gcse dt coursework grade boundaries

This website works best with JavaScript switched on. Please enable JavaScript

• Centre Services
• Associate Extranet
• All About Maths

GCSE Design and Technology

2021 exam changes The Government announced that it won't be possible for exams to go ahead as normal this summer. Read more

Find all the information, support and resources you need to deliver our specification.

Explore this qualification

• Planning resources
• Teaching resources
• Assessment resources
• Specification

Professional development

Our range of course are designed to help you develop your skills, build your confidence and progress your career.

View all courses and events

Inside assessment training programme

Improve your assessment literacy, learn what good assessment looks like and apply it in your teaching for this subject.

Get Started

Get Started for Design and Technology

• Become an examiner

Advance your career, help your students to achieve and make results happen

Guidance, expertise and community

Find expert advice, new resources and training to support your teaching.

Popular links

• Grade boundaries
• 9 to 1 grading
• Post-results services
• Enhanced results analysis (ERA)

Connect with us

Contact our team.

8am–5pm Monday to Friday

Tel: 0161 957 3334

Email: [email protected]

Subscribe for updates

Receive the latest news, resources and support for your subject area from AQA.

Sign up now for free

Switch to AQA today

Join us and discover why we're trusted by thousands of teachers.

GCSE Grades Explained

Wondering how GCSE grades work? Look no further, we’ll answer any questions you have about the 1 - 9 grading system.

22 February 2024

• 1 . What are GCSE grades?
• 2 . GCSE grades equivalent: What your grades mean
• 3 . What is a GCSE pass?
• 4 . Is a GCSE grade 9 hard?
• 5 . When are the GCSE grade boundaries published?
• 6 . IGCSE vs GCSE grades: What's the difference?

What are GCSE grades?

In England, examiners now mark GCSEs with a numerical grading system from 1 to 9. 

9 is the highest pass for exceptional students, whilst 1 is the lowest grade a student can earn. If a student fails to achieve a grade they will receive a U, which stands for ungraded. 

The UK government aligned the new numerical scale with the old A*-G grading system using anchor points. This means the bottom of a grade:

7 aligns with the bottom of a grade A

4 aligns with the bottom of a grade C

1 aligns with the bottom of a grade G 

So employers, universities, and sixth forms can easily recognise GCSE grades equivalent to the old system.

New GCSE grades explained: What every student should know

The government started phasing in the new system in 2017 to:

Signal education reform

Show a higher differentiation of abilities amongst top performers

Reflect the new more demanding content of courses

Then-education secretary, Michael Gove, championed the new system to ensure English education standards equal that of other high-performing countries.

Roughly the same proportion of students will receive grades 1, 4 and 7 as grades G, C, and A. But fewer grade 9s will be awarded than A*s to reflect how it is a more difficult grade to achieve.

GCSE grades equivalent: What your grades mean

Let's dig a little deeper into the numerical grading scale as well as its old GCSE grades equivalent, and take a look at how students have performed historically.

A 9 is equivalent to a high A*

A grade of 9 is a passing grade for high-attaining students who have performed exceptionally well. In 2023, 4.9% of students achieved a grade 9, and in 2022 6.6% of students did. 

An 8 is equivalent to a low A* or a high A

A grade 8 is a pass grade for high-attaining students who have performed very well. In 2023 7.1% of students achieved an 8 grade at GCSE, and in 2022 8.5% did. 

A 7 is equivalent to a low-grade A

A grade of 7 is a passing grade for high-attaining students who have performed well. In 2022 10.9% of students achieved a grade 7 compared with 9.6% in 2023.

A 6 is equivalent to a high B

A grade of 6 is a passing grade for students who have performed very well. In 2024 14% of students achieved a grade 6, and in 2022 14.7% of students did.

A 5 is equivalent to a low B or high C

A grade 5 is a pass grade for students who have performed well and is the most common individual grade level achieved by GCSE students. In 2023 16.6% of students achieved this grade, and in 2022 17.4% of students did.

A 4 is equivalent to a low C

A grade 4 is a pass grade. Students must resit Maths and English if they do not achieve a grade 4. In 2023 15.6% of students achieved this grade, and in 2022 14.9% did.

