Infographics for GCSEs, 2021 (accessible) (2024)

FAQs

What percentage of the UK gets a 9 at GCSE? ›

A 9 is for a student who has performed exceptionally well – usually in the top 5% of the cohort. A Grade 7 has been matched to the bottom of the old Grade A and Grade 1 aligns with the bottom of the old Grade G. Grade 4 is a standard pass. Grade 5 is known as a strong pass.

Overall: As expected, grades at GCSE have fallen this year. However, across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, passing grades are still up on 2019, with those at 4/C or above up 0.9 percentage points (68.2% compared to 67.3%), and the highest grades (7/A and above), up 1.2pp from 20.8% to 22%.

The percentage needed for a grade 9 varies from year to year, depending on how other examinees have done. Grade 9 is generally awarded to those in the top 5% or 1 in 20 candidates. Know what you're aiming for and review back to your existing marks and what percentage score you need in the exam to score a 9.

Mahnoor Cheema, from Slough, has a full schedule managing her coursework and exam preparation alongside multiple extra-curricular activities. The 17-year-old, whose 161 IQ is higher than the late Prof Stephen Hawking, is at college after taking 34 GCSEs.

GCSE Maths is widely agreed as one of the hardest GCSE subjects. Its concepts and requirement for problem-solving skills make it challenging for many students. The curriculum includes topics such as algebra, geometry and trigonometry, which can be complex.

In 2023, one of the least popular GCSEs was Leisure and Tourism, with just 151 enrolled students throughout the entire UK.

By taking a weighted average (weights in column B) of the values in column F we can estimate that less than 0.03 per cent of candidates (that is, less than 3 in 10,000) would be expected to achieve straight grade 9s across 10 gCSEs.

In light of this, it is not anticipated that the 2024 tests will be noticeably simpler or harder than their equivalents from the previous year. The complexity of previous year's practice exams will still give you a decent idea of how challenging the real exam will be.

Which ethnicities perform the best in education? ›

pupils from the Chinese ethnic group had the highest average score out of all ethnic groups (66.1), followed by pupils from the Indian ethnic group (61.3)

GCSEs are seen as evidence of work ethic – and you need a really strong one of those to cope with studying at Oxford or Cambridge. Our guesstimate is that the average successful applicant has around eight 8/9 grade GCSEs under their belt. Don't have top GCSE grades?

No. GCSEs are a good guide to your likely performance at A level, so you would certainly be expected to do very well, but nothing is guaranteed. With GCSEs like that, you'd probably stand a very good chance of an interview, though lots of subjects also have Oxford-set exams/tests as well.

' Cambridge state 'most students who apply have at least four or five 7-9s at GCSE. However, there are always exceptions and we don't require a minimum number of 7-9s at GCSE. ' Oxbridge do consider GCSE grades in context.

The highest grade you can get is a 9, with 1 being the lowest. This system was introduced in 2017, replacing the old GCSE grading system that awarded students letter grades from A* to G. In the current grading system, a score of 9, 8 and 7 are equivalent to an A* and A.

In the current grading system, a score of 9, 8 and 7 are equivalent to an A* and A. A 9 is for a student who has performed exceptionally well. A grade of 4 is the equivalent of a C grade, known as a standard pass. A grade of 5 is also a C grade but is known as a strong pass.

As a rough example, in a higher-tier maths exam, you can expect to gain a grade 6 with a 50-70 per cent overall mark, and an 8 if you achieve 86 per cent or more. Grade 9 is reserved for the upper half of the old-style A* (over 90 per cent in the paper overall).

Summary of GCSE results (Attainment 8) By ethnicity Summary

the average Attainment 8 score for all pupils in England was 48.8 out of 90.0.