GCSE Maths Grade Boundaries 2026: AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas

How many marks do you need for a grade 4, 5 or 9 in GCSE Maths? The honest answer depends on your exam board and your tier. The same grade can need very different marks from one board to the next, so a number you saw on a friend's paper may not match yours.

For example, in 2026 a grade 7 on Higher tier needed 166 marks out of 240 with AQA, but only 116 out of 240 with Eduqas. OCR marks its papers out of 300, which changes the numbers again. Welsh and Northern Irish students may also sit different qualifications with their own rules.

This guide gives you the 2026 GCSE Maths grade boundaries for the four main boards in England, with earlier years where we could confirm them. It also shows you how to use the numbers to plan your revision, without stress.

What Are GCSE Maths Grade Boundaries?

A grade boundary is the lowest total mark that earns a grade. If the grade 5 boundary is 82, then 82 marks is a grade 5 and 81 marks is a grade 4. Your total is the sum of all three Maths papers.

Boundaries move because papers change. A harder paper gets lower boundaries and an easier paper gets higher ones, so a grade always shows the same standard. You can read the full process in our guide on how GCSE grade boundaries are decided, and see how this year compares in our post on whether grade boundaries are lower this year.

GCSE Maths Grade Boundaries at a Glance (2026)

Higher tier (grades 9 to 4)

Foundation tier (grades 5 to 3)

For OCR, the number in brackets is the same boundary scaled to a 240 mark total, so it is easier to compare with the other boards. Foundation tier only goes up to grade 5, and Higher tier covers grades 9 to 3.

Not sure which board you are on? Read our guide on how to find your GCSE exam board before you use any table below.

AQA GCSE Maths Grade Boundaries

AQA GCSE Maths (8300) has three papers, one non calculator and two calculator, with a total of 240 marks. It is offered at Foundation and Higher tier. Here are the Higher tier boundaries for the last three June series.

Higher Tier (out of 240)

Foundation Tier (out of 240), 2026

AQA's Higher boundaries have been steady. A grade 9 stayed at 219 across all three years, and grade 7 crept up from 163 to 166. In percentage terms, a 2026 grade 4 on Higher was about 26% (63 out of 240) and a grade 9 was about 91% (219 out of 240). On Foundation tier, a grade 4 needed about 64% (154 out of 240). We did not find a confirmed 2025 Foundation set for every grade, but one tutoring site lists the 2025 Foundation grade 4 as 160 and grade 5 as 188, so 2026 was a little lower.

You can practise with real papers on our GCSE past papers page and check your total against the table.

Edexcel GCSE Maths Grade Boundaries

Edexcel GCSE Maths (1MA1) also has three papers, with a total of 240 marks. Paper 1 is non calculator and Papers 2 and 3 allow a calculator. Both Foundation and Higher tiers are available.

Higher Tier (out of 240), 2026

Foundation Tier (out of 240), 2026

Edexcel is a good example of how boundaries can move in different directions. One tutoring site lists the 2025 Higher boundaries as 53 for grade 4, 87 for grade 5 and 156 for grade 7, so Higher boundaries fell in 2026 (to 50, 82 and 146). On Foundation, the same site lists 144 for grade 4 and 175 for grade 5 in 2025, so Foundation boundaries rose (to 151 and 181). Both tiers sat on the same specification, yet they moved in opposite ways.

In percentage terms, a 2026 Higher grade 4 was about 21% (50 out of 240) and a grade 9 was about 87% (208 out of 240). Foundation grade 4 was about 63% (151 out of 240).

OCR GCSE Maths Grade Boundaries

OCR GCSE Maths (J560) is marked out of 300 in total across its three papers, which is different from the other boards. To compare fairly, you can scale the numbers to 240, as shown in brackets.

Higher Tier (out of 300, scaled to 240 in brackets), 2026

Foundation Tier (out of 300, scaled to 240 in brackets), 2026

With OCR, a 2026 Higher grade 4 was 19% (57 out of 300) and a grade 9 was 88% (264 out of 300). Foundation grade 4 was about 44% (133 out of 300). OCR's Foundation grade 4 is lower in percentage terms than at the other boards, so do not use it as a guide for AQA or Edexcel. We only confirmed OCR's 2026 figures, so check the OCR website for earlier years.

