music gcse essay

AQA GCSE Music: Past Papers

Browse our range of AQA GCSE Music Past Papers and Mark Schemes below. Testing yourself with GCSE Music past papers is a great way to identify which topics need more revision, so you can ensure that you are revising as effectively as possible to help you get ready for your GCSE Music exam.

Visit all of our AQA GCSE Past Papers here .

AQA GCSE MUSIC Past Papers

Edexcel gcse music past papers, ocr gcse music past papers, ccea gcse music past papers, wjec gcse music past papers.

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Assessment resources

• Candidate record forms (8)
• Centre declaration sheets (6)
• Examiner reports (6)
• Grade descriptors (1)
• Mark schemes (5)
• Notes and guidance (4)
• Question papers (15)
• Component 1 (20)
• Component 2 NEA (9)
• Component 3 NEA (11)
• June 2022 (7)
• June 2023 (8)
• November 2020 (3)
• November 2021 (4)
• Sample set 1 (4)

Showing 45 results

Teacher notes: Component 1 Understanding music - June 2023 New

Published 12 Jul 2024 | PDF | 138 KB

Examiner report: Component 3 NEA Composing music - June 2023 New

Published 12 Jul 2024 | PDF | 155 KB

Examiner report: Component 2 NEA Performing music - June 2023 New

Published 12 Jul 2024 | PDF | 183 KB

Examiner report: Component 1 Understanding music - June 2023 New

Published 12 Jul 2024 | PDF | 231 KB

Question paper: Component 1 Understanding music - June 2023 New

Published 12 Jul 2024 | PDF | 502 KB

Question paper (Modified A4 18pt): Component 1 Understanding music - June 2023 New

Published 12 Jul 2024 | PDF | 430 KB

Question paper (Modified A3 36pt): Component 1 Understanding music - June 2023 New

Published 12 Jul 2024 | PDF | 485 KB

Mark scheme: Component 1 Understanding music - June 2023 New

Published 12 Jul 2024 | PDF | 470 KB

Performance duration declaration form: Composing music and Performing music 2025

Published 10 Nov 2023 | DOCX | 318 KB

Centre declaration sheet 2025

Published 10 Nov 2023 | PDF | 74 KB

Published 10 Nov 2023 | DOC | 520 KB

Candidate record form: Component 2 NEA Performing music 2025

Published 10 Nov 2023 | PDF | 97 KB

Candidate record form: Component 3 NEA Composing music 2025

Published 10 Nov 2023 | PDF | 152 KB

Published 10 Nov 2023 | DOCX | 364 KB

Published 10 Nov 2023 | DOCX | 403 KB

Notes and guidance: Component 3 NEA Composing music

Published 18 Oct 2023 | PDF | 185 KB

Notes and guidance: Component 2 NEA Performing music

Published 18 Oct 2023 | PDF | 181 KB

Examiner report: Component 2 NEA Performing music - June 2022

Published 14 Jul 2023 | PDF | 158 KB

Examiner report: Component 3 NEA Composing music - June 2022

Published 14 Jul 2023 | PDF | 133 KB

Question paper: Component 1 Understanding music - June 2022

Published 14 Jul 2023 | PDF | 936 KB

Hi everyone, here are resources for you to revise for the written paper.

Also don't forget our regular Firefly GCSE Music pages, as they contain even more!!

• Unfamiliar Listening Question AOS3.docx 1mb
• Stage and Screen - Mark scheme.pdf
• Stage and Screen - Questions.pdf
• Wicked track 1.mp3
• Wicked track 2.mp3
• Wicked track 3.mp3
• Wicked Work Booklet Answers-2.docx
• S__Schwartz_Defying_Gravity COGGLE.pdf
• Track 10 Listening test Defying Gravity 429 551.mp3
• Wicked AoS3 Revision Guide.pdf
• Wicked GCSE Listening Test and answers.pdf
• Wicked Study Guide Test yourself and answers.pdf
• Edexcel-GCSE-Music-Knowledge-Checklist-(AoS-3).pdf
• Edexcel-GCSE-Music-Practice-Exam-Questions-(AoS-3).pdf
• GCSE-Workbook-2016-17.pdf
• Sample-Question.pdf
• Star Wars Analysis.pptx
• Star_Wars_set_work_support_guide_29_03_2016.pdf
• Star Wars track 1.mp3
• Star Wars track 2.mp3
• Star Wars track 3.mp3
• Star Wars Section B answers only.docx
• Star Wars Section B Question no answers.docx

