Edexcel IGCSE Grade Boundaries: A Complete Guide

Results morning has a familiar shape. A student opens a screen, sees a 6 in Biology and a 5 in Maths, and asks the one question that matters: is that good, and how close was the next grade up? Edexcel IGCSE grade boundaries hold the answer, and they are simpler than they look.

This guide covers how Edexcel IGCSE grade boundaries work, what each grade means, the real June 2025 marks for every subject, and what to do if you land a mark or two short. At Ignite Training Institute, we sit with these tables every results season alongside our IGCSE students, so the aim here is plain, accurate and practical.

What Are Edexcel IGCSE Grade Boundaries?

An Edexcel IGCSE grade boundary is the minimum raw mark needed to reach a given grade in a subject. Pearson sets these marks after each exam series, in raw marks out of the paper total, not in percentages. If the grade 6 boundary is 94, then 94 marks earns a 6 and 93 marks earns a 5.

Raw Marks, Not Percentages

Pearson states the boundary plainly: it is the lowest mark at which a numbered grade can be achieved. The marks are raw, taken straight from the paper totals, so any percentage you see is something a student or tutor has worked out afterwards. You can read this in Pearson’s official grade boundary guidance.

How The 9 To 1 Scale Replaced A* To G

Edexcel International GCSE reports on the 9 to 1 scale across its subjects, with 9 the highest and 1 the lowest, and U meaning ungraded. The older A* to G letters still appear as a reference on Pearson’s tables. For how the two systems sit together, our guide on the difference between IGCSE and GCSE helps.

Know More About: IGCSE Grades Explained: Grading System, Pass Marks 2026

How The Edexcel IGCSE 9 To 1 Grade Scale Works

The scale runs 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, then U. Higher numbers mean higher marks. Two grades carry most of the weight in conversations with parents and admissions teams: the 4 and the 9.

What Does A Grade 4 Mean?

Grade 4 is the standard pass, broadly in line with the old grade C. It is the level many sixth forms and universities treat as the baseline for core subjects like English and Maths. A grade 5 is often described as a strong pass and gives more comfortable headroom for competitive A-Level and university routes.

What Does A Grade 9 Mean?

Grade 9 sits above the old A* and goes to a small top band of candidates. It is calculated differently from the other grades, which is why the grade 9 mark can look high relative to the scale. Cambridge keeps A* to G in most settings, as our guide on the difference between Edexcel and Cambridge explains.

Know More About: GCSE Grading System: 9-1 Grades Explained (2026)

Edexcel IGCSE Grade Boundaries For June 2025: All Subjects

Below are the confirmed overall subject boundaries from the June 2025 series, in raw marks, taken from Pearson’s official June 2025 International GCSE grade boundary document. Edexcel IGCSEs are linear, so these are whole-qualification boundaries, with no separate grade per paper. Figures cover the main award route for each subject.

