The 9-1 grading scheme was brought in alongside an overhaul of the curriculum in England in 2014.

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. However, the two scales do meet in certain places:

Exams inspector Ofqual has stated that in order to “identify exceptional performance,” fewer grade 9s will have been given out than A*s.

Why were GCSE grades changed?

The numerical grading system was implemented in 2014 as part of Michael Gove’s revision of the curriculum.

Less emphasis was placed on GCSE coursework than in the past, and final exams were used to determine grades in practically all subjects.

With exams administered following two years of study, the credentials were created to be more difficult. In the past, students completed a number of modules to cover the curriculum, with ongoing exams.

The government claimed that the new scale “recognises more clearly the achievements of high-attaining students, as the additional grades allow for greater differentiation” at the time the revisions were made.

Additionally, it was stated that the switch from letters to numbers will enable people, such as employers, to determine “whether a student has taken a new, more challenging GCSE, or an old reformed GCSE” by looking at the results.

What is the GCSE pass mark?

A strong pass at the GCSE is a 5, while a 4 is the required minimum. Even though passing all of your tests with a 4 will allow you to receive your GCSEs, some colleges have entry standards of at least a 5 or a 6. It’s critical to choose the universities you want to attend early on so you can learn what grades are needed.

Changes to GCSE exams

Without a question, the Covid-19 outbreak significantly disrupted our lives. The National examinations will take place this year across the UK even though the pandemic is still there. Having said that, it has been announced that the GCSE and A-level exams will be assessed more generously in light of the significant interruption to pupils’ education that the pandemic has caused nationwide.

Due of the epidemic, pupils were evaluated in 2020 and 2021 based on their teacher’s grades rather than by taking tests. Although this won’t happen this year, it has been stated that grade borders in England, Scotland, and Wales will be more flexible. According to Dr. Jo Saxton, head regulator for Ofqual, there will be a predetermined halfway point between the grading techniques used before and after the epidemic. Students will use this assessment as a “safety net” as they become used to taking tests once more.

The importance of mock GCSE exams

Practice taking mock tests is one of the finest strategies to prepare for the GCSE exams. Mock tests give pupils highly useful practice for working under pressure and finishing tasks within allotted time in a real exam. Students can use this to assess their abilities, pinpoint their areas of weakness, and prioritize their areas of improvement.

There are many other kinds of revision that you can try out, though GCSE mock tests are one of the best. For further advice, take a look at our GCSE revision guide.

When is GCSE results day 2025?

The GCSE exam results day is announced to be on August 24th 2025.

How will I receive my results?

In most cases, you can pick up your GCSE exam results from your school in the early morning. Since each school will interpret this differently, be careful to enquire about the best manner to obtain your results from the institution. Your GCSE exam results are also available online.

What do my results mean?

Only 20% of students receive a mark of 9 on the GCSE exams, with the top grades falling between 7-9. A grade of 5 or higher indicates a strong passing grade, while a rating of 4 indicates a passing grade. Unfortunately, receiving a result below a 4 indicates that you did not pass the GCSE test.

When will I get my GCSE certificate?

The GCSE certificate is typically delivered to the school three months following results day. Having said that, once you receive your results, you can begin thinking about any potential subsequent courses.

Disappointing results: what are my options?

The majority of young people will receive a depressing GCSE grade or exam outcome.

Dealing with disappointment when your child feels they have given the exam their best can be particularly difficult.

• Firstly it’s important for your child to know they are not alone. Don’t try and analyse what went wrong immediately or jump to appealing the result. Give your child and yourself time to accept that it didn’t go to plan.
• Challenges like this will come along in life and it’s a test of our resilience to be able to pick ourselves up and move forward.
• Do something that makes your child feel good and when some of the emotion has died down discuss what the next steps might look like.
• Make a plan together of what the new path forward looks like.

It’s crucial to always look after your mental health because managing GCSE stress can be challenging.

How to appeal your GCSE grades

You can always appeal your child’s GCSE grades if you believe there was an error in the exam grading.

You can first request that your school evaluate the grade. If you still believe there was an error, you can ask the school to contact the exam board on your behalf if you want to appeal. The last possible step in the appeal process is to ask Ofqual to examine the grade, which would be your final opportunity to contest the grade.