Here are the tracks for each set work

• Bach Brandenburg no 5.pptx
• Bach Pearson Resource.doc
• Bach revision sheet.docx
• Bach_-_Brandenburg_Concerto COGGLE.pdf
• Bach_-_Brandenburg_Concerto.pdf
• Baroque Workbook.docx
• Essay writing template (Bach).docx
• perfect essay question.pdf
• score scan.pdf
• Set work 1 Test _ Bach _Brandenburg Concerto No.docx
• The Main Characteristics of Baroque Music.docx
• Beethoven Revision video music (1).pptx
• Beethoven score.pdf
• Comparison Grieg Scan.pdf
• Evaluate how effectively Beethoven and Handel write for solo keyboard and exploit the use of rhythm and tempo in these 2 extracts.docx
• Exam question with answers on screen (romantic and virt features).docx
• gcse_music_tp_aos_wb2.doc
• Questions scan from Textbook.jpeg
• Schubert Score unfamiliar.pdf
• Comparison between Purcell and Schubert long question.docx
• Henry_Purcell_-_Music_for_a_While COGGLE.pdf
• Purcell revision document.pdf
• purcell track 1.mp3
• purcell track 2.mp3
• purcell track 3.mp3
• Purcell-worksheets.docx

(Exam questions below, use the 3 mp3 tracks as above)

• Vocal Music - Mark scheme.pdf
• Vocal Music - Questions.pdf
• Killer Queen MAT (2).pptx
• Killer Queen Revision video.pptx
• Killer Queen, Purcell and dictation LC2 assessment.docx
• Killer Queen-workbook.docx
• Killer_Queen COGGLE.pdf
• Queen Score.pdf
• Queen Text Book pages.pdf
• test answer scans.pdf
• TEST Killer Queen.docx
• Vocal Music - Mark scheme (1).pdf
• Vocal Music - Questions (1).pdf
• Afro Celt Sound System.pdf
• Afro Celt Workbook.pdf
• Afro Celts Revision video.pptx
• Afro scan 1st pages.pdf
• Afro scan 2nd pages.pdf
• Listening and filling in Grid exercise.docx
• Release_-_Afro_Celt_Sound_System coggle.pdf
• Revision Lesson Release.pptx
• Fusions - Mark scheme (1).pdf
• Fusions - Questions (1).pdf
• links (2).docx
• active teach resources.doc
• active teach samba.doc
• comparison question grid.docx
• Match up cards - Samba em preludio.pptx
• Samba powerpoint map.pptx
• Esperanza Spalding - Samba Em Preludio.pdf
• Rhinegold Text Book.pdf
• Samba Coggle table.docx
• Samba comparison essay.docx
• SAMBA Fill in the gaps and Treasure Hunt.docx
• Samba PPT.pptx
• Score scan.pdf
• Fusions - Mark scheme.pdf
• Fusions - Questions.pdf
• links (1).docx

Question 8 - Unfamiliar listening

• 8-1 mark scheme.pdf
• 8-1 question.pdf
• 8-1 track.mp3 1mb
• 8-2 mark scheme.pdf
• 8-2 question.pdf
• 8-2 track.mp3 3mb
• 8-3 mark scheme.pdf
• 8-3 question.pdf
• 8-3 track.mp3 1mb

Question 9 - Essay question

• 9-1 mark scheme.pdf
• 9-1 question.pdf
• 9-1 scores.pdf
• 9-1 track 1.mp3
• 9-1 track 2.mp3
• 9-2 mark scheme.pdf
• 9-3 mark scheme.pdf
• 9-3 question.pdf
• 9-3 scores.pdf
• 9-3 track 1.mp3
• 9-3 track 2.mp3
• Afro Celt Sound System set work support guide v3.pdf
• Bach_Brandenburg_set_work_support_guide.pdf
• Beethoven_Pathetique_set_work_support_guide.pdf
• Defying_Gravity_set_work_support_guide.pdf
• Killer_Queen_set_work_suport_guide.pdf
• Purcell_Music_for_a_While_set_work_support_guide.pdf
• Samba_Em_Preludio_set_work_support_guide.pdf
• Answers.pdf
• AoS Fusions.pdf
• AoS Instrumental.pdf
• AoS Stage and Screen.pdf
• AoS Vocal.pdf
• Ornaments and musical devices wsheet.doc
• Dr t smith outline.docx