Subject (Code)	Max	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
Accounting (4AC1)	150	130	118	106	95	84	74	56	38	20
Arabic (First Language) (4AA1)	125	91	84	77	68	60	52	38	25	12
Art & Design: Fine Art (4FA1)	144	122	112	102	90	79	68	53	38	24
Art & Design: Graphic Communication (4GC1)	144	122	112	102	90	79	68	53	38	24
Art & Design: Photography (4PY1)	144	122	112	102	90	79	68	53	38	24
Art & Design: 3D Design (4TD1)	144	122	112	102	90	79	68	53	38	24
Art & Design: Textile Design (4TE1)	144	122	112	102	90	79	68	53	38	24
Bangla (4BA0)	100	83	78	73	65	57	50	40	30	21
Bangladesh Studies (4BN1)	150	133	122	111	100	89	79	63	47	32
Biology (4BI1)	180	140	124	109	94	79	65	54	43	32
Business (4BS1)	160	130	121	112	101	90	80	69	58	48
Chemistry (4CH1)	180	151	134	117	104	91	79	62	45	29
Chinese (4CN1)	160	149	136	124	116	108	101	79	57	36
Commerce (4CM1)	160	128	120	113	106	99	93	83	73	63
Computer Science (4CP0)	160	140	132	125	113	102	91	66	42	18
Economics (4EC1)	160	116	106	97	89	82	75	62	50	38
English as a Second Language (4ES1)	150	141	135	129	121	113	105	92	79	67
English Language A (4EA1)	150	113	106	99	90	81	73	54	35	17
English Language B (4EB1)	100	69	64	59	56	53	50	37	25	13
English Literature (4ET1)	150	120	112	105	93	81	69	52	36	20
French (4FR1)	160	131	113	96	85	75	65	50	35	20
Further Pure Mathematics (4PM1)	200	173	156	140	113	86	60	47
Geography (4GE1)	175	140	127	114	100	87	74	59	44	29
German (4GN1)	160	135	118	102	88	74	61	51	41	31
Global Citizenship (4GL1)	100	85	79	73	67	61	56	43	31	19
Greek (First Language) (4GK1)	125	105	97	89	81	73	65	53	41	29
History (4HI1)	120	98	89	81	72	64	56	41	26	12
Human Biology (4HB1)	180	152	139	127	113	99	85	66	47	28
ICT (4IT1)	200	160	148	137	120	103	87	68	49	30
Islamic Studies (4IS1)	90	77	74	71	66	62	58	52	46	40
Mathematics A (Higher) (4MA1)	200	172	144	117	92	68	44	32
Mathematics A (Foundation) (4MA1)	200					150	128	94	60	26
Mathematics B (4MB1)	300	255	216	178	143	108	74	57
Pakistan Studies (4PA1)	150	136	127	119	109	99	90	71	52	34
Physics (4PH1)	180	143	126	110	98	87	76	63	50	38
Religious Studies (4RS1)	167	120	111	103	96	89	83	71	59	47
Science (Single Award) (4SS0)	180	156	141	127	114	101	88	74	60	47
Sinhala (4SI1)	100	92	85	78	71	64	57	49	42	35
Spanish (4SP1)	160	135	117	99	86	73	61	49	37	25
Swahili (4SW1)	120	98	90	83	72	62	52	43	35	27
Tamil (4TA1)	100	78	75	72	69	66	64	51	39	27

Source: Pearson Edexcel, June 2025 International GCSE (9-1) grade boundaries. Mathematics A is tiered, so Higher and Foundation are shown separately and each offers only part of the 9 to 1 range.

Where The Official Boundaries Are Published

Pearson posts a fresh boundary PDF on its grade boundaries support page after each series. To read your own result, match three things: the exam series (June, November or January), the subject code (for example 4BI1 for Biology), and the tier where one applies. Always use the table for your actual series, since last year’s marks will differ.

Overall Subject Boundaries vs Notional Component Boundaries

Students sometimes look for a separate boundary for each paper. For linear Edexcel IGCSEs, the grade is awarded on the total across all papers, so the overall subject boundary decides your grade. Pearson also publishes notional component boundaries, which are an internal scaling tool, not a per-paper grade, so the overall subject figure is the one to use.

Know More About: Edexcel IGCSE Explained: Subjects, Grading & Exam Updates

What Are The Typical Grade Boundaries To Aim For In The Next Exams?

Confirmed boundaries only arrive on results day, so during revision the sensible question is what has typically been required. The table below averages the main route in each subject across the last three June series, 2023 to 2025, as a benchmark. Treat these as a working target to clear comfortably, not a fixed promise.

