AQA GCSE Combined Science grade boundaries 2026: Trilogy and Synergy

AQA GCSE Combined Science grade boundaries June 2026

Copied from AQA's GCSE grade boundaries for June 2026 (version 1.0, published 20 August 2026). Combined Science is worth two GCSEs, so it is graded with double grades from 9-9 down to 1-1, and every grade pair has its own boundary. Trilogy (8464) is six papers of 70 marks, out of 420. Synergy (8465) is four papers of 100 marks, out of 400. A Higher entry earns 9-9 to 4-3, and a Foundation entry earns 5-5 to 1-1.

A dash means the tier does not award that grade. The GCSE Combined Science guide and AQA GCSE Combined Science guide cover the papers, and the equation sheet guide covers what you are given.

What changed from 2025

Beside AQA's 2025 document, selected grades:

Trilogy Higher rose at the bottom: 5-5 from 140 to 149 and 4-4 from 96 to 111, while 7-7 stayed at 228. Synergy Higher went the opposite way. Its 9-9 fell from 284 to 267, a drop of 17 that undid its 2025 jump, and its 7-7 fell from 211 to 203.

On Foundation, Trilogy 4-4 rose from 231 to 238, and Synergy 4-4 moved from 214 to 215.

Worked example: a 2026 total

A Trilogy Higher candidate with 125 marks is above the 4-4 boundary of 111 and below the 5-4 boundary of 130, so the grade is 4-4. Under the 2025 table, which had 4-4 at 96 and 5-4 at 118, the same 125 would have been a 5-4, one full grade higher on one of the two GCSEs.

A Synergy Foundation candidate on 190 out of 400 is a 4-3, since the 3-3 boundary is 163 and the 4-3 boundary is 189.

What the 2026 shares say

• Trilogy Higher 4-4 is 26%. 111 out of 420, up from 23% last year.
• Synergy Higher 4-4 is 23%. 90 out of 400.
• Foundation 5-5 is 66% on Trilogy and 63% on Synergy. 276 and 252 marks.

Use today's paper to estimate your grade

Sit today's Foundation paper or Higher paper, a short timed paper of 8 questions and 25 to 35 marks written by us. Convert your mark to a share, then compare. 15 out of 30 is 50%, above the Higher 4-4 share of 26% but below the Foundation 4-4 share of 57%, which shows why the tier matters. Average a few days with the Mean, Median and Mode Calculator.

Mistakes to avoid

• Using 2025 numbers for Trilogy 4-4. It rose by 15.
• Using Trilogy boundaries on Synergy. The two courses have different totals.
• Expecting every boundary to move together. In 2026 Trilogy rose and Synergy Higher fell.

Read next

UK · GCSEAQA GCSE Combined Science grade boundaries 2025AQA's official June 2025 GCSE Combined Science grade boundaries for Trilogy (8464) and Synergy (8465), Foundation and Higher, with 2024 and 2023.