How close was I to the next grade?

Q: How do I find how many marks I was from the next grade?

Enter your overall subject mark and this tool subtracts it from the next grade's official 2026 boundary to show the exact gap, and how far you are above the boundary you did reach.

Q: What if I only have component or UMS marks, not one overall mark?

These are whole-subject boundaries. If you only have separate paper or component marks, or UMS points, they will not line up directly with these overall boundaries - your school can confirm your total subject mark.

One of the first things worth knowing on results day is exactly how many marks you were from the grade above - and how far clear you were of the grade below. Enter your mark below and this tool works it out from the official 2026 A-Level grade boundaries. It isn’t a prediction: these are the real boundaries.

Share this pageWhatsApp Reddit Facebook LinkedIn Email

Try it: how many marks from the next grade?

Exam board

Subject

Your overall mark

Enter your total mark for the whole subject (all papers added together), out of the maximum shown. These are the official 2026 overall subject-level boundaries (A-Level). If you only have separate paper/component marks or UMS points, they will not line up directly with these whole-subject boundaries - ask your school for your total subject mark. How marks become a grade.

How it works

Every subject has an overall grade boundary - the minimum total mark needed for each grade. This tool takes your total subject mark and compares it with this year’s official boundaries for your board and subject, then tells you the gap to the next grade up and how far you cleared the boundary you reached. The boundaries are the same official figures published by the exam boards on results day.

Example: in AQA A-Level Psychology in 2026 the A boundary was 205 (out of 288) and the B boundary was 170. A student who scored 203 achieved a B. They were 2 marks short of an A, and 33 marks above the B boundary. Knowing that 2-mark gap is exactly the information you need before deciding whether to look into a review.

Important: this uses your whole-subject mark

These are overall subject-level boundaries - the total across all papers. Many students first see separate paper or component marks, or UMS points, which do not add up to these boundaries directly. If in doubt, your school can tell you your total subject mark. We explain the difference in how marks become a grade.

Thinking about a review of marking?

Being a mark or two short is a reason to look into it - not a reason to rush. A review of marking is a check that the mark scheme was applied correctly, and a grade can go up, down or stay the same. A sensible order is:

Work out the distance
Use the tool above so you know exactly how many marks are in play.
Get your script
You can ask for your marked paper through Access to Scripts before deciding.
Ask your teacher to look
A subject teacher can judge whether there’s a plausible marking issue worth challenging.
Check if a place depends on it
If a university place hinges on the grade, ask your school about a priority review and tell the university.
Understand the risk
Remember the mark can go down. How reviews of marking work.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find how many marks I was from the next grade?

Enter your overall subject mark above. The tool subtracts it from the next grade’s official 2026 boundary to show the exact gap, and shows how far you are above the boundary you did reach.

Does being one or two marks off mean I should request a review?

Not on its own. Being close is a reason to look into it, but a review can move a grade down as well as up. Establish the distance first, get your script, and speak to your school.

What if I only have component or UMS marks?

These are whole-subject boundaries. Separate paper/component marks or UMS points won’t line up with them directly - ask your school for your total subject mark.

Can the grade boundary change after results day?

Normally no. Once boundaries are set for a series they are fixed; they can only change through the formal appeals process in exceptional circumstances. Why boundaries change year to year.

Do you have GCSE boundaries too?

GCSE 2026 results are released on 20 August 2026; we will add GCSE to this tool once the boundaries are published. For now it covers A-Level 2026.

See it in the data

See the full boundaries for your subject, and what to do if you think a mark is wrong.

Grade boundary pages by subject →How reviews of marking work →

Official sources: grade boundaries published by AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and WJEC/Eduqas on results day; tutor2u analysis. See also how grade boundaries are set.

About this guide. Produced independently by tutor2u using published guidance from Ofqual, JCQ and the awarding organisations, to explain the system clearly and put it in context. Reviewed by Jim Riley, tutor2u. How we check this guidance. Last reviewed 11 August 2026.

Last checked August 2026. This is a plain-English summary of official guidance; always check the linked Ofqual, JCQ and exam-board pages for the definitive rules, which can change.