AQA GCSE Computer Science grade boundaries 2026: what each grade needed
GCSE Computer Science
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AQA GCSE Computer Science grade boundaries June 2026
Copied from the Computer Science rows of AQA's GCSE grade boundaries for June 2026 (version 1.0, published 20 August 2026). The three language options (C#, Python and VB.NET) have identical boundaries, so one table covers them all.
| Grade | June 2025 | June 2026 | Change | Share of 180, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 155 | 160 | +5 | 89% |
| 8 | 142 | 148 | +6 | 82% |
| 7 | 130 | 136 | +6 | 76% |
| 6 | 111 | 114 | +3 | 63% |
| 5 | 92 | 93 | +1 | 52% |
| 4 | 74 | 72 | −2 | 40% |
| 3 | 55 | 54 | −1 | 30% |
| 2 | 36 | 37 | +1 | 21% |
| 1 | 18 | 20 | +2 | 11% |
The 2025 figures come from AQA's earlier document. The total of 180 is two papers of 90 marks, and there is one tier. The GCSE Computer Science guide and AQA GCSE Computer Science guide cover both papers, and the pseudocode guide covers the notation they use.
The shape of the 2026 change
The grades from 9 to 6 each rose, by 5, 6, 6 and 3 marks. Grade 5 rose by 1. Then it turned: grade 4 fell by 2, and grade 3 by 1. Grades 2 and 1 went up again, by 1 and 2.
That makes grade 9 the highest in the four summers from 2023, at 160 out of 180 or 89%. The top boundary has risen each year: 150, 152, 155, 160.
Worked example: 2026 against 2025
A candidate scores 70 on Paper 1 and 62 on Paper 2, a total of 132. Against 2026 that is a grade 6, 4 marks short of the grade 7 boundary of 136. In 2025 the same 132 was a grade 7, because grade 7 needed 130. A candidate on 73 would be a grade 4 in 2026 (grade 4 starts at 72) and a grade 3 in 2025 (grade 4 started at 74).
How to use the 2026 numbers
- Grade 4 is 40%. 72 marks, 40% of the total.
- Grade 7 is 76%. 136 marks, so a 7 needs three quarters of the paper.
- Grade 9 is 89%. 160 marks, with only 20 to spare.
Use today's paper to estimate your grade
Open today's Computer Science paper, a short timed paper of 8 questions and 25 to 35 marks, written by us and not by AQA. Mark it, divide by the total, and match the share against the last column of the table above. 21 out of 30 is 70%, which is above the grade 6 share of 63% and below the grade 7 share of 76%. Averaging several days with the Mean, Median and Mode Calculator will tell you more than a single result.
Mistakes to avoid
- Planning from the 2025 grade 7 line. It rose by 6 in 2026.
- Assuming a language option changes the grade. It does not.
- Treating a fall at grade 4 as a sign of an easier exam. It reflects how marks fell on the 2026 papers.
Common questions
What were the AQA GCSE Computer Science grade boundaries in 2026?
What mark is a grade 4 in AQA GCSE Computer Science 2026?
What mark is a grade 9 in AQA GCSE Computer Science 2026?
Did Computer Science boundaries rise in 2026?
When did AQA publish them?
Revision cards
Say the answer first, then flip the card to check it.
Where to go next
- Solve it
Mean, Median and Mode Calculator
Find averages, range and quartiles from raw or grouped data
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UK · GCSEAQA GCSE Computer Science grade boundaries 2025AQA's official June 2025 GCSE Computer Science (8525) grade boundaries for every grade 9 to 1, with 2024 and 2023 and a worked example.