A 3 is equivalent to D or high E

A grade 3 is a low pass grade. In 2023 16% of students achieved this grade, and in 2022 13% did. Students who receive this grade in English and Maths must retake these subjects.

A 2 is equivalent to a low F or G

A grade 2 is a low pass grade. In 2023 9.3% of students achieved this grade, and in 2022 8.9% of students did. Students who receive this grade in English and Maths must retake these subjects.

A 1 is equivalent to a low F or G

A grade 1 is the lowest pass grade. In 2023 4.9% of students achieved this grade, and in 2022 4% of students did. Students who receive this grade in English and Maths must retake these subjects.

A U is still a U

If a student fails to achieve a grade they will receive a U, which stands for ungraded (and fail). In 2023 2% of students achieved this grade, and in 2022 1.6% of students did. Students who receive this grade in English and Maths must retake these subjects.

Why did students perform better in 2022 than in 2023?

The GCSE results in 2023 were similar to pre-pandemic levels. The government closely monitors grade boundaries and historical student performance to adjust for disrupted learning as a result of the pandemic.

Some journalists have theorised that government plans to reduce grade inflation have affected GCSE results.

What is a GCSE pass?

All grades other than U are technically a GCSE passing grade. For Maths and English students must achieve a grade 4 or above, otherwise they will have to continue studying and resit their Maths and English Exams until they either achieve a grade 4 or above or turn 18. Most 6th forms, colleges and further education centres will have particular grade requirements for further study so make sure to check these carefully.

What is a fail in GCSE?

A GCSE failing grade is a U. If continuing on to further education, some courses require certain grades in particular subjects so check these carefully.

If you have failed a GCSE or don't achieve the grade(s) you need: Don’t panic!

Remember you can:

Speak to your sixth-form or college

Retake the exam

Appeal your grade

Resit your GCSE(s) 

Is a GCSE grade 9 hard?

Exam boards designed the GCSE grade 9 to be the hardest grade to achieve even for the brightest students. If you're aiming for a grade 9 you'll need to revise consistently and strategically by:

Studying past papers

Learning memorisation techniques

Attending revision workshops

Focusing on your weaknesses

Optimising your strengths

Using a specific GCSE timetable for revision

Save My Exams has helped thousands of students achieve their potential

Take a look at our examiner-written GCSE revision resources that improve your grades 2x!

Is a 5 in GCSE bad?

A grade 5 is a passing grade, equivalent to a low b or high c. Whether you consider a 5 'bad' would depend on:

What your predicted grades were

Your personal circumstances

What your future goals are

If you want to go on to A-levels at a college or sixth form, they’ll usually require a minimum of 5 GCSEs grade 4-9, and at least a grade 6 in the subjects you wish to study.

Is a 3 a fail at GCSE?

A 3 is a pass and is considered equivalent to a D or a high E. However, if you get lower than a grade 4 in GCSE English or Maths, you must retake these subjects. Don’t panic if you have failed, there are lots of ways you can overcome failing a GCSE.

What are the GCSE grade boundaries? 

Grade boundaries are the minimum marks you need to achieve to get a grade. For example, if the grade boundary for an 8 is 75 marks, then you'd need to get 75 marks or above to achieve an 8.

Grade boundaries change from year to year to ensure consistency, because exam papers and student experiences change from year to year. Grade boundaries are set by a group of expert senior examiners based on:

The difficulty of the exam paper

The level of achievement on the paper by current students

The achievements of previous cohorts of students

Reviewing grade boundaries for specific exams and boards is useful to understand what areas a student needs to focus on to achieve their goals.

When are the GCSE grade boundaries published?

Exam boards release grade boundaries on the same day as the results. But we've assembled previous years' grade boundaries to give you an idea of where you should be aiming.

What were the GCSE grade boundaries in 2023?

Take a look at the handy table below to understand grade boundaries for higher core subjects in 2023. 

GCSE grade boundaries throughout the subjects

If you want to see grade boundaries for the foundation level and more individual subjects we’ve linked to them below.

What grade is 80 percent in GCSE?