Taken from Manwaring Music Blog

Defying Gravity

Defying Gravity is a fantastic song from the 2003 musical Wicked! It is a great example of a large scale musical theatre song and contains a number of key features of the genre:

Large scale orchestra – Strings, 4 reeds, 6 brass, 2 electric guitars/harp, drum kit, additional percussion and 3 keyboards.

Belt range for the lead singer – the show was basically written for Idina Menzel who played the role on Broadway and appears on the recording

The song is basically one long crescendo, full of drama, atmosphere and climax. There is a constant sense of momentum.

Use of recitative style as well as colla voce

Mainly Syllabic word setting

Changes in texture, key, tonality and tempo.

Use of leitmotif – “unlimited” theme

Use of solo voice, duet and chorus

The song is a finale to Act 1 (I will come on to this in a moment)

Use of vocalisation – aah at the end of bar 175

I am sure there are more musical theatre features, but that is a good list to be starting with. The key thing is that in Question 9 students will need to seek out these features in an unfamiliar piece. They might find some of them, but also the unfamiliar piece may contain others features not mentioned above. The more students can listen to musical theatre, the better. You never know, the song they listen to before the exam might be the unfamiliar listening.

Wider Listening

Wider Listening is crucial for GCSE & A-level and for this exam they should be really focussing on musical theatre. Listening to the whole of Wicked would be a good start! But students should also listen to other musicals and maybe watch some on TV. There are so many musicals available on streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. The more they get acquainted with the style the better.

What they should do though, and students hopefully you are reading, is look out for other features that are not in Defying Gravity. For example, the orchestration might be very different in the unfamiliar piece. Musical theatre has a rich and long history and it might be that the other extract doesn’t have electric guitars and a singer with a belt style voice. Spotting the different styles is important and voice types can change.

Belt – full voice, very prominent in Defying Gravity. Brassy and climatic!

Legit – more traditional style of singing – classical voice training. Think Julie Andrews and you are in the right style.

Contemporary Style – more linked to pop, rock, hip-hop and r&b. This is the kind of voice that relies on vocal distortion, growls, breathy tone and vowel changes.

There are of course other styles, but there are three to be getting on with. Wider Listening is easier than every and I would encourage students (and teachers) to listen to lots of musical theatre.

End of Act 1

For me, this is crucial. Defying Gravity is not only a great musical theatre song, but it is a great end of Act 1 song. It has that sense of climax and makes you want to come back after the interval. It is loud, has a constant build and obviously on stage it is a massive theatrical ending. And it also gives us a clear angle to look at other songs from the end of Act 1 – they aren’t all as climatic as this. So here is a my list, and this will really help you with your teaching & wider listening! This list could very well contain the unfamiliar piece that will be used in the summer – who never know!

One Day More – Les Miserables

Who I’d Be – Shrek

Be Back Soon – Oliver

Climb Every Mountain – The Sound of Music

You Will be Found – Dear Evan Hansen

Little Priest – Sweeney Todd

All I ask of you – Phantom of the Opera

Stronger – Finding Neverland

La Vie Boheme – Rent

Anything Goes – Anything Goes

Blackout – Into the Heights

Let It Go – Frozen

I’d Give my life for you – Miss Saigon

Hopefully that list is helpful and you can click the links for the Youtube videos!

The Question

The question in the exam is highly likely to focus on the musical theatre style, but could also look at contrasting moods. It is wise to prepare for different angles and make sure that all bases are covered. It might be that they attach specific elements to the question, but it will definitely involve them giving context and setting the scene. I think it would be good to practice different styles of question, all giving a chance to compare and contrast. We can practice lots, prepare answers and “go in” to the exam having a good idea of what to do.

