What is a pass at GCSE?
Your GCSEs
Pick a grade
Your result
| Grade | Pass | Old letter |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Strong pass | A* |
| 8 | Strong pass | A*/A |
| 7 | Strong pass | A |
| 6 | Strong pass | B |
| 5 | Strong pass | B/C |
| 4 | Standard pass | C |
| 3 | D/E | |
| 2 | E/F | |
| 1 | F/G | |
| U | U |
Your mock plan, in three taps
With a 3 you resit the GCSE; with a 2 or below you take the GCSE or Functional Skills level 2.
Questions people ask
Is 4 or 5 a pass at GCSE?
Both. A 4 is a standard pass and a 5 is a strong pass.
Is a C a pass at GCSE?
Yes. A C was a pass, and today's 4 starts where a C did.
Is a 3 a fail at GCSE?
Only U is ungraded, so a 3 is still a grade. It is below the standard pass of 4, though, so in Maths or English Language you keep studying it after 16.
Is a 4 in GCSE bad?
No, it is a pass. Some sixth forms and courses ask for a 5 or 6 in the subjects you will study.
What happens if you fail maths GCSE?
On a full-time course at 16 to 19 in England you keep studying it. With a 3 you resit the GCSE; with a 2 or below you take the GCSE or Functional Skills level 2.
Can I go to sixth form if I fail a GCSE?
Often, yes: each sixth form sets its own entry grades. Below a 4 in Maths or English Language, you keep studying that subject alongside your course.
Is it mandatory to pass science GCSE?
No. Only Maths and English Language carry the rule that you keep studying them after 16 until you get a 4.
What is the highest grade at GCSE?
9. It sits at the top of the old A*, and fewer students get a 9 than got an A*.
What does GCSE stand for?
General Certificate of Secondary Education.
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How we work this out
What it does
Pick your Maths and English Language grades to see if each is a pass, and whether you keep studying it after 16.
GCSEs in England graded 9 to 1, and the Maths and English rule for full-time students aged 16 to 19 in England in 2026 to 2027.
Method
- The Department for Education calls a 4 a standard pass and a 5 a strong pass.
- Ofqual set the bottom of a 4 to match the bottom of an old C.
- Below a 4 in Maths or English Language, a full-time student aged 16 to 19 in England keeps studying it: for the GCSE with a 3, and for the GCSE or Functional Skills level 2 with a 2 or below (condition of funding, 2026 to 2027).