What are A-Level grade boundaries?

Grade boundaries are the minimum number of raw marks a student needs to achieve each grade (A* to E) in a specific A-Level subject. They are set by each exam board (AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC) after each exam series and are published on results day. Each paper within a subject has its own boundary.

What percentage is an A* at A-Level?

A* typically requires around 80%+ overall, with 90%+ on A2 units. The exact percentage varies by exam board and subject. For AQA A-Level Maths in 2024, A* required 259/300 (86.3%). For AQA A-Level History, A* required 174/200 (87%). Always check the official boundaries for your specific paper.

Where can I find the official 2026 A-Level grade boundaries?

On each exam board's website — AQA (aqa.org.uk), Edexcel/Pearson (pearson.com), OCR (ocr.org.uk), and WJEC/Eduqas (wjec.co.uk). They are published on results day in August. Previous years' boundaries are also available in the archive section of each site.

How are A-Level grades different from GCSE grades?

A-Levels use letter grades (A* to E) while GCSEs use numbers (9 to 1). A-Levels are more specialised (3-4 subjects vs 8-10 at GCSE) and the content is more demanding. The A* at A-Level is roughly the top 10% of candidates, while the 9 at GCSE is roughly the top 3-5%. UCAS points are used for A-Levels but not for GCSEs.

What was unusual about 2020 and 2021 A-Level boundaries?

In 2020 and 2021, exams were cancelled due to COVID-19. Grades were awarded by teacher assessment (Centre Assessed Grades in 2020, Teacher Assessed Grades in 2021). No formal grade boundaries were published because no exams were sat. 2022 saw a return to exams with adjusted boundaries; 2023 onwards returned to pre-pandemic standards.

Do A-Levels have tiered papers like GCSEs?

No. Unlike GCSE Maths and Science, A-Levels do not have Foundation and Higher tiers. All students sit the same papers. Some subjects offer optional modules (e.g. different topics within History), but the grading standard is the same across all options.

Can I get my A-Level paper remarked?

Yes. A review of marking costs around £40-£60 per paper and is refunded if your grade changes. A clerical check (confirming marks were added correctly) is free. You must go through your school's exams officer — students cannot request a remark directly. The deadline is usually within two weeks of results day.

A-Level Grade Boundaries 2026 Explained

Q: Why do A-Level grade boundaries change every year?

A-Levels are graded on a fixed standard — a grade A in 2026 means the same as a grade A in 2025. But the raw marks needed to reach that standard change because the difficulty of each year's paper changes. A harder paper has lower boundaries; an easier paper has higher boundaries. The standard is anchored, the marks aren't.

A-Level grade boundaries are the minimum raw marks needed for each grade A* to E. They change every year based on paper difficulty — here's how they're actually set, what 2026 boundaries are likely to look like, and where to find the official tables.

Last updated: August 20, 2026 · Written by the Student Toolbox team

A-Level grade boundaries table on results day

What an A-Level grade boundary actually is

A grade boundary is the minimum number of raw marks a student needs to achieve a particular grade in a specific A-Level paper. Each paper has its own boundaries, and your overall subject grade is calculated by adding up your raw marks across all papers and finding which boundary the total hits.

For example, AQA A-Level Maths in 2024 had the following boundaries:

Grade	Raw marks needed (out of 300)	Percentage
A*	259	86.3%
A	222	74.0%
B	184	61.3%
C	147	49.0%
D	110	36.7%
E	73	24.3%

2024 AQA A-Level Maths boundaries (illustrative — 2026 boundaries will differ).

Why the boundaries change every year

A-Levels are graded on a fixed standard: a grade A in 2026 means the same thing as a grade A in 2020. But the raw marks you need to reach that standard change because the difficulty of each year's paper changes.

The process runs roughly like this:

Papers are sat in May/June. Marking happens in June and July.
Item-level data is collected. Exam boards look at the difficulty of each question and the national performance on it.
Senior examiners and statisticians meet. They compare the live paper to previous years' papers, anchoring grade boundaries to a national standard.
Boundaries are approved by Ofqual. The qualifications regulator checks the process for fairness and consistency.
Boundaries are published on results day — usually the third Thursday of August (14 August 2026).

2026 boundaries: what to expect

Since the return to standard grading in 2023, A-Level grade boundaries have been broadly consistent with pre-pandemic levels. The 2026 boundaries are likely to follow the same pattern:

Maths and Sciences: A* typically around 80-90% of total marks. A around 70-80%. E around 25-30%.
Humanities and essay subjects: grade boundaries tend to be slightly higher — A* around 85-95%, A around 75-85%.
Coursework components: if your subject includes coursework, the coursework grade boundaries are usually higher than the exam boundaries.

Until the 2026 boundaries are published on results day, you can use the 2024 and 2025 boundaries as a guide — the year-to-year shift is typically only a few marks.

How to use boundaries if you're close to the next grade

If you're one or two marks below the next grade boundary:

Ask for a clerical check first — it's free and confirms the marks were added up correctly. Sometimes a simple addition error is the difference.
Request a review of marking — costs £40-£60 per paper, refunded if your grade changes. About 15-20% of reviews result in a grade change.
Priority review — if you have a university place depending on the result, you can request a priority review. This is faster but costs more.

For the full picture on the A-Level grading system, see ourA-Level grades explainer. To estimate your grade from marks, try ourA-Level grade calculator.