AQA GCSE Biology grade boundaries 2026: marks for each grade
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AQA GCSE Biology grade boundaries June 2026
Copied from the Biology Tier H and Tier F rows of AQA's GCSE grade boundaries for June 2026 (version 1.0, published 20 August 2026). Lowest total out of 200 for each grade; a dash means the tier does not award it.
| Grade | Higher tier, out of 200 | Foundation tier, out of 200 |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 133 | - |
| 8 | 120 | - |
| 7 | 107 | - |
| 6 | 88 | - |
| 5 | 70 | 144 |
| 4 | 52 | 127 |
| 3 | 43 | 91 |
| 2 | - | 55 |
| 1 | - | 19 |
The total is two papers of 100 marks. The GCSE Biology guide and AQA GCSE Biology guide cover what the two papers test.
Higher down, Foundation up
Beside AQA's June 2025 figures:
| Grade | Higher 2025 | Higher 2026 | Change | Foundation 2025 | Foundation 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 141 | 133 | −8 | - | - | - |
| 8 | 127 | 120 | −7 | - | - | - |
| 7 | 113 | 107 | −6 | - | - | - |
| 6 | 94 | 88 | −6 | - | - | - |
| 5 | 75 | 70 | −5 | 140 | 144 | +4 |
| 4 | 56 | 52 | −4 | 121 | 127 | +6 |
| 3 | 46 | 43 | −3 | 87 | 91 | +4 |
Biology Higher fell by between 3 and 8 marks at every grade, with the biggest falls at the top: grade 9 from 141 to 133. Foundation went the other way, with grade 5 up from 140 to 144 and grade 4 from 121 to 127. Foundation grade 4 has now risen two years running, from 113 in 2024.
Worked example: the same total, two summers
A Higher candidate scores 57 and 50, a total of 107 out of 200. In 2026 that is exactly the grade 7 boundary of 107, so it is a grade 7. In 2025 grade 7 needed 113, so the same 107 would have been a grade 6. A Foundation candidate on 142 is a grade 4 in 2026, 2 marks short of the grade 5 boundary of 144, but the same 142 would have been a grade 5 in 2025, when grade 5 needed 140.
Setting your own target
- For a 7, aim at 54%. 107 is 6 marks below last year's line.
- A Higher 4 is 26%. 52 marks, back to the 2023 level of 52.
- Foundation 5 is 72%. 144 marks, the highest Biology Foundation grade 5 of 2023 to 2026.
Use today's paper to estimate your grade
Try today's Foundation paper or Higher paper, a short timed paper of 8 questions and 25 to 35 marks, written by us. Mark it and turn the result into a share, then place it on the 2026 table: 19 out of 30 is 63%, above the Higher grade 8 share of 60% and below the grade 9 share of 67%.
Mistakes to avoid
- Assuming both tiers moved together. In 2026 Higher fell and Foundation rose.
- Using the 2025 top-grade lines. Grade 9 was 8 marks lower in 2026.
- Comparing across sciences. Biology, Chemistry and Physics each have their own table.
Common questions
What were the AQA GCSE Biology grade boundaries in 2026?
What mark is a grade 4 in AQA GCSE Biology 2026?
What mark is a grade 7 in AQA GCSE Biology 2026?
Did the Biology boundaries fall in 2026?
When did AQA publish them?
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UK · GCSEAQA GCSE Biology grade boundaries 2025: every gradeAQA's official June 2025 GCSE Biology (8461) grade boundaries for Foundation and Higher, compared with 2024 and 2023, with a worked example.