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 8271, Music.
Grade 4 needed 130 out of 240 marks (54%) in June 2026; in the June series from 2018 to 2025 it ranged from 51% (2019) to 53% (2018).
June 2026 out of 240
- 9
- 198 83%
- 8
- 185 77%
- 7
- 173 72%
- 6
- 158 66%
- 5
- 144 60%
- 4
- 130 54%
- 3
- 102 43%
- 2
- 74 31%
- 1
- 46 19%
Grade 4 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 53%, June 2019 51%, June 2023 52%, June 2024 52%, June 2025 53%, June 2026 54%. Grade 7 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 70%, June 2019 69%, June 2023 70%, June 2024 71%, June 2025 71%, June 2026 72%.
Every mark, every series
| Series | Out of | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | 240 | 19883% | 18577% | 17372% | 15866% | 14460% | 13054% | 10243% | 7431% | 4619% |
| June 2025 | 240 | 19782% | 18477% | 17171% | 15665% | 14259% | 12853% | 10042% | 7330% | 4619% |
| June 2024 | 240 | 19782% | 18477% | 17171% | 15565% | 14058% | 12552% | 9841% | 7130% | 4519% |
| June 2023 | 240 | 19682% | 18276% | 16970% | 15464% | 13958% | 12552% | 9841% | 7130% | 4418% |
| November 2021 | 96 | 6265% | 5456% | 4648% | 3840% | 3031% | 2223% | 1718% | 1213% | 88% |
| November 2020 | 96 | 6265% | 5456% | 4648% | 3840% | 3031% | 2223% | 1617% | 1010% | 55% |
| June 2019 | 240 | 19180% | 17874% | 16569% | 15163% | 13757% | 12351% | 9740% | 7130% | 4519% |
| June 2018 | 240 | 19581% | 18175% | 16870% | 15464% | 14058% | 12653% | 9941% | 7330% | 4720% |
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 1MU0, Music.
Grade 4 needed 103 out of 200 marks (52%) in June 2022, against 54% in June 2018.
June 2022 out of 200
- 9
- 164 82%
- 8
- 153 77%
- 7
- 143 72%
- 6
- 129 65%
- 5
- 116 58%
- 4
- 103 52%
- 3
- 83 42%
- 2
- 63 32%
- 1
- 44 22%
Grade 4 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 54%, June 2022 52%. Grade 7 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 72%, June 2022 72%.
Every mark, every series
| Series | Out of | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2022 | 200 | 16482% | 15377% | 14372% | 12965% | 11658% | 10352% | 8342% | 6332% | 4422% |
| November 2021 | 80 | 4961% | 4253% | 3544% | 2936% | 2329% | 1823% | 1418% | 1013% | 68% |
| November 2020 | 80 | 5063% | 4354% | 3645% | 2936% | 2329% | 1721% | 1316% | 911% | 68% |
| June 2018 | 200 | 16784% | 15578% | 14472% | 13166% | 11960% | 10754% | 8241% | 5829% | 3417% |
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 2022, November 2021, November 2020, June 2018.
OCR
OCR past papersSpecification J536, Music.
Grade 4 needed 113 out of 200 marks (57%) in June 2026; in the June series from 2019 to 2025 it ranged from 55% (2022) to 57% (2019).
June 2026 out of 200
- 9
- 170 85%
- 8
- 160 80%
- 7
- 151 76%
- 6
- 138 69%
- 5
- 125 63%
- 4
- 113 57%
- 3
- 92 46%
- 2
- 72 36%
- 1
- 52 26%
Grade 4 as a share of the maximum: June 2019 57%, June 2022 55%, June 2023 57%, June 2024 56%, June 2025 56%, June 2026 57%. Grade 7 as a share of the maximum: June 2019 74%, June 2022 73%, June 2023 75%, June 2024 75%, June 2025 75%, June 2026 76%.
Every mark, every series
| Series | Out of | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | 200 | 17085% | 16080% | 15176% | 13869% | 12563% | 11357% | 9246% | 7236% | 5226% |
| June 2025 | 200 | 17085% | 16080% | 15075% | 13769% | 12462% | 11256% | 9146% | 7035% | 4925% |
| June 2024 | 200 | 17085% | 15980% | 14975% | 13668% | 12462% | 11256% | 9045% | 6834% | 4724% |
| June 2023 | 200 | 17186% | 16080% | 15075% | 13769% | 12563% | 11357% | 9045% | 6734% | 4523% |
| June 2022 | 200 | 16784% | 15678% | 14673% | 13367% | 12161% | 10955% | 9045% | 7136% | 5226% |
| June 2019 | 200 | 16985% | 15879% | 14874% | 13668% | 12462% | 11357% | 8945% | 6633% | 4322% |
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 C660, Music.
Grade 4 needed 134 out of 240 marks (56%) in June 2026; in the June series from 2018 to 2025 it ranged from 53% (2022) to 59% (2018).
June 2026 out of 240
- 9
- 210 88%
- 8
- 196 82%
- 7
- 183 76%
- 6
- 166 69%
- 5
- 150 63%
- 4
- 134 56%
- 3
- 106 44%
- 2
- 79 33%
- 1
- 52 22%
Grade 4 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 59%, June 2019 56%, June 2022 53%, June 2023 56%, June 2024 54%, June 2025 54%, June 2026 56%. Grade 7 as a share of the maximum: June 2018 76%, June 2019 73%, June 2022 72%, June 2023 74%, June 2024 73%, June 2025 73%, June 2026 76%.
Every mark, every series
| Series | Out of | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | 240 | 21088% | 19682% | 18376% | 16669% | 15063% | 13456% | 10644% | 7933% | 5222% |
| June 2025 | 240 | 20284% | 18979% | 17673% | 16067% | 14560% | 13054% | 10443% | 7833% | 5222% |
| June 2024 | 240 | 20385% | 18979% | 17573% | 16067% | 14560% | 13054% | 10443% | 7833% | 5222% |
| June 2023 | 240 | 20284% | 18979% | 17774% | 16268% | 14862% | 13456% | 11046% | 8636% | 6226% |
| June 2022 | 240 | 19983% | 18577% | 17272% | 15765% | 14259% | 12853% | 10644% | 8435% | 6226% |
| November 2020 | 96 | 6164% | 5456% | 4749% | 4143% | 3536% | 2930% | 2526% | 2223% | 1920% |
| June 2019 | 240 | 19983% | 18678% | 17473% | 16067% | 14761% | 13456% | 11046% | 8636% | 6226% |
| June 2018 | 240 | 20585% | 19380% | 18276% | 16870% | 15464% | 14159% | 11347% | 8535% | 5824% |
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 2020, June 2019, June 2018.