GCSEs: Unraveling the new (9-1) Grading System 2024

How are GCSEs graded?

GCSEs in England have been reformed to keep pace with universities’ and employers’ demands. They are based on new and more demanding subject content but are still suitable for the same wide range of abilities. 

• The new grade scale makes it clear to everyone that students have studied the new GCSEs. 
• It also has more higher grades compared to the old A* to G grades, to give sixth forms, colleges, universities and employers the opportunity to better distinguish between students of different abilities.

In the past GCSE students were given marks between A* (the highest) and G (the lowest). Scores below a G were marked as U for ‘ungraded’. However, things have changed. Grades now range from 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest). Here’s how the new grades compare to the old:

    Grade 9 – The top mark is even higher than the old A*

    Grade 8 – Below an A* but above an A

    Grade 7 – Slightly below an A but only just

    Grade 6 – Slightly better than a B

    Grade 5 – Below a B but above a C. Also called a ‘strong pass’

    Grade 4 – Equivalent of a C. Also called a ‘standard pass’

    Grade 3 – Below a D but above an E

    Grade 2 – Between an E and an F

    Grade 1 – Between an F and a G

    Ungraded - The lowest mark possible. As in the old system, a U denotes a fail

Why was the GCSE grading system changed?

The new GCSE grading system was introduced to differentiate between the very highest performing children. Along with the change in marking, some of the questions have changed too and are now a little more challenging. The aim is to find the very brightest pupils. In 2017 only 3% of students managed to score the much sought-after Grade 9.

How important are GCSEs?

GCSEs are the most important exams students take before college or university. The results have a huge effect on pupils’ futures. Many college courses require a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above (C or more in the old grading system) and some demand five grade 6s (A or A*).

Some college courses only accept students with grade 6 or more (A or A*) in that subject for GCSE and universities often require a minimum of grade 4 (C or above) in English, maths and at least one science before they will accept you for any course.

How well students do in their GCSEs is the only real indication colleges have of potential students’ abilities. So, with further education and career in mind, GCSEs may well be the most important exams of all.

But the days of A*-G grades are almost gone, and parents and children alike this August will be learning to get their heads around the new 9-1 grading system for the majority of subjects.

The new number system replacing the traditional A* - G grades does not offer a complete like-for-like comparison with the old system - which exams watchdog Ofqual has warned against doing - but it is possible to roughly translate them.

Grades 9, 8 and 7 are the top marks available, with a 7 roughly translating to an A grade. The old A* grade sits between an 8 and a 9 in the new system. Scoring a 6 or a 5 is akin to a B grade, while a 4 is close to a C grade, and numbers 3, 2, and 1 sit between the old D, E, F, and G marks. The numbers system has kept the U mark, which means ungraded.

What is the difference between an A* and a 9?

The three grades at the top end of the spectrum are designed to better differentiate between the A and A* grades, but Ofqual has said that students scoring a 9 have “performed exceptionally”. Ofqual said there will not be as many grade 9s awarded as there have been A*s in the past.

Furthermore, the highest grade of 9 isn’t exactly the same as an old money A*: essentially it’s better, as an 8 is also roughly equivalent to the lower half of the A* band and a higher A.

Under the numerical system relatively few students should be achieving grade 9s in normal years, as they will effectively be rationed.

The grades are supposed to better differentiate between students of different abilities. But Ofqual says that “in the first year each new GCSE subject is introduced, broadly the same proportion of students will get a grade 4 or above as would have got a grade C in or above in the old system”.

Is there any difference between a C and a 4?

Attainment of a GCSE for individual students at any grade should be considered an achievement where a student is reaching their potential.

Broadly speaking, a C is equivalent to the new ‘4’ in reformed GCSE qualifications and Grade 4 will be the grade required for progression by most universities, FE providers and employers. This is - and will remain - the level that pupils must achieve in order not to be required to continue studying English and maths post 16.

The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed that Grade 4 will be considered a 'standard pass' and Grade 5 a 'strong pass' for the purposes of performance tables. This is a change from the previous position, where Grade 5 was to be the headline performance table measure.

Scoring a grade 4 in any subject is considered a “standard pass” that should be “valued as a passport to future study and employment,” the government states, while a 5 in English or maths is considered a “strong pass”.

Does this mean GCSEs are harder?

The new GCSEs are supposed to be more challenging and demanding than previous years, which school leaders have said have put students under additional pressure.

The changes, which were initiated by former education secretary Michael Gove in 2014, have been made “to give young people the skills they need to succeed in 21st century Britain,” according to the Department of Education. 

The new system means students produce much less coursework than in previous years, with the majority of their marks depending on their performance during exams.

Another part of the GCSE reforms will see students who do not achieve a grade 4 or higher in English and maths will be required to continue these subjects after their GCSEs.

Are all GCSE subjects now under the new grading system?

Not quite yet. The number grades were introduced for the first time last year, but only for English language, English literature and maths. This year 20 more subjects have been added to the system, with the rest added by 2020, meaning students will still receive a mixture of numbers and letters for their grades this summer.

    The subjects that will graded by numbers as of this year are:

•     Ancient languages (classical Greek, Latin)
•     Art and design
•     Biology
•     Chemistry
•     Citizenship studies
•     Combined science (double award)
•     Computer science
•     Dance
•     Drama
•     Food preparation and nutrition
•     Geography
•     History
•     Modern foreign languages (French, German, Spanish)
•     Music
•     Physics
•     Physical education
•     Religious studies

Do these new grades apply across the UK?

No, this change is just for students in England. While GCSEs have undergone changes in Northern Ireland and Wales, they are not switching to the new numbers system. Students in Scotland use a different system entirely, consisting of Nationals and Highers.

How do I get GCSE results?

Year 11 students can collect their grades on Thursday 12 August from 8.00am – results day has been brought forward by a couple of weeks this year to allow for pupils to submit appeals.

Unlike last year where results were distributed electronically due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the results can be collected from the school in-person this time around.

It is best to double check the school’s arrangements, as some schools may have opted for a different opening time or may have removed in-person collection arrangements altogether by arranging postal or digital distributions.

Will my child be disadvantaged by these exams?

In short, no. We know that it takes a few years for teachers and students to get used to new qualifications. 

• There are fewer past exam papers for students to practise on, fewer teaching resources available, and teachers are not as familiar with the new qualifications as they were with the old ones.
•  They recognise that it would not be fair to penalise students for this, so the exam boards use statistics to help set grade boundaries, so that, for example, a student who would have previously got a grade C or above would be expected to get a grade 4 or above in the new GCSEs. 
• So while the content and assessment have changed, don’t worry, the grades are awarded fairly and your child will not be disadvantaged by the changes.