A grade boundary is the lowest total mark that earns a grade. Exam boards set them after the exams, once marking is nearly complete, and they change from year to year with how demanding the papers were (Ofqual). To use them with a past paper, add up your child's marks across all of that year's papers and compare the total with that year's row, which is out of the same maximum. Each year links to its papers.
June 2026, board by board
The marks needed for grade 4 and 7 in June 2026, as a share of each board's maximum. Each board writes its own papers and sets boundaries for them, so a lower boundary doesn't mean a board's exam is easier to pass.
AQA
AQA past papersSpecification 8261, Drama.
Grade 4 needed 100 out of 200 marks (50%) in June 2026; in the June series from 2018 to 2025 it ranged from 47% (2024) to 50% (2019).
June 2026 out of 200
- 9
- 167 84%
- 8
- 156 78%
- 7
- 145 73%
- 6
- 130 65%
- 5
- 115 58%
- 4
- 100 50%
- 3
- 74 37%
- 2
- 49 25%
- 1
- 24 12%
Grade 4 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 49%, June 2019 50%, June 2023 49%, June 2024 47%, June 2025 49%, June 2026 50%. Grade 7 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 74%, June 2019 74%, June 2023 73%, June 2024 71%, June 2025 73%, June 2026 73%.
Every mark, every series
| Series | Out of | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | 200 | 16784% | 15678% | 14573% | 13065% | 11558% | 10050% | 7437% | 4925% | 2412% |
| June 2025 | 200 | 16784% | 15678% | 14573% | 12965% | 11357% | 9749% | 7236% | 4724% | 2312% |
| June 2024 | 200 | 16583% | 15377% | 14271% | 12663% | 11055% | 9447% | 7035% | 4623% | 2312% |
| June 2023 | 200 | 16985% | 15779% | 14673% | 12965% | 11357% | 9749% | 7236% | 4724% | 2211% |
| November 2021 | 80 | 6176% | 5366% | 4556% | 3746% | 2936% | 2228% | 1721% | 1215% | 79% |
| November 2020 | 80 | 6075% | 5366% | 4658% | 3848% | 3038% | 2329% | 1823% | 1316% | 810% |
| June 2019 | 200 | 17387% | 16080% | 14874% | 13166% | 11558% | 9950% | 7538% | 5126% | 2714% |
| June 2018 | 200 | 17387% | 16080% | 14874% | 13166% | 11457% | 9849% | 7337% | 4824% | 2412% |
Raw marks for the whole qualification, with the share of the maximum.The chart shows June series only; November and January sittings, mostly resits, are in the table.No exams were sat in 2020 or 2021, when grades were assessed by teachers, so those years are blank. From AQA's GCSE grade boundary documents: June 2026, June 2025, June 2024, June 2023, November 2021, November 2020, June 2019, June 2018.
Pearson Edexcel
Edexcel past papersSpecification 1DR0, Drama.
Grade 4 needed 124 out of 240 marks (52%) in June 2023, against 48% in June 2018.
June 2023 out of 240
- 9
- 197 82%
- 8
- 185 77%
- 7
- 173 72%
- 6
- 156 65%
- 5
- 140 58%
- 4
- 124 52%
- 3
- 91 38%
- 2
- 59 25%
- 1
- 27 11%
Grade 4 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 48%, June 2023 52%. Grade 7 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 69%, June 2023 72%.
Every mark, every series
| Series | Out of | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2023 | 240 | 19782% | 18577% | 17372% | 15665% | 14058% | 12452% | 9138% | 5925% | 2711% |
| November 2021 | 96 | 6972% | 6467% | 5961% | 5153% | 4446% | 3739% | 2728% | 1718% | 88% |
| November 2020 | 96 | 6972% | 6467% | 5961% | 5153% | 4345% | 3536% | 2627% | 1718% | 88% |
| June 2018 | 240 | 19180% | 17874% | 16669% | 14962% | 13255% | 11648% | 8636% | 5724% | 2812% |
Raw marks for the whole qualification, with the share of the maximum.The chart shows June series only; November and January sittings, mostly resits, are in the table.No exams were sat in 2020 or 2021, when grades were assessed by teachers, so those years are blank. From Pearson Edexcel's GCSE grade boundary documents: June 2023, November 2021, November 2020, June 2018.
OCR
OCR past papersSpecification J316, Drama.
