GCSEs in England have a 9 to 1 grading scale, to better differentiate between the highest performing students and distinguish clearly between the old and new qualifications, says the Department for Education.
Grade 9 is the highest grade and will be awarded to fewer students than the old A*.
The new GCSE grading scale is not directly equivalent to the old A* to G one. However, there are some comparable points:
• The bottom of grade 7 is aligned with the bottom of grade A;
• The bottom of grade 4 is aligned with the bottom of grade C;
• The bottom of grade 1 is aligned with the bottom of grade G.
The Department for Education recognises grade 4 and above as a ‘standard pass’ in all subjects.
A grade 4 or above marks a similar achievement to the old grade C or above.
A grade 4 is the minimum level that students need to reach in English and/or maths, otherwise they need to continue to study these subjects as part of their post-16 education.
‘Attainment 8’ measures a student’s average grade across eight subjects.