Subject (Code)	Max	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1
Accounting (4AC1)	150	130	119	108	97	86	75	57	40	22
Arabic (First Language) (4AA1)	125	90	83	76	67	60	52	38	25	12
Art & Design: Fine Art (4FA1)	144	122	112	102	90	79	68	53	38	24
Art & Design: Graphic Communication (4GC1)	144	122	112	102	90	79	68	53	38	24
Art & Design: Photography (4PY1)	144	122	112	102	90	79	68	53	38	24
Art & Design: 3D Design (4TD1)	144	122	112	102	90	79	68	53	38	24
Art & Design: Textile Design (4TE1)	144	122	112	102	90	79	68	53	38	24
Bangla (4BA0)	100	81	76	70	62	53	45	35	26	17
Bangladesh Studies (4BN1)	150	132	121	110	99	88	78	62	46	31
Biology (4BI1)	180	141	125	109	94	80	66	54	43	32
Business (4BS1)	160	132	122	112	99	87	75	65	55	45
Chemistry (4CH1)	180	147	128	109	96	82	69	54	40	26
Chinese (4CN1)	160	148	136	125	117	109	101	79	56	34
Commerce (4CM1)	160	125	116	108	100	93	86	77	68	59
Computer Science (4CP0)	160	136	127	118	105	92	80	58	36	14
Economics (4EC1)	160	117	106	96	88	81	74	62	51	40
English as a Second Language (4ES1)	150	141	135	129	121	113	105	92	79	66
English Language A (4EA1)	150	113	106	99	89	80	72	53	35	17
English Language B (4EB1)	100	69	64	59	55	52	49	37	26	15
English Literature (4ET1)	150	118	110	102	90	78	66	50	34	19
French (4FR1)	160	133	116	100	89	79	69	52	36	20
Further Pure Mathematics (4PM1)	200	169	150	132	105	78	52	39
Geography (4GE1)	175	137	124	110	97	84	71	56	40	24
German (4GN1)	160	132	115	99	85	71	58	48	38	28
Global Citizenship (4GL1)	100	82	76	70	64	58	53	40	28	16
Greek (First Language) (4GK1)	125	105	97	89	81	73	65	53	41	29
History (4HI1)	120	98	89	80	71	63	55	41	27	13
Human Biology (4HB1)	180	146	134	122	109	96	83	65	48	31
ICT (4IT1)	200	154	142	131	115	99	84	65	47	29
Islamic Studies (4IS1)	90	78	74	70	64	59	54	48	42	37
Mathematics A (Higher) (4MA1)	200	162	134	106	84	61	39	27
Mathematics A (Foundation) (4MA1)	200					145	122	89	57	24
Mathematics B (4MB1)	300	244	203	164	133	103	73	58
Pakistan Studies (4PA1)	150	133	123	114	104	94	85	68	50	33
Physics (4PH1)	180	143	126	110	100	89	79	66	53	40
Religious Studies (4RS1)	167	119	110	102	96	89	84	71	58	46
Science (Single Award) (4SS0)	180	157	140	124	111	97	84	70	57	44
Sinhala (4SI1)	100	90	83	76	69	62	55	48	41	34
Spanish (4SP1)	160	135	116	97	84	72	60	48	37	25
Swahili (4SW1)	120	98	90	82	71	60	49	40	33	25
Tamil (4TA1)	100	78	75	72	69	66	64	51	39	27

Method: mean of the June 2023, 2024 and 2025 overall subject boundaries for the main award route, rounded to the nearest mark, calculated from Pearson’s official documents. Tiered subjects (Mathematics A, Mathematics B, Further Pure Mathematics) only offer part of the 9 to 1 range.

A few patterns stand out. English Language A and the language subjects tend to sit high, since marking rewards consistent quality across the paper. The sciences cluster in the middle. Higher Mathematics A sits low because the harder questions spread candidates out, which lets the top grades be separated on fewer marks.

Know More About: 10 Proven Strategies On How To Study For IGCSE Exams & Excel

How Are Edexcel IGCSE Grade Boundaries Decided Each Session?

Pearson sets boundaries using two inputs together: statistical evidence about the ability of the cohort, and senior examiner judgement on how demanding the papers were. The goal is to keep standards comparable from one series to the next, so a strong candidate is not punished for sitting a harder paper.

Within the 9 to 1 scale, grade 9 is set using a defined formula at the top of the distribution, while the in-between grades such as 5 and 6 are set arithmetically between the grade 4 and grade 7 marks. Pearson explains this method in its note on 9 to 1 awarding.

Why Boundaries Move From One Series To The Next

When a paper is harder, boundaries fall. Higher Mathematics A grade 4 was 38 marks in June 2024 and 44 in June 2025. Biology moved only slightly, with grade 4 easing from 68 to 65. English Language A barely shifted, at 71 then 73. Cambridge adjusts its thresholds the same way, as our Cambridge IGCSE guide explains.

Know More About: IGCSE Exam Dates 2026: Cambridge, Edexcel, And Oxford AQA

Why The Pass Mark Changes By Subject And Tier

There is no single IGCSE pass percentage, and June 2025 shows why. A grade 4 needed roughly 22% in Higher Mathematics A (44 out of 200), about 42% in Physics (76 out of 180), about 49% in English Language A (73 out of 150), and 50% in Business (80 out of 160). Same grade, very different marks.

The reason is the design of each paper. Harder questions spread marks out, so a passing candidate clears a lower raw total. A paper where most candidates score well needs a higher boundary to separate the grades. It is why comparing your raw Maths mark against a friend’s English mark tells you little.