Grade boundaries for GCSE exams change depending on:

The exam board

The subject

The grade boundaries

Roughly speaking 80% usually hovers around a grade 6 on a higher paper, or grade 5 on a foundation paper. But it’s worth looking at specific past papers and grade boundaries to accurately estimate what grade 80% on a particular exam might give you. 

IGCSE vs GCSE grades: What's the difference?

GCSEs are the general certification of secondary education taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The IGCSE is an international qualification created for students who live or study abroad. The two qualifications are similar but the IGCEs generally still use the A*-G grade scale.

Sign up for articles sent directly to your inbox

Receive news, articles and guides directly from our team of experts.

Written by Katie Walker

Katie has worked in the education sector for several years; at a University, a group of schools, and now Save My Exams. She loves to delve deep into understanding students' difficulties when it comes to studying for their exams, and then communicating how Save My Exams can help them.

Share this article

The examiner written revision resources that improve your grades 2x.

• Eduqas Home chevron_right
• Administration chevron_right
• Results, Grade Boundaries and PRS

Grade Boundaries

• Key Dates and Timetables
• Exams Officer Noticeboard
• Internal Assessment
• Examinations
• Results Dates and Guides
• - Grade Boundaries
• Post-Results Services and Appeals
• Results Statistics Archive
• Special Requirements
• Centre Information
• e-assessment (on-screen exams)
• e-submission upload
• The Exam Process
• Administration Contacts

Grade boundaries are the minimum number of marks needed to achieve each grade. Whilst exam papers are written to the same level of difficulty, they do vary each year. Grade boundaries ensure that whenever the exam is sat, students receive the same grade for the same level of performance.

For unitised specifications, grade boundaries are expressed on a Uniform Mark Scale (UMS). UMS grade boundaries remain the same every year as the range of UMS mark percentages allocated to a particular grade does not change. UMS grade boundaries are published at overall subject and unit level.

> You can access unit grade boundaries and raw mark to UMS information in our Grade converter here

For linear specifications, a single grade is awarded for the overall subject, rather than for each component/unit that contributes towards the overall grade. Grade boundaries are published on results day.

The 'notional' grade boundaries for each component are also available from 8am on publication of results days. Component boundaries are 'notional' and intended only as a guide, they are not official grades.

National level statistics are compiled and published by  The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) , a membership organisation comprising the seven largest providers of qualifications in the UK.

9705 D&T coursework examples

Topic outline.

A range of coursework submissions (for both components) for this Syllabus have been included here along with a breakdown of the marks awarded, and a moderator commentary explaining how the marks were decided. You should always refer to the syllabus for specific details about the requirements for and assessment of coursework. Additionally, the Cambridge Handbook sets out the process and requirements for submitting coursework for moderation by Cambridge International.

• Select activity Component 2 Component 2
• Select activity Component 4 Component 4

DT Coursework Grade boundaries

Quick reply, related discussions.

• Y11 mocks (can I get all 9s???)
• How to get a 9 in GCSE DT?
• Getting a grade 9 in GSCE-DT. Is it hard?
• Aiming for the Stars (GYG 23/24)
• last year of sixth form ahhhhhhhhhh
• UNIT 7: calculus to solve engineering problems
• Product design: NEA
• What should I take as a 4th A-level?
• I failed my A-LEVEL English coursework, now what?
• English Literature Coursework
• Design tech 2022 nea
• if I get an A* on my history coursework and a C in my exams, what will my grade be
• A level English Language coursework affect on grade
• Weird A-level combination :(
• Can I still do well if I got badly in my history a level coursework?
• AQA A-Level English Lang Coursework Grade Boundaries
• Gcse dt nea ideas help
• music vs dt gcse
• alevel product design nea
• Regretting my GCSES

Last reply 7 hours ago

Last reply 1 day ago

Last reply 2 days ago

Last reply 2 weeks ago

Posted 2 weeks ago

Last reply 3 weeks ago

Posted 3 weeks ago

Posted 1 month ago

Last reply 1 month ago

Last reply 2 months ago

Posted 3 months ago

Last reply 3 months ago

Articles for you

GCSE results day: what to expect

Finding a university place in Ucas Clearing 2024: 10 top tips to help you get ready

Top 10 tips for Ucas Clearing 2024

Try out the app

Continue on web