Every GCSE subject is assessed using the 9-1 grading system, with all exams set at the end of Year 11. Grade 1 is the lowest grade, and Grade 9 is reserved for the very top students. Grade 4 is the Standard Pass grade.
What is a Fail in GCSE? Anything below a 4 is a fail under the UK grading system, with U standing for 'ungraded', which was the same in the previous system.
If you have children in year 11 taking GCSEs this year, many of their results will be reported on the new grade scale which runs from 9 (the highest grade) to 1 (the lowest grade).
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.
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. Grade 1 – straddles low F and G.
Is a 3 a pass in GCSE? No, the GCSE grade 3 equivalent is in between the traditional 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.
Grade 7, according to the old system, means scoring a lower grade A. A student who gets grade 7 (lower A) must have scored approximately 70-82 per cent in their examinations. According to the GCSE 2022 grade boundaries, securing grade 7 is considered a pretty decent score.
Level 1: A pass at Level 1 is broadly equivalent to attainment of a General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) short course at foundation tier.
However, a 4 is being classified as a standard pass, which can be broadly compared to a grade C, while a 5 is a strong pass. Grades 9-7 are roughly equivalent to the old top grades of A* and A.
None of our courses have a specific GCSE requirement; however, there are some parts of our admissions process that use GCSE grades to contextualise applicants' performance, and we are not able to use other Level 2 qualifications (or equivalent) to replicate those measures for students not taking GCSEs.
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.
A GPA of 1.0 is generally considered below average or below the standard that most community colleges and universities expect of their students.
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.
3 – Satisfactory. 2 – Low Pass, but certifying. 1 – Low Failure. 0 – Failure.
2 = Lower E or high F.
The lowest grade you can get depends on what level of BTEC you are taking. If you are taking a BTEC First then you can get a Level 1 Pass, this is equal to a grade 1 or G at GCSE level. If you are taking one of the BTEC Nationals then the lowest grade you can get is Near Pass, which at A level would be considered a U.
Level 1 Pass (L1) If the work you produce doesn't meet the grading criteria for the lowest passing grade available for your qualification (P, L1 or N), you will be awarded a U, which means 'unclassified'.
Level 1 English is a government accredited English course equivalent to GCSE English grade GCSE 'pass' grade 1 to 3 (grade D-G).
According to this illustration, grade 4 requires 56 - 66 per cent, grade 5 requires 67 - 77 per cent and grade 6 requires 78 - 88 per cent.
Grade 7 is the equivalent of a grade A. Grade 6 is the equivalent of just above a grade B. Grade 5 is the equivalent of in between grades B and C.
As per the guide below, issued by the exams regulator Ofqual, the numerical system essentially boils down to the following: 9 = High A* grade. 8 = Lower A* or high A. 7 = Lower A grade.
The grading system is uniform using number grades in multiples of 0.25 from 1.0 to 5.0 where 1.0 is the highest and 3.0 as the lowest passing grade.