I would say students are aiming for about 350 words and they must refer to both extracts. They need to show knowledge of the set work context and the overall genre. Mentioning that Defying Gravity is “modern” and comes at the end of act 1 is important. It might be that the unfamiliar extract sounds a bit like an end of act 1 song and there is nothing wrong with suggesting that. Look for clues that might give that away.

Example Questions

Before you ask, I don’t have a mark scheme, yet. Keep in touch and I am sure I will have some soon. But here are some questions that you might like to try:

Defying Gravtiy is a high energy song from Wicked, a climax to Act 1. All I ask of you is a love song duet also from the end of Act 1. Evaluate how effectively Schwartz and Lloyd Webber write in the musical theatre style.

Defying Gravity comes at the end of Act 1 of Wicked and is a climatic end to the act. I’d Give my life for you from Miss Saigon is also at the end of Act 1. Evaluate how Schwartz and Schoenberg create a sense of climax.

I am sure you can come up with similar 12 mark questions and you can easily look out for the key features. The thing to spot is a sense that students understand the genre and use a compare & contrast approach. The example student responses on the Edexcel website are really useful if you haven’t seen them.

We don’t know what the focus will be, or the unfamiliar piece. But we can prepare and do all we can. Listening is key and questions in timed conditions in the lead up to the exam will help no end.

Manwaring Music Education Blog

Life in a Music Department

Music GCSE Set Work – Afro Celt Sound System

Release by Afro Celt Sound System is the seventh set work in this blog series. This  Edexcel GCSE Music  Set Work is part of the “Fusion Area of Study”. If you haven’t read my previous blogs then please do have a look at those. I am going to use my 5W’s approach when analysing this set work.

Afro Celt Sound System are a band that use Fusion as their main tool of expression. They fuse together Electronic music with traditional Gaelic and West African Music. This set work is a great example of this Fusion and a wonderful set work. They are very much a collective of musicians and this Set Work is from their 1999 Album called “Release”.

This set work is referred to as a Fusion because it brings together different styles & traditions. But a fusion is also about creating something new from these different styles. Fusion music will often bring together the old and the new, and here we have the use of electronic music.

When it comes to a Music GCSE Set Work this is packed full of great music and lots to listen out for. What students need to focus on is what makes this is a Fusion and what different features are brought together. How successful this piece is as a Fusion can then be discussed and students will need to know exactly what musical elements are combined in this set work.

It is worth remembering that what students are required to do in the GCSE exam is compare this set work to a piece of Unfamiliar listening. This unfamiliar piece is therefore likely to also be a Fusion, but it may not be as much of a fusion as this. Of course the unfamiliar piece could also not be a fusion at all and it could simply be a song that includes an instrument from another tradition. If a Rock song simply uses a Sitar, Penny Whistle or brief moment of fiddle, then is it a Fusion?

Taking features from other traditions is therefore not enough to make something a fusion. The ideas need to all combine and work together to create something new.

What – Performing Forces

A crucial thing to understand is how instruments are used in this piece. Here we have a range of instruments from each of the traditions. From Africa we have the Kora and Talking Drum. From the Celtic tradition we have the Hurdy-Gurdy, Uileann Pipes, Bodhran, Fiddle, Whistle and Accordian.

And we then have the more Western forces of Vocals, Synthesisers, samples, Drum Machines, and percussion. Much of their piece is also made using looping, something that is now often associated with modern electronic music.

It is important that students can hear and identify these different instruments so they can spot them in any unfamiliar extracts . Listening to the Hurdy-Gurdy or Uileann pipes on their own is a really good idea.

This is where we consider Why Afro-celt Sound System composed this song in this way. And it is fairly clear that they were wanting to create something new using different traditions – they wanted to create a Fusion. They weren’t simply wanting a western looped dance track, but they wanted to do as their name suggests. Creating a Fusion means bringing together different instrumental forces and approaches, and they use looping as their main tool for this song. Other features such as the use of Drone also suggest different genres and styles that rely on this musical technique.

When we consider how this piece compares to another, we are weighing up the features. In order for a piece to be a successful Fusion, it needs to create something new using the ideas within. Sometimes we hear songs that include Bagpipes for example, but we don’t call this a fusion. The very word Fusion means – The process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity. It is therefore important that we consider if a piece of music is fusion ideas together or simply borrowing a sound, force or texture from another tradition.