Foundation And Higher Tier Have Different Boundaries

Mathematics A is tiered. Higher covers grades 9 to 3, and its grade 4 sits low because the questions are tougher. Foundation covers grades 5 to 1, with higher raw marks needed for the same grade.

In June 2025, a grade 4 took 128 out of 200 on Foundation but only 44 out of 200 on Higher, the same grade on very different papers. A Maths tutor in Dubai can help you choose the right tier.

Know More About: Easiest IGCSE Subjects: Pass Rates, Picks & Cautions 2026

What Should You Do If You Are One Mark Off A Grade Boundary?

Landing a mark or two below a grade is genuinely common, and there is a clear process to follow. Start by talking to your school, since reviews are requested through the exam centre, not by students directly.

• Ask For A Review Of Marking: The school can request a clerical check or a full review of the paper through Pearson’s enquiries about results service.
• Weigh The Risk: A review can move a mark up, leave it the same, or move it down, so it is a considered decision, not an automatic one.
• Watch The Deadlines: Enquiries open soon after results and close quickly, with a priority service for marks that affect university places.
• Consider A Resit: For some subjects a November series resit may be the stronger long-term route than a marginal review.

A tutor or teacher who knows the mark scheme can tell you whether a paper looks genuinely close, which makes the decision far less of a gamble.

Know More About: How To Avoid Losing An Academic Year On Poor Results?

Ignite, Edexcel IGCSE Tutoring That Builds Real Exam Readiness

The cruellest part of a boundary-line result is how small the gap feels in hindsight. Two marks across a whole subject can decide a grade, and students rarely lose them on the hard questions. They lose them on rushed method, a misread command word, or a topic that was never quite secure.

That is where structured preparation earns its place. Our IGCSE programme is built around timed past papers, mark-scheme literacy, and the specific marks that lift a 5 to a 6, so students walk in with a buffer above the boundary. For families across the British curriculum in Dubai, that clarity calms a tense results morning.

Know More About: IGCSE Tutors In Dubai, UAE For Assured Results

FAQs

1. Is Grade 4 A Pass In Edexcel IGCSE?

Yes. Grade 4 is the standard pass on the 9 to 1 scale and is broadly equivalent to the old grade C. It is the level most sixth forms and universities expect in core subjects such as English and Mathematics. A grade 5 is widely treated as a strong pass and gives more competitive applicants extra headroom.

2. What Percentage Is A Grade 9 In Edexcel IGCSE?

There is no fixed percentage, because boundaries are set in raw marks each series. As a guide, in June 2025 a grade 9 needed about 86% in Higher Mathematics A, around 79% in Physics, and roughly 75% in English Language A. The exact share shifts by subject, paper difficulty and exam session.

3. Why Do Edexcel IGCSE Grade Boundaries Change Every Year?

Boundaries are set after each series so that standards stay comparable. If a paper is harder than usual, the boundary drops so candidates are not penalised, and an easier paper pushes it up. Pearson combines statistical evidence about the cohort with senior examiner judgement, which is why the same mark can earn different grades in different series.

4. Are Edexcel IGCSE Grade Boundaries The Same As Cambridge?

No. They are separate boards that set their own boundaries for their own papers. Edexcel reports on the 9 to 1 scale, while Cambridge uses A* to G in most settings and publishes its own grade threshold tables each session.

A grade from one board is recognised the same way by universities, but the marks behind it are set independently.

5. Where Can I Find The Official Edexcel IGCSE Grade Boundaries?

Pearson publishes them as free PDFs on its grade boundaries support page after each June, November and January series. To read yours, match the exam series, the subject code such as 4PH1 for Physics, and the tier where one applies. Use the document for your actual series, since boundaries from earlier years will be different.

6. What Happens If I Am One Mark Below A Grade Boundary?

Your school can request a review of marking through Pearson’s enquiries about results service. The mark can go up, stay the same, or come down, so it is worth checking with a teacher first about how close the paper really was. Deadlines are tight, and a priority service exists for results that affect a confirmed university place.

Conclusion

Edexcel IGCSE grade boundaries are simply the raw marks that separate one grade from the next, set fresh each series so that a harder paper does not cost you. Grade 4 is the standard pass, the pass mark shifts by subject and tier, and the only figures that count are the official ones for your exact series.

If your child is working toward a target grade and you want a clear plan to clear it with room to spare, you can book a free demo class with our IGCSE team and start from where they are now.

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