCSE grade boundary FAQs
- How many marks did you need for a grade 9 in Edexcel GCSE Maths in Summer 2023?
- A grade 9 in Edexcel GCSE Mathematics needed 203 of 240 marks on the Higher tier in Summer 2023, around 85%.
- What was the pass mark for Edexcel GCSE Maths in Summer 2023?
- A standard pass is grade 4. In Edexcel GCSE Mathematics that meant 147 of 240 marks on the Foundation tier and 47 of 240 marks on the Higher tier in Summer 2023.
- When are Edexcel grade boundaries published?
- Exam boards publish grade boundaries on results day, once every paper has been marked and grading is complete. A-Level boundaries appear in mid August and GCSE boundaries the week after.
- Why do grade boundaries change every year?
- Boundaries are set after each exam series so that grading standards stay consistent from year to year. If a paper turns out harder than usual the boundaries come down, and if it turns out easier they go up, so the marks needed for a grade reflect the difficulty of that year's papers.
- Are grade boundaries the same for every exam board?
- No. AQA, Edexcel, OCR and WJEC each set boundaries for their own papers, so the marks needed for the same grade differ between boards and between specifications within a board. Always check the boundaries for the exact specification you sat.