There are lots of great examples of Fusion that students can listen to as part of their Wider Listening. This will help to fully explain what makes Release a great example of a Fusion. Embedding Wider Listening in an essay really helps to show understanding of music. It also helps to present a full argument and a keen interest in the subject as a whole. The more we listen, the more we learn and students should be Deliberately Listening to music to seek out great examples that link to set works.

It would also be good for students to understand the individual musical traditions and styles so that they can spot key features.

There is a great deal more to discover about this set work and I would point students to the excellent notes provided by Edexcel. These notes will help guide students through the key musical features of this piece. But what the notes don’t provide is all of the Wider Listening and understanding that needs to sit alongside this. Where students fully understand how different traditions are combined to create something new, they will be successful. It is not a case of just pointing out features, but considering how they combine and the sound this creates.

I would love to know more examples of great Fusion songs, pieces or works. Do share in the comments below.

Enjoyed reading this. Can I throw the wonderful Talvin Singh into the fusion mix. He combines Indian Classical with drum and bass and electronica (with a smattering of Bollywood orchestration!) His track Traveller from the album OK is a particularly good example.

Salsa Celtica is a great band.

Salif Keita is good – personal favourite ‘Cono’

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AQA GCSE Music Past Papers

Course Name: Music Course Code: 8271

Specimen paper

Component 1: Question Paper Solution: Mark Scheme

Component 3: Question Paper

GCSE results 2024: how did each subject perform?

GCSE results released today show that overall grades were broadly similar to 2023 , including when broken down by subject.

This year’s exams maintained standards from last year, which was the final step in Ofqual’s return to normal exams and grading after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Examiners were asked to ensure the standard of work this year was “broadly similar” to 2023, though to “bear in mind any residual impact of disruption on performance”.

While almost all mitigations have been removed, GCSE students in some subjects were still provided with formulae sheets this year.

Top grades fell between 2022 and 2023 as grading was brought in line with pre-pandemic standards. Some variation in results in subjects between years is always expected.

Here are the headline takeaways from today’s GCSE results, broken down by subject (scroll down or click the links below to go straight to each subject):

• Arts and D&T

The proportion of overall entries receiving a pass or higher (grade 4/C) in maths this year was down slightly from 61 per cent last year to 59.6 per cent in 2024.

This year was the same as the 59.6 per cent who got a grade 4/C or above in 2019.

Meanwhile, 16.7 per cent received a grade 7/A or higher in maths GCSE this year - a decrease from 17.2 per cent who got the top grades in 2023 but above 15.9 per cent in 2019.

The 2023 GCSE results saw an uptick in the number of students failing to achieve grade 4 for English and maths and therefore an increase in those having to resit in November.

However, less than a quarter of the students who took GCSE maths in November 2023 passed - meaning the majority failed their resits .

Only 17.4 per cent of entries from students aged 17 or over achieved a grade 4/C in maths in England this year - slightly up from 16.4 per cent in 2023.  

• GCSE results: English and maths pass rate down
• Why grades 1-3 are not a fail
• How much does attendance affect exam results?
• GCSE resits: everything you need to know  

GCSE English language and literature

Like in maths, achieving that grade 4/C needed to pass English language is key for GCSE students.

This year, 61.6 per cent of entries managed to achieve a passing grade or higher in English language, a fall from last year when 64.2 per cent were awarded grade 4/C or above.

The English language overall pass rate was also slightly below 2019, when 61.8 per cent of entries passed English language.

However, much of this is driven by entries from students aged 17 or over who are likely resitting. In England, 20.9 per cent of entries from these students were awarded a grade 4/C - a drop from 25.9 per cent last year.

Speaking in a Joint Council for Qualifications briefing this morning, Claire Thomson, AQA’s director of regulation and compliance, said the drop in pass rates was “largely around the 17-year-olds and over who are skewing the distributions. If you look at just the 16-year-olds, they are very stable with minimal movement over the years”.

“The 17 and over cohort has grown and come back over pre-pandemic levels, which is altering the results,” she added.

