GCSE Grade Calculator (9–1 Scale)

Use this free GCSE 9–1 grade calculator to combine your paper and component marks into an overall percentage and approximate grade from 9 to 1. You can also estimate what you need in your remaining exams to reach a target grade.

1. Select grading system

Approximate GCSE 9–1 bands. Real exam boundaries can vary by subject and year.

Grade bands

  • 9 – Grade 9 (top) (90–100%)
  • 8 – Grade 8 (80–89%)
  • 7 – Grade 7 (70–79%)
  • 6 – Grade 6 (60–69%)
  • 5 – Grade 5 (50–59%)
  • 4 – Grade 4 (standard pass) (40–49%)
  • 3 – Grade 3 (30–39%)
  • 2 – Grade 2 (20–29%)
  • 1 – Grade 1 (10–19%)
  • U – Ungraded (U) (0–9%)

2. Assessments & weights

Add each assignment, quiz or exam with its percentage weight. Marks and weights are automatically clamped between 0 and 100.

AssessmentWeight (%)Score (%)

3. Current and final grade

Completed weight
0.0%
Total weight
100.0%
Current average so far
0.00%
Projected final result
0.00%
U – Ungraded (U)

4. What do I need on the final?

Choose a target overall percentage and the assessment you want to solve for. The calculator will estimate the minimum score needed on that assessment.

Required score
Enter some marks first to see what you need.

How GCSE 9–1 grades usually work

The GCSE grading system in England now mostly uses a numerical scale from 9 (highest) down to 1 (lowest), with U meaning ungraded. Grades roughly map onto the old A*–G system, but not exactly:

  • 9 – higher than an old A*
  • 7–8 – roughly in the A–A* range
  • 6–5 – in the B–C range, with 5 often called a "strong pass"
  • 4 – standard pass, close to a low C
  • 3–1 – below a standard pass
  • U – ungraded

Exam boards like AQA, Edexcel and OCR set exact grade boundaries for each subject and each exam sitting, so the marks needed for a 7 or a 5 can vary slightly year to year. This calculator uses approximated percentage bands to give you a quick idea of where your overall mark sits on the 9–1 scale.

How to use this GCSE 9–1 grade calculator

  1. Check that the grading system is set to UK – GCSE (9–1 scale).
  2. Under "Assessments & weights", use each row for:
    • an exam paper (e.g. Paper 1, Paper 2)
    • a component (e.g. speaking, coursework, practical)
    • a unit if your subject is modular
  3. Enter how much each paper or component counts towards your final grade in the Weight (%) column. For example:
    • Paper 1 – 50%
    • Paper 2 – 50%
  4. As you receive marks, type your Score (%) into the table (e.g. 72, 63, 81).
  5. The Grade summary card will show:
    • Your total weight so far
    • Your current average (based on completed papers)
    • Your final percentage (once all marks are in)
    • An approximate GCSE grade on the 9–1 scale

You can rename each row, add extra components or remove ones you don't need so that the calculator matches your exact subject structure.

Estimating what you need in your remaining GCSE papers

If you've already taken some exams, you'll probably want to know:

"What do I need in Paper 2 to get at least a 5 (or a 7)?"

The "What do I need on the final?" panel is made for that. To use it:

  1. Make sure all completed exams and components have marks entered.
  2. Choose a target overall percentage that matches the grade you're aiming for. For example:
    • around 80%+ for a grade 7–9
    • around 60–70% for a grade 5–6
    • around 40–50% for a grade 4–5
  3. Select the paper you want to solve for (e.g. Paper 2) from the dropdown.
  4. The calculator will show the minimum percentage you need on that paper to hit your target overall percentage.

This can help you decide how much to prioritise each paper when revising.

Actual GCSE boundaries vs this tool

It's important to remember that real GCSE grade boundaries are set by exam boards after the exams have been marked. They can change slightly each year depending on how difficult the paper was and how students perform overall.

This calculator uses simple percentage bands to give an approximate idea of your grade. It's a great way to understand how your marks combine – but for final results, always check the official boundaries and your results from your school or exam board.

Other calculators for when you move beyond GCSE

After GCSEs, you might go on to A-Levels, IB, or another route. These calculators can help at the next stage:

  • A-Level grade calculator (A*–E)
  • IB Diploma 7–1 grade calculator
  • UK honours degree classification calculator
  • US letter grade calculator (A–F)

All use the same simple interface, so once you're used to this GCSE calculator, the others will feel familiar too.

Other free grade calculators

Switch to a different grading system – each calculator uses the same layout so it’s easy to use.