Edexcel GCSE Maths Grade Boundaries 2026: What Marks Do You Need?

Updated October 2026, with the official June 2026 Pearson Edexcel Foundation and Higher boundaries, Pearson's notional per-paper figures, a four-year trend and the 2027 exam dates.

The short answer: In June 2026, a student sitting Pearson Edexcel GCSE Maths Higher (1MA1) needed 146 out of 240 for a grade 7 (about 61%), 177 for a grade 8 (about 74%) and 208 for a grade 9 (about 87%). On Foundation Tier, a grade 4 required 151 out of 240 and a grade 5 required 181 out of 240. These figures come from Pearson's official GCSE grade boundaries for June 2026, published on results day, 20 August 2026 (Pearson Edexcel, June 2026).

Boundaries change every exam series, and Edexcel's have moved more than AQA's in recent years. Use them as a guide for mocks, not as a promise of what next summer's boundaries will be. The rest of this guide explains what the numbers mean, how to read your child's mock result, and what to look at next.

How many marks is a grade 4 in Edexcel GCSE Maths Foundation?

In June 2026, a grade 4 in Edexcel GCSE Maths Foundation required 151 marks out of 240, approximately 63% of the available marks.

The highest grade available on Foundation Tier is grade 5, which required 181 marks out of 240 (about 75%).

A grade 4 is often described as the standard pass. However, the final grade comes from the total across all three papers, not from a separate pass mark on each 80-mark paper.

How Edexcel GCSE Maths (1MA1) is marked

Pearson Edexcel GCSE Maths (specification code 1MA1) has three written papers. Each paper is out of 80 marks and lasts 1 hour 30 minutes:

• Paper 1: non-calculator
• Paper 2: calculator
• Paper 3: calculator

The three papers are equally weighted, and all three must be sat at the same tier in the same exam series. Pearson's specification is explicit that the qualification is graded "using the total mark across all three papers" and that "individual papers are not graded" (Pearson Edexcel 1MA1 specification).

There are two tiers. Higher covers grades 9 to 4, with grade 3 "allowed" for students just below grade 4. Foundation covers grades 5 to 1.

Edexcel GCSE Maths Higher grade boundaries 2026

Higher tier (1MA1 Higher), out of 240

Source: Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) grade boundaries, June 2026. Percentages are rounded.

Edexcel GCSE Maths Foundation grade boundaries 2026

Foundation tier (1MA1 Foundation), out of 240

Source: Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) grade boundaries, June 2026. Percentages are rounded.

For comparison, the Foundation grade 4 boundary was 144 in June 2025, 142 in June 2024 and 147 in June 2023 (Pearson boundary documents for 2025, 2024 and 2023).

Four years of Edexcel Higher boundaries

Sources: Pearson Edexcel official GCSE grade boundary documents for June 2026, June 2025, June 2024 and June 2023.

What the trend shows: Edexcel's Higher boundaries have moved noticeably from year to year. The grade 7 boundary went from 145 (2023) down to 137 (2024), up 19 marks to 156 (2025), then down 10 marks to 146 (2026). Across these four series, grade 7 has sat anywhere between 137 and 156 marks, a range of 19 marks. Grade 9 has ranged from 197 to 217.

Why Edexcel's grade 7 moves more than AQA's

This is the main thing that makes Edexcel boundaries different to read. Over the same four years, AQA's Higher grade 7 boundary moved within a much narrower range: 158, 163, 164 and 166 marks, a spread of 8 marks with no single-year change bigger than 5 (AQA boundary documents for 2026, 2025, 2024 and 2023). Edexcel's grade 7 changed by 8, 19 and 10 marks in successive years.

A moving boundary does not mean the grade got easier or harder to achieve. Ofqual explains that if an exam is harder than in previous years, the boundaries will be lower, and if it is easier, they will be higher. New boundaries are set each year "to ensure that it is no easier or harder to get a grade in any given year" (Ofqual: GCSE and A level grading – what you need to know).

What it means in practice for Edexcel families:

• One year's boundaries can mislead. A mock marked against the 2024 boundaries (7 = 137) and the same marks judged against the 2025 boundaries (7 = 156) could differ by a whole grade. A total of 140, for example, was a 7 in 2024 but a 6 in 2025.
• 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, because they reflect how hard students found those papers.
• Think in a range, not a single number. For Edexcel Higher, the four-year range for a 7 (137 to 156) is a more honest guide than any one figure.

Edexcel GCSE Maths paper grade boundaries: how many marks out of 80?

Most mocks are marked paper by paper, so per-paper figures are useful. Pearson's main GCSE boundaries document gives overall boundaries only; it states that "only the maximum mark and grade boundaries for the overall qualification are available in this document." However, Pearson also publishes a separate document of notional component grade boundaries, which gives a figure for each 80-mark paper (Pearson Edexcel notional component grade boundaries, June 2026).

Higher tier, June 2026 (out of 80)

Foundation tier, June 2026 (out of 80)

Source: Pearson Edexcel notional component grade boundaries, June 2026.

