OCR GCSE grade boundaries Summer 2023
The minimum whole-subject marks OCR 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.
OCR GCSE · Summer 2023 · minimum whole-subject totals
Official OCR boundaries| Subject | Out of | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MathematicsHigher J560 | 300 | 242 | 193 | 144 | 109 | 74 | 39 | 21 | – | – |
MathematicsFoundation J560 | 300 | – | – | – | – | 178 | 129 | 92 | 56 | 20 |
J351 | 160 | 129 | 118 | 107 | 94 | 81 | 69 | 50 | 32 | 14 |
J352 | 160 | 134 | 118 | 103 | 85 | 67 | 49 | 37 | 25 | 13 |
BiologyHigher J247 (Gateway A) | 180 | 133 | 121 | 109 | 91 | 73 | 55 | 46 | – | – |
BiologyFoundation J247 (Gateway A) | 180 | – | – | – | – | 105 | 90 | 66 | 43 | 20 |
ChemistryHigher J248 (Gateway A) | 180 | 147 | 131 | 115 | 96 | 78 | 60 | 51 | – | – |
ChemistryFoundation J248 (Gateway A) | 180 | – | – | – | – | 110 | 92 | 68 | 44 | 20 |
PhysicsHigher J249 (Gateway A) | 180 | 144 | 130 | 117 | 99 | 81 | 63 | 54 | – | – |
PhysicsFoundation J249 (Gateway A) | 180 | – | – | – | – | 117 | 102 | 75 | 48 | 22 |
J383 (Geography A) | 200 | 154 | 137 | 120 | 104 | 88 | 72 | 51 | 30 | 10 |
J277 | 160 | 133 | 119 | 106 | 91 | 77 | 63 | 46 | 29 | 12 |
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 J250 (Gateway A) | 360 | 281 | 268 | 255 | 242 | 229 | 211 | 193 | 176 | 159 | 142 | 125 | 117 | – | – | – | – | – |
Combined ScienceFoundation J250 (Gateway A) | 360 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 210 | 192 | 175 | 153 | 131 | 109 | 88 | 67 | 46 |
Boundaries are set after each series, once the boards have seen how everyone did, so they move year to year. Confirm against the official OCR document before relying on a number.
OCR GCSE grade boundary FAQs
- How many marks did you need for a grade 9 in OCR GCSE Maths in Summer 2023?
- A grade 9 in OCR GCSE Mathematics needed 242 of 300 marks on the Higher tier in Summer 2023, around 81%.
- What was the pass mark for OCR GCSE Maths in Summer 2023?
- A standard pass is grade 4. In OCR GCSE Mathematics that meant 129 of 300 marks on the Foundation tier and 39 of 300 marks on the Higher tier in Summer 2023.
- When are OCR 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.