Boundaries move every year - sometimes a lot. Here’s why that’s a feature, not a fault, and what it does (and doesn’t) tell you.
Grade boundaries change from year to year mainly to reflect how difficult each year’s paper was. If a paper is harder, boundaries usually fall; if it’s easier, they can rise. The point is that the standard needed for each grade stays the same, so students aren’t advantaged or disadvantaged by the year they happened to sit the exam.
No two papers are identical in difficulty. Rather than keep the pass mark fixed and let results swing wildly, boards move the boundary so that the same quality of work earns the same grade each year. Statistical evidence about the cohort and senior-examiner judgement are used together to decide where the line sits.
A higher boundary doesn’t mean an easier grade - it usually means an easier paper. And last year’s boundary is context, not a prediction for this year.
Because paper difficulty varies year to year, and the boundary is adjusted to keep the grade standard comparable. Source: Ofqual ↗
Only as rough context. Ofqual explicitly warns you shouldn’t rely on previous boundaries, because they can’t be known until this year’s marking is complete or nearly complete. Source: Ofqual ↗
No. A lower boundary typically reflects a harder paper; the standard of work needed for the grade is unchanged. Source: Ofqual ↗
See how the boundary as a % of maximum mark has moved over four years for any subject and board.
Open a subject page →Browse all pages →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.
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