What is a grade 8 at GCSE? Between the old A and the top grade

What is a grade 8 at GCSE?

A grade 8 is the second-highest GCSE grade. It is not fixed to the old letters. Ofqual's comparable points are the bottoms of grades 7, 4 and 1, so a grade 8 is above the bottom of the old A. In Northern Ireland, CCEA's A covers grades 7 and 8 and its A* lines up with the 9. In England, AQA says grades 7 to 9 are based on the share of students who would have got an A or A* before the reform.

How the grade 8 boundary is set

AQA says the grade 8 boundary sits midway between the grade 7 and grade 9 boundaries, and that a formula means around 20% of all grades at 7 or above will be a 9. You can check the midway rule on AQA's June 2026 Higher papers: in Maths the 7 and 9 boundaries are 166 and 219, and the 8 is 192, close to the midpoint of 192.5. In Physics they are 128 and 157, and the 8 is 142, against a midpoint of 142.5. In Biology, 107 and 133 give a midpoint of 120, and the 8 is 120.

How many students get a grade 8 or above

An 8 or better went to 12.3% of England's results in 2026 (12.9% of 16-year-olds). Only 7.2% were exactly an 8.

The separate sciences have about three times the share of Maths at grade 8 and above, at 27.7%, 31.4% and 29.6%, against 9.5%. English Language is lowest at 7.0%.

How many marks you need for a grade 8

Where AQA put the 8 in June 2026, with the 7 and 9 either side: Source: AQA's June 2026 document.

The step from a 7 to an 8 is Maths 26, Biology 13, Chemistry 17, Physics 14, Computer Science 12 marks, and from an 8 to a 9 it is Maths 27, Biology 13, Chemistry 18, Physics 15, Computer Science 12 marks.

Is a grade 8 the same as an A*?

Not in England, where only three points are fixed to the old letters. An 8 is a high grade within the range that covers the old A and A*, together with 7 and 9. Treat it as a very strong result, between the A level of grade 7 and the top grade.

Aim at an 8

Our typical Higher cut-off for an 8 is 72%. Sit Maths Higher and see: AQA's real Maths 8 was 80% of the total.

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UK · GCSEWhat is a grade 7 at GCSE? Equivalent to an AA grade 7 at GCSE is the level of the old A. How many students get one, the marks AQA needed in 2026, and how the boundary moved from 2025.