Updated November 2026, with the official June 2026 AQA and Edexcel A-Level Maths boundaries, per-paper figures, a four-year trend, a short OCR comparison and the 2027 exam dates.
The short answer: In June 2026, a student sitting AQA A-Level Maths (7357) needed 219 out of 300 for an A (73%) and 260 out of 300 for an A\ (87%). On Pearson Edexcel A-Level Maths (9MA0), an A needed 210 out of 300 (70%) and an A\ needed 254** (85%). These figures come from the official June 2026 grade boundary documents from AQA and Pearson.
Boundaries change every exam series, so use them as a guide for Year 12 and Year 13 mocks, not as a promise of what next summer's boundaries will be. This guide explains what the numbers mean, how they have moved since 2023, how to read a mock result, and why it matters for predicted grades this term.
How A-Level Maths is marked
Both AQA and Edexcel A-Level Maths are assessed by three written papers at the end of Year 13. Each paper lasts 2 hours, is worth 100 marks and counts for a third of the A-Level, so the total is out of 300. The grades are A\*, A, B, C, D and E.
| Paper | AQA (7357) | Pearson Edexcel (9MA0) |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (2 hours, 100 marks) | Pure maths | Pure Mathematics 1 |
| Paper 2 (2 hours, 100 marks) | Pure maths and mechanics | Pure Mathematics 2 |
| Paper 3 (2 hours, 100 marks) | Pure maths and statistics | Statistics (Section A) and Mechanics (Section B) |
Sources: AQA 7357 specification at a glance; Pearson Edexcel 9MA0 specification.
The boards split the content differently. On AQA, Papers 2 and 3 can also include any of the pure content from Paper 1. On Edexcel, pure maths is spread across Papers 1 and 2, and Paper 3 is all statistics and mechanics. Pearson's specification says "Calculators can be used in the assessment" for each paper, and that students "must complete all assessment in May/June in any single year".
A-Level Maths is a linear qualification. The marks from the three papers are added together, and the grade is decided by that total out of 300. AQA's assessment section puts it simply: "Grade boundaries will be set using this total scaled mark" (AQA 7357 scheme of assessment).
AQA A-Level Maths grade boundaries 2026
AQA A-Level Mathematics (7357), out of 300
| Grade | A\* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marks needed | 260 | 219 | 182 | 145 | 108 | 72 |
| Approx. % | 87% | 73% | 61% | 48% | 36% | 24% |
Source: AQA A-level grade boundaries, June 2026 (published 13 August 2026). Percentages are rounded.
Edexcel A-Level Maths grade boundaries 2026
Pearson Edexcel A-Level Mathematics (9MA0), out of 300
| Grade | A\* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marks needed | 254 | 210 | 173 | 136 | 100 | 64 |
| Approx. % | 85% | 70% | 58% | 45% | 33% | 21% |
Source: Pearson Edexcel GCE AS/A Level grade boundaries, June 2026. Percentages are rounded.
Four years of A-Level Maths boundaries
AQA (7357), out of 300
| June series | A\* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 260 | 219 | 182 | 145 | 108 | 72 |
| 2025 | 260 | 221 | 183 | 145 | 108 | 71 |
| 2024 | 259 | 222 | 184 | 147 | 110 | 73 |
| 2023 | 248 | 201 | 163 | 125 | 87 | 49 |
Sources: AQA A-level grade boundary documents for June 2026, June 2025, June 2024 and June 2023.
Pearson Edexcel (9MA0), out of 300
| June series | A\* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 254 | 210 | 173 | 136 | 100 | 64 |
| 2025 | 258 | 214 | 178 | 142 | 106 | 71 |
| 2024 | 251 | 205 | 167 | 130 | 93 | 56 |
| 2023 | 244 | 196 | 158 | 121 | 84 | 47 |
Sources: Pearson GCE grade boundary documents for June 2026, June 2025, June 2024 and June 2023.
What the trend shows: On both boards, 2023 stands out as the low year. AQA's grade A boundary jumped 21 marks between 2023 and 2024 (201 to 222) and has barely moved since (221 in 2025, 219 in 2026). Edexcel's A rose from 196 (2023) to 205 (2024) and 214 (2025), then dipped to 210 in 2026. The A\* has followed a similar path: AQA 248 to 260, Edexcel 244 to 258 and then 254.
Summer 2023 was the first year England returned to pre-pandemic grading, and Ofqual explains that "protection" was in place, meaning "allowances have been made where national performance is weaker than before the pandemic" (Ofqual: guide to AS and A level results, summer 2023). That context is a likely reason the 2023 boundaries sit lower, but the exam boards do not give a reason for each change.
Why boundaries go up and down
A higher boundary does not mean a grade became harder to get. Ofqual says new boundaries are set each year "to ensure that it is no easier or harder to get a grade in any given year", and that where boundaries increase, "it does not mean it is more difficult to achieve a grade. Rather, it reflects that that exam paper was easier" (Ofqual: GCSE and A level grading – what you need to know).