For English literature, 73.7 per cent of overall entries achieved a grade 4/C or higher - down slightly from 73.9 per cent in 2023 but up slightly from 73.4 per cent in 2019.

In literature, 20.1 per cent achieved a grade 7/A or above, and 15.6 per cent in language. This compares with the 20.6 per cent who achieved grade 7/A in literature in 2023 and 16 per cent in language.

This year, teachers with students doing the Romeo and Juliet option in AQA’s English literature paper warned the extract students received was “difficult” and could leave some young people disadvantaged.

GCSE double science, biology, chemistry and physics

In the double science GCSE, the proportion of entries getting top grades (7/A and above) rose to 8.8 per cent from 8.5 per cent in 2023.

Meanwhile, 57.1 per cent of entries received a pass or higher in double science, compared with 56.6 per cent last year.

In the three sciences, the proportion getting the top grades increased slightly for physics and chemistry and remained the same for biology.

Along with GCSE maths, physics and combined science students were allowed to have formulae and equation sheets for another year.

This was to recognise the cohort had “experienced two years of national closures during secondary school”.

In biology, 42 per cent achieved the top grades - compared with 42 per cent in 2023 and 42.3 per cent in 2019.

Meanwhile in physics, 44 per cent achieved the top grades - higher than the 43 per cent in 2023 and 43.8 per cent in 2019.

In chemistry, 44.7 per cent achieved the top grades - higher than the 43.6 per cent in 2023 and 43.9 per cent in 2019.

GCSE Spanish, French and German

The proportion of entries receiving top grades in modern foreign languages rose this year.

In Spanish, 26.7 per cent received a grade 7/A or higher and 69.8 per cent passed with a grade 4/C or higher. These are compared with 26.1 per cent that got the top grades in 2023 and 69.2 per cent that passed.

Adjustments were made to grading standards for French and German GCSEs again this year to better align results with Spanish.

Last year, exam boards were required by Ofqual to award more generously at grades 9, 7 and 4. This year, exam boards were asked to make further positive adjustments at the same grades for GCSE German, and grades 7 and 4 for French.

Considering this, 32.1 per cent achieved a grade 7/A above in German, compared with 27.6 per cent last year, and 28 per cent in French, up from 26 per cent in 2023.

The pass rate also increased. In French, 71.2 per cent were awarded a grade 4/C or higher - up from 70.5 per cent last year and 69.7 in 2019.

In German, 77.5 per cent passed - up from 76.9 per cent in 2023 and 75.8 per cent in 2019.

Just 9.3 per cent achieved a grade 9 in German GCSE last year, though this was up from 5.8 per cent in 2019. This has continued to rise to 10.4 per cent in 2024.

GCSE history and geography

This year, 25.8 per cent of entries scored the top grades (grade 7/A or above) in GCSE history.

This is an increase of 0.5 percentage points from 25.3 per cent in 2023.

In geography, a similar proportion of entries achieved a grade 7/A or above at 24.5 per cent, the same as 24.5 per cent in both 2023 and 2019.

The pass rate in both GCSEs increased very slightly to 63.9 per cent in history and 65 per cent in geography.

GCSE computing

Computing GCSE saw an increase in both the proportion of top grades and the pass rate for 2024.

This year, 28.3 per cent of entries were awarded a grade 7/A or above, and 68.3 per cent a grade 4/C or above.

This is compared with last year when 24.4 per cent of entries received a grade 7/A or higher in computing, and 64.6 per cent made grade 4/C or higher.

These were still slightly above 2019 levels when 21.6 per cent got at least a grade 7/A and 62.6 per cent achieved a grade 4/C or above.

After research into grading standards, Ofqual asked exam boards to award more generously at grades 9, 7 and 4 for computer science this year.

GCSE art and design, drama, music and design and technology

There was a mixed picture for the arts in terms of increases and decreases for 2024 compared with last year.

For art and design, 23.6 per cent got a grade 7/A or above and 76.3 per cent a grade 4/C or above. In 2023, 23.9 per cent of entries achieved a grade 7/A or above and 76.1 per cent got at least a grade 4/C.

Last year in design and technology, 64.8 per cent achieved a grade 4/C or higher, and 21 per cent got the top grades. This year saw some increases, with 22.4 per cent getting the top grades and 65.6 per cent achieving a pass of grade 4/C or better.