Eduqas GCSE Maths Grade Boundaries (WJEC)

Eduqas is the WJEC exam board's brand for England. Its GCSE Maths papers are marked out of 240 in total, with Foundation and Higher tiers. In Wales, students may sit different WJEC Mathematics qualifications with their own rules, so ask your school which one applies to you.

Foundation Tier (out of 240)

Higher Tier (out of 240), 2026

Eduqas shows a big move on Foundation tier. The grade 4 boundary rose from 104 in 2024 to 111 in 2025 and 121 in 2026, an increase of 17 marks in two years. That is a good reminder that last year's numbers are only a rough guide. A 2026 Higher grade 4 was about 12% (28 out of 240), the lowest of the four boards, while a Foundation grade 4 was about 50% (121 out of 240).

CCEA, the exam board in Northern Ireland, uses its own qualification and grade scale, so its Maths boundaries are not covered in these tables. Check with your school or the CCEA website.

How to Use GCSE Maths Grade Boundaries in Your Revision

1. Confirm your board and tier. Boundaries only make sense for your own papers. Check the front of your exam paper or ask your teacher.

2. Mark a full set of papers. Do all three papers under timed conditions and mark them strictly with the official mark scheme. Our GCSE past papers page is a good place to start.

3. Add up your total. Combine the marks from all three papers, because the grade comes from the total, not from one paper.

4. Compare it with the tables above. Find the nearest boundary for your board and tier, then see how far you are from your target grade.

5. Build a safety margin. Boundaries move each year, so aim for at least 10 marks above the boundary you want.

6. Find where you lose marks. Sort your mistakes into topics, such as algebra, ratio or geometry, and fix the biggest group first. Our guide on how to pass GCSE Maths shows how.

7. Test again. Sit another paper a few weeks later and check that your total has risen. A GCSE Maths mock exam is a great way to do this under real conditions.

Why Is a Grade 4 So Low on Higher Tier?

Look back at the tables. A Higher grade 4 can be as low as 28 marks (Eduqas) or 63 marks (AQA) out of 240, while a Foundation grade 4 needs 121 to 154 marks. This looks strange, but it makes sense. Higher papers have many very hard questions, so most students score fewer marks overall. Foundation papers are easier, so students score more.

The grade means the same on both tiers. Higher tier is not an easy way to a grade 4, because a student on the edge of a 4 has to get questions right that are much harder than on Foundation. Ask your teacher and use your mock results to choose a tier. Our guide on the difference between Higher and Foundation will help, and our post on what percentage a grade 4 is in GCSE goes deeper.

Do Maths Boundaries Work the Same for Resits?

Yes. Resit exams in November use the same specifications and are graded with the same method. For example, Eduqas published Foundation boundaries for a November 2024 series as well as June. Students who need a grade 4 and are resitting should aim for a safety margin, just like in summer. If you would like to understand what happens when a grade is missed, read our guide on what happens if you fail your GCSEs.

Turn Your Maths Knowledge Into Results

Grade boundaries tell you the target. Preparation gets you there. At Pass My GCSEs, our GCSE Maths tutors teach one to one, find the topics costing you marks and give you exam practice that matches your board. Our GCSE Maths mock exams show you where you stand, our GCSE Maths Higher revision course covers the full syllabus in order, and our GCSE past papers give you real questions to practise. If you are planning ahead, see our guide on whether GCSE 2027 will be hard and our post on what grade 80 percent is in GCSE.

Conclusion

GCSE Maths grade boundaries change every year and differ by board and tier. In 2026, a Higher grade 4 needed between 28 and 63 marks, a Foundation grade 4 needed between 121 and 154, and a Higher grade 9 needed between 185 and 219, all out of 240 for most boards. Use the tables for your own board as a guide, and never rely on another board's numbers. Mark full papers strictly, build a safety margin of at least 10 marks and focus on the topics that cost you the most. Steady, honest practice beats guessing the boundary every time.