Edexcel families may also remember that in 2025 there were two versions of A-Level Maths Paper 2. Pearson says a reserve Paper 2 "was taken by 99.9% of the entry", that both versions had boundaries set independently, and that "the same grade boundaries were confirmed for both versions" (Pearson: A level Maths 9MA0 update, 13 August 2025). If a mock uses a 2025 Edexcel Paper 2, it is worth asking which version it was.
What it means in practice:
- Older boundaries can flatter a mock. A total of 205 out of 300 was an A on both boards in 2023. Against the 2026 boundaries it is a B on both.
- Match the boundaries to the paper. If your child sat a particular year's papers as a mock, that year's boundaries are the fairest comparison.
- Think in a range. Since 2024, AQA's A has sat between 219 and 222, and Edexcel's between 205 and 214. That range is a more honest guide than any single number.
A-Level Maths paper grade boundaries: how many marks out of 100?
Most mocks are marked paper by paper, so per-paper figures help. Both boards publish "notional" boundaries for each paper. AQA describes them as being "for illustrative purposes only" (AQA guide to notional component grade boundaries).
AQA (7357), June 2026, out of 100
| Paper | A\* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (pure) | 86 | 71 | 58 | 46 | 34 | 22 |
| Paper 2 (pure and mechanics) | 86 | 72 | 59 | 46 | 34 | 22 |
| Paper 3 (pure and statistics) | 88 | 76 | 64 | 52 | 40 | 28 |
Source: AQA A-level grade boundaries, June 2026 (notional component section).
Pearson Edexcel (9MA0), June 2026, out of 100
| Paper | A\* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (Pure Mathematics 1) | 81 | 67 | 55 | 43 | 31 | 19 |
| Paper 2 (Pure Mathematics 2) | 87 | 75 | 62 | 49 | 37 | 25 |
| Paper 3 (Statistics and Mechanics) | 86 | 68 | 56 | 44 | 32 | 20 |
Source: Pearson notional component grade boundaries, GCE, June 2026.
Two things are worth noticing:
- The papers were not equally demanding. On Edexcel in 2026, a notional A needed 67 on Paper 1 but 75 on Paper 2. On AQA, Paper 3 needed the most marks at every grade. So multiplying one paper's score by three is only a rough estimate.
- Paper "grades" don't have to match the overall grade. AQA explains that notional boundaries "do not always add up to the subject grade boundaries", and that it is possible to get a notional grade on every paper but a lower grade overall. In 2026 the AQA paper figures for B add up to 181, one mark below the overall B boundary of 182. Only the total out of 300 decides the grade.
How are A-Level grade boundaries set?
Ofqual explains the general process (Ofqual):
- Boundaries are decided after students sit the exams, when marking is nearly complete.
- Exam boards compare data on this year's students with previous years. Senior examiners then look at samples of work on and around the possible boundaries and compare it with work from the previous year.
- There are "no quotas for the number of students who must pass or fail a subject each year".
A-Level has its own rules for which grades are set by judgement. AQA's guide says: "The 'judgemental' grades for A-level are A and E." The B, C and D boundaries "are then set arithmetically so that they fall as evenly as possible between A and E". Grade A\* is different: it is "determined statistically by carrying forward the standard from the previous specification" (AQA guide).
You can see the arithmetic in the 2026 figures. On AQA there were 147 marks between E (72) and A (219), so B, C and D sit roughly 37 marks apart: 182, 145 and 108.
Year 13 mocks and predicted grades
For most Year 13 students, this term's mocks and assessments feed into their UCAS predicted grades. UCAS describes a predicted grade as "the grade of qualification an applicant's school or college believes they're likely to achieve in positive circumstances", and asks schools to base predictions on "demonstrable evidence of performance" (UCAS: predicted grades). Each school sets its own process.
The UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most 2027-entry courses is 18:00 on Wednesday 13 January 2027 (UCAS dates and deadlines). For courses with the 15 October deadline (Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses), that date has already passed.
So it helps to know exactly what a mock mark means. When the result comes back, these five questions are worth asking:
- Which exam board? (AQA is 7357; Edexcel is 9MA0.)
- Which papers were sat? One, two or all three, and from which year?
- What was the raw mark on each paper?
- Which boundaries did the school use, and from which year?
- Had every topic on the paper been taught yet? In an autumn mock, especially in Year 12, it is reasonable to expect that some content has not been covered in class.
Then look at the gap in marks, not just the grade.
A worked example (hypothetical): a Year 13 student sits the three June 2026 Edexcel papers as a mock and scores 62, 70 and 65, a total of 197. Against the June 2026 boundaries, 197 is a B: it is 24 marks above the B boundary (173) and 13 marks below an A (210).
Paper by paper, 62 on Paper 1 (67 needed for a notional A), 70 on Paper 2 (75 needed) and 65 on Paper 3 (68 needed) are each a few marks short. Thirteen marks across three two-hour papers may come down to a handful of questions, which is worth checking on the scripts themselves. The same 197 would have been an A against the 2023 boundaries (196), which is exactly why the year matters.