Meanwhile, music top grades decreased slightly from 33.3 per cent in 2023 to 32.9 per cent this year. Last year, 76.4 per cent of students received a grade 4/C or higher, and this only decreased slightly to 75.9 per cent this year.

Similarly, in drama for 2024, 76.7 per cent achieved a passing grade. In 2023, 75.9 per cent achieved a grade 4/C and up.

In the top grades, 26.9 per cent of students got at least a grade 7/A this year, a small increase on 2023 when the figure was 25.8 per cent.

GCSE PE saw 23 per cent of entries awarded a grade 7/A or above and 72.1 per cent getting a grade 4/C or above.

This is relatively similar compared to 2023, when 22.7 per cent of entries received the top grades and 72.4 per cent achieved a grade 4/C or higher.

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Blog The Education Hub

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/08/20/gcse-results-day-2024-number-grading-system/

GCSE results day 2024: Everything you need to know including the number grading system

Thousands of students across the country will soon be finding out their GCSE results and thinking about the next steps in their education.   

Here we explain everything you need to know about the big day, from when results day is, to the current 9-1 grading scale, to what your options are if your results aren’t what you’re expecting.  

When is GCSE results day 2024?  

GCSE results day will be taking place on Thursday the 22 August.     

The results will be made available to schools on Wednesday and available to pick up from your school by 8am on Thursday morning.  

Schools will issue their own instructions on how and when to collect your results.   

When did we change to a number grading scale?  

The shift to the numerical grading system was introduced in England in 2017 firstly in English language, English literature, and maths.  

By 2020 all subjects were shifted to number grades. This means anyone with GCSE results from 2017-2020 will have a combination of both letters and numbers.  

The numerical grading system was to signal more challenging GCSEs and to better differentiate between students’ abilities - particularly at higher grades between the A *-C grades. There only used to be 4 grades between A* and C, now with the numerical grading scale there are 6.  

What do the number grades mean?  

The grades are ranked from 1, the lowest, to 9, the highest.  

The grades don’t exactly translate, but the two grading scales meet at three points as illustrated below.  

The bottom of grade 7 is aligned with the bottom of grade A, while the bottom of grade 4 is aligned to the bottom of grade C.    

Meanwhile, the bottom of grade 1 is aligned to the bottom of grade G.  

What to do if your results weren’t what you were expecting?  

If your results weren’t what you were expecting, firstly don’t panic. You have options.  

First things first, speak to your school or college – they could be flexible on entry requirements if you’ve just missed your grades.   

They’ll also be able to give you the best tailored advice on whether re-sitting while studying for your next qualifications is a possibility.   

If you’re really unhappy with your results you can enter to resit all GCSE subjects in summer 2025. You can also take autumn exams in GCSE English language and maths.  

Speak to your sixth form or college to decide when it’s the best time for you to resit a GCSE exam.  

Look for other courses with different grade requirements     

Entry requirements vary depending on the college and course. Ask your school for advice, and call your college or another one in your area to see if there’s a space on a course you’re interested in.    

Consider an apprenticeship    

Apprenticeships combine a practical training job with study too. They’re open to you if you’re 16 or over, living in England, and not in full time education.  

As an apprentice you’ll be a paid employee, have the opportunity to work alongside experienced staff, gain job-specific skills, and get time set aside for training and study related to your role.   

You can find out more about how to apply here .  

Talk to a National Careers Service (NCS) adviser    

The National Career Service is a free resource that can help you with your career planning. Give them a call to discuss potential routes into higher education, further education, or the workplace.   

Whatever your results, if you want to find out more about all your education and training options, as well as get practical advice about your exam results, visit the  National Careers Service page  and Skills for Careers to explore your study and work choices.   

You may also be interested in:

• Results day 2024: What's next after picking up your A level, T level and VTQ results?
• When is results day 2024? GCSEs, A levels, T Levels and VTQs

Tags: GCSE grade equivalent , gcse number grades , GCSE results , gcse results day 2024 , gsce grades old and new , new gcse grades

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GCSE grades 2024: 1-9 explained and how boundaries are decided

I 's guide to gcse results day.

