Convert marks into a percentage, or work out how many marks you need to hit a target grade — with GCSE (9-1) and A-Level boundary tables for reference.
These grade boundaries are approximate and provided for general guidance only — actual boundaries vary by subject, exam board (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, etc.) and exam series, and are typically published after results day each year.
| Grade | Approx. percentage |
|---|---|
| 9 | 90% and above |
| 8 | 80% – 89% |
| 7 | 70% – 79% |
| 6 | 60% – 69% |
| 5 | 50% – 59% |
| 4 | 40% – 49% |
| 3 | 30% – 39% |
| 2 | 20% – 29% |
| 1 | Below 20% |
| Grade | Approx. percentage |
|---|---|
| A* | 80% and above |
| A | 70% – 79% |
| B | 60% – 69% |
| C | 50% – 59% |
| D | 40% – 49% |
| E | 30% – 39% |
| U | Below 30% |
Boundaries shown are indicative averages and will not match every subject or year exactly. For the exact boundaries that applied to a specific exam, check the grade boundary documents published by the relevant exam board (e.g. AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR) for that series.
Use the calculator above to convert raw marks into a percentage, or to work out the marks needed for a target grade — then use the tables to see roughly which GCSE or A-Level grade that percentage might correspond to.
Exam boards set grade boundaries after each exam series based on how students performed overall, so a 70% might be a grade 7 one year and a grade 6 the next, depending on the difficulty of that year's paper. The tables on this page show typical/approximate ranges, not exact figures for any specific exam.
The GCSE 9-1 scale (used in England since 2017) runs from 9 (highest) to 1 (lowest), with grade 4 broadly equivalent to a "standard pass" and grade 5 a "strong pass" under the old A*-G system. Grade 9 is awarded to a small proportion of the highest-scoring students, typically those scoring in the top portion of grade 8 and above.
A-Levels are graded A* to E, with U meaning "ungraded" (below the minimum standard for a pass). A* is reserved for the highest-performing students within the A grade range. As with GCSEs, the exact percentage needed for each grade is set after the exam based on overall performance that year.
Switch to "Percentage → Marks needed" mode, enter the percentage for the grade you're aiming for (using the table as a rough guide) and the total marks available for the paper or assessment. The calculator rounds up to the nearest whole mark, since exams don't award fractional marks.