Pearson is clear about what these are for. It says notional component boundaries "can be useful as an indicator of grade performance when, for example, an examination paper is used as a future mock examination", but that they are "notional only, and do not equate to a certificated grade". Notional grade performance on a paper "plays no part in the determination of a qualification grade" (same source).

Two things are worth noticing in the 2026 figures:

• The papers were not equally demanding. A notional 7 needed 51 on Paper 2H but only 46 on Paper 3H. Multiplying one paper's score by three is therefore only a rough estimate.
• The per-paper figures do not always add up to the overall boundary. The three notional 7s (49 + 51 + 46) add up to 146, matching the overall boundary, but the three notional 8s add up to 176, one mark below the overall 177.

How many marks out of 80 do you need to pass Edexcel GCSE Maths?

There is no official pass mark for each 80-mark paper, because the final GCSE grade is calculated from the total out of 240.

If by "pass" you mean a grade 4, the June 2026 notional grade 4 boundaries were:

• Higher: 18 on Paper 1H, 17 on Paper 2H and 15 on Paper 3H (overall boundary 50 out of 240)
• Foundation: 53 on Paper 1F, 49 on Paper 2F and 49 on Paper 3F (overall boundary 151 out of 240)

A single-paper score can give you a rough indication, but it should never be treated as a final GCSE grade.

How are grade boundaries set?

Ofqual, the exams regulator in England, explains the process in plain terms (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 them with work from the previous year.
• If a paper turns out harder, the boundaries go down; if it is easier, they go up.
• There are "no quotas for the number of students who must pass or fail a subject each year".

At GCSE, grades 7, 4 and 1 are the "key" boundaries. Pearson explains that these are set using statistical evidence and senior examiners' review of students' work, and that the other boundaries are then calculated at equally spaced intervals between them, with grade 9 set separately (Pearson: GCSE awarding from 2017). You can see this in the June 2026 Higher figures: grade 8 (177) sits exactly halfway between grade 7 (146) and grade 9 (208), and grades 6 (114) and 5 (82) split the 96 marks between grade 7 and grade 4 (50) into three equal steps of 32.

Grade 7 also lines up with the bottom of the old grade A (GOV.UK: GCSE 9 to 1 grade scale explained), which is one reason it matters so much to students aiming high.

How to read your child's mock result

A mock grade is only as reliable as the boundaries used to produce it. Schools approach this differently. In parent discussions on Mumsnet, teachers describe several approaches: using the boundaries for the specific past paper set, using last year's boundaries, or raising boundaries by a few marks to avoid false reassurance (Mumsnet thread). With Edexcel, where the grade 7 boundary has ranged from 137 to 156, that choice can make a real difference.

It also helps to know that Pearson locks its most recent papers. Papers from the last nine months "are locked so Teachers can use them for mock exams" (Pearson past papers). So an autumn mock may well use the June 2026 papers, in which case the June 2026 boundaries above are the right ones to compare against.

When the mock comes back, these five questions are worth asking:

1. Which exam board and tier? (Edexcel GCSE Maths is 1MA1, Higher or Foundation.)

2. Which papers were sat? One, two or all three?

3. What was the raw mark on each paper?

4. Which boundaries did the school use, and from which year?

5. Had every topic on the paper been taught yet? In an autumn mock, it is reasonable to expect some topics may not have been covered in class.

Then look at the gap in marks, not just the grade.

A worked example (hypothetical): a student sits the three June 2026 Edexcel Higher papers as a mock and scores 50, 48 and 44, a total of 142. Against the June 2026 boundaries, 142 is a grade 6: it is 28 marks above the grade 6 boundary (114) and 4 marks below grade 7 (146).

Paper by paper, the picture is more mixed. Against the notional boundaries, 50 on Paper 1H is a notional 7 (49 needed), while 48 on Paper 2H (51 needed) and 44 on Paper 3H (46 needed) are each just short of a 7. The overall grade is still a 6, because only the total counts. A 4-mark gap across three papers may come down to one or two questions, which is worth checking on the papers themselves.

Compare that with the band widths in June 2026. On Edexcel Higher, there were 32 marks between a 6 and a 7, 31 between a 7 and an 8, and 31 between an 8 and a 9. A child at the bottom of grade 6 has a different job from a child a few marks short of a 7.

Where marks are often lost: what Pearson examiner reports say

Pearson publishes a principal examiner report for each paper, explaining where marks were gained and lost. The June 2026 reports are currently available only to schools (Pearson restricts materials from the last 12 months to registered centres), so the most recent public reports are from June 2025. They say:

• Accuracy marks go with arithmetic slips. The Paper 1H report notes that "whilst arithmetic errors may be condoned in the awarding of method or process marks, accuracy marks would not be awarded" (Pearson, Paper 1H report, June 2025).
• Instructions in the question matter. The same report says some responses could not get full credit because they "had not met the specific demands of the question", such as "You must show all your working" or giving an answer in its simplest form.
• Proof needs careful algebra. On a proof question, "marks were often lost due to algebraic errors or missing brackets" (same report).
• Messy working can cost marks. The Paper 2H report says messy working "can lead to learners miscopying their own work or figures and losing marks" (Pearson, Paper 2H report, June 2025).
• Explanations need to be precise. The Paper 3H report gives an example where "they only multiplied the p" was not sufficient, whereas "they only multiplied the p by 3" was accepted (Pearson, Paper 3H report, June 2025).