The bands are also wide. In 2026 there were 41 marks between an AQA A and A\*, and 44 on Edexcel. A student at the bottom of a B has a different job from one a few marks short of an A.
Comparing boards: AQA, Edexcel and OCR
If a friend's child sits a different board, their boundaries will look different.
A-Level Maths, June 2026, out of 300
| Board | A\* | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AQA (7357) | 260 (87%) | 219 (73%) | 182 | 145 | 108 | 72 |
| Pearson Edexcel (9MA0) | 254 (85%) | 210 (70%) | 173 | 136 | 100 | 64 |
| OCR A (H240) | 250 (83%) | 208 (69%) | 172 | 136 | 100 | 65 |
Sources: official AQA, Pearson and OCR June 2026 boundary documents. Percentages are rounded.
That does not make one board easier. Ofqual says that where boundaries are lower with one board than another, that "reflects that the paper was harder, not that it is easier to get a particular grade" (Ofqual). So compare grades, not raw marks, and always use your child's own board.
Key dates for 2027
AQA and Edexcel A-Level Maths papers for summer 2027 are on the same three afternoons, each lasting 2 hours:
| Date (afternoon) | AQA (7357) | Pearson Edexcel (9MA0) |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 26 May 2027 | Paper 1 | Paper 1: Pure Mathematics 1 |
| Wednesday 9 June 2027 | Paper 2 | Paper 2: Pure Mathematics 2 |
| Wednesday 16 June 2027 | Paper 3 | Paper 3: Statistics and Mechanics |
Sources: AQA AS and A-level timetable, May/June 2027; Pearson GCE summer 2027 final timetable.
A-Level results day is Thursday 12 August 2027 (AQA results days).
The bottom line for parents
- In June 2026, an A in AQA A-Level Maths needed 219/300 and an A\ needed 260. On Edexcel, an A needed 210 and an A\ 254.
- Boundaries were much lower in 2023 on both boards. Since 2024 they have been fairly steady, especially on AQA.
- Per-paper boundaries (out of 100) help with reading a mock, but only the total out of 300 decides the grade.
- For a mock, ask for the raw mark on each paper, which year's papers were used and which year's boundaries were applied, then look at the gap in marks to the next grade.
- With predicted grades being set this term, the most useful next step is usually to go through the scripts and find where the marks were lost, rather than focus on the letter at the top.
If your child is aiming for an A or A*
Mathinar runs online A-Level Maths group classes for students in Year 12 and Year 13 studying AQA or Edexcel. Each week includes 90 minutes of live teaching and a separate 60-minute homework class. Anish teaches every group himself, groups have a maximum of ten students, and the programme costs £147 a month. You can try a group lesson free, or read more on the A-Level page.
No one can guarantee a grade. What a good programme can do is give your child steady weekly teaching, regular practice with exam-style questions, and proper time to fix the questions they got stuck on.
Frequently asked questions
1. How many marks do you need for an A in A-Level Maths? In June 2026, an A needed 219 out of 300 on AQA (73%) and 210 out of 300 on Edexcel (70%).
*2. What mark is an A\ in A-Level Maths?** 260 out of 300 on AQA and 254 out of 300 on Edexcel in June 2026. In June 2025 they were 260 and 258.
3. How many marks out of 100 is an A on each paper? For June 2026, the notional A boundaries were 71, 72 and 76 on AQA Papers 1, 2 and 3, and 67, 75 and 68 on Edexcel Papers 1, 2 and 3. These are for guidance only, because the grade is based on the total out of 300.
4. Why were the 2023 boundaries so much lower? 2023 was the first summer of England's return to pre-pandemic grading, with some protection for students. Ofqual says "allowances have been made where national performance is weaker than before the pandemic". So 2023 boundaries are a poor guide for a 2026–27 mock.
5. Is Edexcel A-Level Maths easier than AQA because its boundaries are lower? No. Ofqual explains that lower boundaries reflect a harder paper, "not that it is easier to get a particular grade". Compare grades, not marks.
6. When are the 2027 A-Level Maths exams? For AQA and Edexcel, Wednesday 26 May, Wednesday 9 June and Wednesday 16 June 2027, all in the afternoon. Results day is Thursday 12 August 2027.
7. My child's Year 13 mock says B. Will that be their predicted grade? Not necessarily. Each school sets its own process, and UCAS asks for predictions based on evidence of performance. Ask how the mock will be used, which boundaries were applied, and how many marks your child is from the next grade.
8. Does a Year 12 mock grade mean much? It can show which topics are secure, but a Year 12 student has not yet met the second-year content, and the boundaries were set for students at the end of Year 13. The marks lost on each question are usually more useful than the grade.
About the author
Anish Patel has taught maths for more than 20 years and is a GCSE examiner. He teaches every Mathinar group and one-to-one session himself.