Grade 4 needed 120 out of 200 marks (60%) in June 2026; in the June series from 2019 to 2025 it ranged from 53% (2022) to 60% (2023).
June 2026 out of 200
- 9
- 177 89%
- 8
- 168 84%
- 7
- 160 80%
- 6
- 146 73%
- 5
- 133 67%
- 4
- 120 60%
- 3
- 89 45%
- 2
- 58 29%
- 1
- 28 14%
Grade 4 as a share of the maximum: June 2019 57%, June 2022 53%, June 2023 60%, June 2024 58%, June 2025 60%, June 2026 60%. Grade 7 as a share of the maximum: June 2019 79%, June 2022 75%, June 2023 81%, June 2024 79%, June 2025 80%, June 2026 80%.
Every mark, every series
| Series | Out of | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | 200 | 17789% | 16884% | 16080% | 14673% | 13367% | 12060% | 8945% | 5829% | 2814% |
| June 2025 | 200 | 17990% | 16985% | 16080% | 14673% | 13266% | 11960% | 8945% | 5930% | 2915% |
| June 2024 | 200 | 17789% | 16784% | 15879% | 14372% | 12965% | 11558% | 8744% | 5930% | 3216% |
| June 2023 | 200 | 17889% | 17085% | 16281% | 14874% | 13467% | 12060% | 9045% | 6030% | 3015% |
| June 2022 | 200 | 16985% | 15980% | 14975% | 13467% | 11960% | 10553% | 8342% | 6131% | 3920% |
| June 2019 | 200 | 17789% | 16784% | 15779% | 14271% | 12764% | 11357% | 8442% | 5628% | 2814% |
Raw marks for the whole qualification, with the share of the maximum.The chart shows June series only; November and January sittings, mostly resits, are in the table.No exams were sat in 2020 or 2021, when grades were assessed by teachers, so those years are blank. From OCR's GCSE grade boundary documents: June 2026, June 2025, June 2024, June 2023, June 2022, June 2019.
Eduqas
Eduqas past papersSpecification C690, Drama.
Grade 4 needed 191 out of 300 marks (64%) in June 2026; in the June series from 2018 to 2025 it ranged from 56% (2022) to 64% (2024).
June 2026 out of 300
- 9
- 275 92%
- 8
- 263 88%
- 7
- 251 84%
- 6
- 231 77%
- 5
- 211 70%
- 4
- 191 64%
- 3
- 145 48%
- 2
- 100 33%
- 1
- 55 18%
Grade 4 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 61%, June 2019 58%, June 2022 56%, June 2023 63%, June 2024 64%, June 2025 63%, June 2026 64%. Grade 7 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 81%, June 2019 79%, June 2022 79%, June 2023 85%, June 2024 84%, June 2025 83%, June 2026 84%.
Every mark, every series
| Series | Out of | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | 300 | 27592% | 26388% | 25184% | 23177% | 21170% | 19164% | 14548% | 10033% | 5518% |
| June 2025 | 300 | 27592% | 26287% | 25083% | 22976% | 20869% | 18863% | 14348% | 9933% | 5518% |
| June 2024 | 300 | 27993% | 26689% | 25384% | 23277% | 21170% | 19164% | 14548% | 10033% | 5518% |
| June 2023 | 300 | 27993% | 26689% | 25485% | 23277% | 21170% | 19063% | 14649% | 10234% | 5920% |
| June 2022 | 300 | 26689% | 25184% | 23779% | 21371% | 19063% | 16756% | 13043% | 9331% | 5719% |
| November 2021 | 120 | 9478% | 8672% | 7865% | 6655% | 5546% | 4437% | 3428% | 2420% | 1412% |
| November 2020 | 120 | 9478% | 8672% | 7865% | 6655% | 5546% | 4437% | 3428% | 2420% | 1412% |
| June 2019 | 300 | 26488% | 25083% | 23779% | 21672% | 19565% | 17558% | 13545% | 9632% | 5719% |
| June 2018 | 300 | 26990% | 25585% | 24281% | 22274% | 20267% | 18261% | 13846% | 9431% | 5117% |
Raw marks for the whole qualification, with the share of the maximum.The chart shows June series only; November and January sittings, mostly resits, are in the table.No exams were sat in 2020 or 2021, when grades were assessed by teachers, so those years are blank. From Eduqas's GCSE grade boundary documents: June 2026, June 2025, June 2024, June 2023, June 2022, November 2021, November 2020, June 2019, June 2018.