Hundreds of thousands of GCSE pupils will find out how they fared in their summer exams when results are officially released tomorrow.

GCSE results day 2024 is on Thursday 22 August, with students in most cases able to collect them from their school from 8am.

Pupils have been warned to expect lower grades as a hangover from lost learning over the past four years, with education experts telling i the current cohort has faced “multiple crises” during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

And in England, the grades themselves will look a little different to what parents and older siblings may remember from their own secondary school days.

Here’s how the GCSE numerical grading system works, what it means compared to the old letter grades and what a pass mark is, as well as what to do if you’re not happy with your GCSE results.

What do the 1-9 grades mean?

In 2017, the Government began rolling out a new numerical system that awarded GCSE grades on a scale from 9 to 1 (9 being the top grade and 1 being the lowest).

The new system replaced the old letter grading of A* to G, with a U (for “ungraded”) the only remaining letter grade that can be handed out.

Introduced as part of a complete overhaul of the GCSE system in 2014 by then-education secretary Michael Gove, this numerical system is designed to bring in more differentiation at the top end of the grading scale to allow sixth forms, colleges, universities and employers to better understand what level young people are working to.

It is only used in England, or for exams set by English exam boards, with Wales and Northern Ireland both still using letter grading for GCSEs while Scotland has a separate qualifications system to the rest of the UK.

As per the guide below, issued by exams regulator Ofqual , comparing the old letter grades with the new numerical system generally equates to the following:

• 9 = High A* grade
• 8 = Lower A* or high A
• 7 = Lower A grade
• 6 = High B grade
• 5 = Lower B or high C
• 4 = Lower C grade
• 3 = D or high E
• 2 = Lower E or high F
• 1 = Lower F or G
• U = U remains the same

Under the numerical system, there are also two different grades which are both considered the threshold for a pass.

While a C used to be the grade needed to have passed any particular exam, pupils can now achieve a “standard pass” by earning a 4 or a “strong pass” by getting a 5.

While a 4 is therefore still technically a passing mark, many sixth forms tend to insist on a certain number of 5s as a prerequisite for admission.

How are GCSE grade boundaries decided?

Grade boundaries – thresholds that dictate what the lowest mark is you can get to achieve a particular grade – are set after students have taken their exams and the assessments have been marked by independent examiners using published mark schemes.

The boundaries are decided upon by examiners each year, and are set to ensure that there is consistency in grades from year to year. For example, if a paper is easier compared to the previous year, the grade boundaries will be increased to take this into account.

Grade boundaries are published on the website of each exam board on GCSE results day.

Can I appeal against GCSE grades?

If you have not got the GCSE results you hoped for, there are a few things you should do.

It is possible to appeal against a GCSE result if you or your school believes a mistake has been made in the marking process.

This can be done by contacting your school or college, who can then request that the exam board review the marking of your exam entry.

Private candidates can similarly contact the school or college that submitted their exam, or otherwise choose to contact the exam board directly.

The exam board will then check your work for marking mistakes. If any are found, your mark could change and this may in turn change your overall grade.

However, it is worth noting that your new grade could be either higher or lower than the original, and you may have to pay a fee if you ask for a review and your grade is not changed.

Private schools preparing for GCSE pupils to leave for state schools to avoid VAT

There are two key dates for GCSE grade appeals: the deadline to request a priority copy of the marked paper, and the deadline to request a review of marking.

These deadlines will be specific to each exam board, and your school should be able to advise you on the relevant dates if you are unable to find them online.

Another move should be to check whether your desired school or college will still accept you with your current grade s.

You may be accepted regardless, or you could be asked resit a GCSE.

Students may opt to resit any exam they wish to. Anyone who has a grade lower than a 4 in English or maths must retake the exam .

The deadline for resit applications typically falls sometime in early October, with resits in English and maths taking place in autumn or winter (usually November or January). These dates will also vary based on which awarding body you are sitting your exams with.

For all other subjects, you will need to take resits the following year during the usual exam period in May and June.

In some cases, your current school will be able to contact your intended school or college with extenuating circumstances to explain the lower grade.

If your offer is withdrawn, your school should be able to help you to find another education provider who will accept you.

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