None of those points is about learning a new topic. That suggests a careful look through the mock papers with your child (question by question, mark by mark) can tell you more than the grade printed at the top. Mathinar's articles on what examiners are actually looking for in GCSE maths and how the exams are marked go into more detail.

Edexcel vs AQA vs OCR: don't compare percentages

If a friend's child sits a different board, their boundaries will look different.

Sources: Pearson Edexcel, AQA, OCR, all June 2026. OCR papers are out of 100 each, so its total is 300.

Edexcel's Higher grade 7 was 20 marks lower than AQA's in 2026 (146 against 166). That does not make Edexcel easier. Ofqual's guidance is clear 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 or percentages, and always use your child's own board. If your child is on AQA, Mathinar's AQA GCSE Maths grade boundaries guide covers the same ground for 8300.

Key dates for Year 11 in 2027

Pearson Edexcel GCSE Maths papers for summer 2027 are all in the morning and last 1 hour 30 minutes:

Source: Pearson Edexcel GCSE summer 2027 final timetable.

GCSE results day is Thursday 19 August 2027 (AQA results days).

Past papers for practice are on Mathinar's Edexcel GCSE Maths 1MA1 past papers page.

The bottom line for parents

• In June 2026, an Edexcel Foundation grade 4 needed 151/240 and a grade 5 needed 181/240.
• On Higher Tier, a grade 7 needed 146/240, an 8 needed 177 and a 9 needed 208.
• Edexcel boundaries have moved more than AQA's: the Higher grade 7 has ranged from 137 to 156 since 2023. None of these figures is a promise for 2027.
• Pearson publishes notional per-paper boundaries, which are useful for reading a mock, but only the total out of 240 decides the grade.
• For a mock, ask for the raw mark on each paper and which year's boundaries were used, then look at the gap in marks to the next grade.
• The most useful next step is usually to go through the papers and find where the marks were lost, not to worry about the grade.

If your child is aiming for a 7, 8 or 9

Mathinar runs online GCSE maths group classes for Higher Tier students in Years 9, 10 and 11, especially those around grades 5–6 who want to push towards 7–9. Each week includes 60 minutes of live teaching and a separate 30-minute homework class. Students on both Edexcel and AQA are taught, so the lessons and exam practice match your child’s board. Groups have a maximum of ten students, and the programme costs £97 a month. You can try a group lesson free, or read more on the GCSE page.

No one can guarantee a grade. What a good programme can do is give your child steady weekly teaching, regular stretch, and proper time to fix the questions they got stuck on.

Frequently asked questions

1. How many marks is a grade 4 in Edexcel GCSE Maths Foundation?

In June 2026, a grade 4 on Edexcel Foundation required 151 out of 240, about 63%.

2. What is the highest grade you can get in Edexcel GCSE Maths Foundation?

Grade 5. In June 2026, the Edexcel Foundation grade 5 boundary was 181 out of 240, about 75%.

3. What mark is a grade 7 in Edexcel GCSE Maths?

In June 2026, a grade 7 on Edexcel Higher needed 146 out of 240, about 61%. In June 2025 it was 156, and in June 2024 it was 137.

4. What mark do you need for a grade 9 in Edexcel GCSE Maths?

208 out of 240 (about 87%) in June 2026. It was 217 in 2025, 197 in 2024 and 203 in 2023.

5. How many marks out of 80 is a grade 7 on Edexcel?

For June 2026 Higher, Pearson's notional grade 7 boundaries were 49 on Paper 1H, 51 on Paper 2H and 46 on Paper 3H. These are for guidance only, because the final grade is based on the total out of 240.

6. Does Pearson publish grade boundaries for each paper?

Yes, as notional component grade boundaries, in a separate document from the main boundaries. Pearson says they are "notional only, and do not equate to a certificated grade".

7. Why are Edexcel grade boundaries lower than AQA's?

Because the papers are different. Ofqual explains that a lower boundary with one board "reflects that the paper was harder, not that it is easier to get a particular grade".

8. Why did the Edexcel grade 7 boundary fall from 156 to 146?

Pearson's documents do not give a reason for each change. Ofqual explains that boundaries go down when students find a paper harder and up when they find it easier, so the same standard of work is needed each year.

9. Will the 2027 grade boundaries be the same?

Nobody knows yet. Boundaries are set after the exams are marked, and they reflect how hard that year's papers turned out to be. For Edexcel in particular, recent years give a range, not a prediction.

10. My child's mock says grade 6. Is that what they will get?

Not necessarily. A mock grade depends on which papers were sat, which boundaries the school used, and whether every topic had been taught. Ask for the raw mark on each paper and look at how many marks your child is from the next boundary.

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.