What's a GCSE standard pass? This refers to a grade of 4, which is also a pass. It's directly equivalent to a grade C in the old number grading system. Most university courses require that you have at least a grade C/4 in your GCSEs.
Grade 3 is the equivalent of in between grades D and E.
The highest grade is now 9, while 1 is the lowest. The U grade, meaning "ungraded", remains the same. The number scale is not directly equivalent to the old letter one.
Is a 3 a Pass in GCSE. As mentioned above, any grade below a 4 in the 9-1 grading system will be registered as a fail, so if you score 3 in a subject, then you will have to retake it to earn the qualification.
Equivalent GCSE grades
The Government has said that grade 4 is a 'standard pass'. 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 1 is the lowest grade, and Grade 9 is reserved for the very top students. Grade 4 is the Standard Pass grade. If students don't achieve a Grade 4 in Maths and English, they'll need to continue studying these subjects.
For Combined Science this means that it would equate to a grade 4-4 being a standard pass. Remember that for Progress 8 measures, the two grades attained by a student in Combined Science are averaged, so a grade 4-3 would be averaged to a 3-5 and count towards two slots in the accountability measures.
Is a 3 a pass in GCSE? No, the GCSE grade 3 equivalent is in between the traditional grades D and E.
Grade 5 – this is being called a Strong Pass at GCSE, and is currently placed between a low B and a high C. Grade 4 – this is also a pass at GCSE, described as a Standard Pass, and is equivalent to a C grade. Grade 3 – straddles D and a high E. Grade 2 – straddles low E and high F.
The reformed GCSE qualifications will be awarded on a grade scale of 9 (the highest grade) to 1 (the lowest). This new scale will be aligned to key grades on the current A* to G scale. broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 4 and above as currently achieve a grade C and above.
Most educational institutes and employers would class a grade of 4 (previously a grade D) or below as bad. With that in mind, if you have core GCSEs, such as English or Maths, with a grade 4 or D then you're best bet is to look at retaking the courses.
Treating 10 per cent as the highest feasible mark for Ungraded as usually at present and dividing 11 to 55 marks in three equal mark-ranges of 15, grade 1 would require 11 – 25 per cent, grade 2 = 26 – 40 per cent and grade 3 = 41 – 55 per cent.
The General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level (O level) was a qualification offered from 1951 until the introduction of the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) in 1986. You can find out more information about O levels below.
3 = D or high E.
Grade 6, Grade 5 and Grade 4 are equivalent to the old Grades B and C. To pass you need at least a Grade 4 or Grade 5. Grades 1 to 3 are like the old D to G. The U grade, meaning “ungraded”, remains the same.
In essence, a grade 4 or 5 would be considered “good” because the government has outlined the passing grade to be a 4 – a 4 is a standard pass and a grade 5 is considered a strong pass. Therefore, anything above this standard would technically be deemed good.
Letter grades
When GCSEs were first introduced in 1988, they were graded on a letter scale in each subject: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G being pass grades, with a U (unclassified) grade below that which did not qualify the student for a certificate.
P (Pass): you've been awarded an overall pass numerical grade. F (Fail): you've been awarded an overall fail numerical grade.
How many GCSEs do you need to take? The minimum number of subjects you are asked to take at GCSE is five, with most students choosing between nine and ten different subjects. You can choose to take more than the average amount, though this is down to you, your preferences and academic ability.
It's just below a level 4 pass. A bit like a double 3 and a half.