What Grade of GCSE is 70%?

So, 70% is a grade 6, but 69% is a grade 5.This is due to the new 9-1 rating system, which helps standardize results year after year by preventing students from being unfairly penalized for scoring low on jobs that all students considered exceptionally challenging that year. The consultation gathered more than 6,000 responses, with almost a quarter of students, and showed that more than 90 percent of students and parents were in favor of giving advance information about the approach to exams next summer to support students with the review. If an item is assigned 120 uniform points, the grade range assigned to grade B is 84 to 95 (70% to 79% of 120); for grade C, 72 to 83 (60% to 69% of 120). Employers, universities and colleges will continue to establish the GCSE qualifications they require to enter a job or continue their studies. So, 70% is a grade 6, but 69% is a grade 5.This is due to the new 9-1 rating system, which helps standardize results year after year by preventing students from being unfairly penalized for scoring low on jobs that all students considered exceptionally challenging that year. The consultation gathered more than 6,000 responses, with almost a quarter of students, and showed that more than 90 percent of students and parents were in favor of giving advance information about the approach to exams next summer to support students with the review. If an item is assigned 120 uniform points, the grade range assigned to grade B is 84 to 95 (70% to 79% of 120); for grade C, 72 to 83 (60% to 69% of 120). Employers, universities and colleges will continue to establish the GCSE qualifications they require to enter a job or continue their studies.

The percentage of students who reach grades 9-4 in mathematics is lower than the percentage who receive grades 9-4 in all subjects. For example, in biology, 88 percent of entries were at a higher level compared to 85 percent last year. The results of the GCSE English language are similar to those in mathematics, and one factor in this could be that each student has to take math and English, while the student chooses other subjects. This means that if a year's work is more difficult than that of the previous year, the qualification limits are reduced to reflect this, depending on the maximum and minimum grades. The GCSE exams will be held in May and June as usual, and the examining boards have already published their summer final exam schedules.

So, if you're wondering what grade of GCSE you need for 70%, it's a 6.It's important to remember that employers, universities and colleges will continue to set their own requirements for entry into jobs or further study. It's also important to note that the percentage of students who reach grades 9-4 in mathematics is lower than the percentage who receive grades 9-4 in all subjects.

Rowan Hales
Rowan Hales

Rowan Hales is a UK mathematics educator with 15+ years of classroom experience across GCSE, IGCSE, and A-Level. Formerly an examiner for both AQA and Edexcel, Rowan has spent the last decade specialising in revision design, diagnostic teaching, and online tutoring pedagogy. They combine academic precision with an unusual gift for demystifying intimidating concepts—turning grade boundaries, exam structures, and maths topics into clear, confidence-building guidance.Rowan’s writing voice blends exam-insider knowledge, warm mentorship, and straightforward practicality, making them feel like the “trusted maths teacher you wish you’d always had.”