Schools convert mock marks into IGCSE or A Level grades by applying the board’s published boundaries for the same paper and series: Cambridge grade threshold tables or Pearson Edexcel grade boundaries. Boundaries move every series, so a mock built from a June 2025 paper should use the June 2025 thresholds, not a fixed percentage or the latest year’s figures.
Where are the IGCSE grade boundaries for 2026?
Both boards publish boundaries for every series on their own sites. June 2026 tables are available from both.
| Board | Qualification | Where | Series available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | IGCSE, O Level | Grade threshold tables | March, June, November, from March 2022 to June 2026 |
| Cambridge | AS & A Level | Grade threshold tables | As above |
| Pearson | International GCSE, IAL | Grade boundaries | Every series, including June 2026 |
Cambridge says it publishes thresholds “after each exam series”. Pearson says its detailed documents are available “from Results Day”. June 2026 results days were 11 August (Cambridge AS & A Level), 13 August (Pearson IAL), 18 August (Cambridge IGCSE) and 20 August (Pearson International GCSE).
Why do grade boundaries change every series?
Because papers differ in difficulty. Cambridge’s aim is that “it is no more difficult and no less difficult to obtain each grade than it was in the previous year”, so “if we find that the questions in a paper have been more difficult than last time, we have to lower the thresholds”. Pearson says the same: “Boundaries move to allow for differences in the difficulty of the test”, set by “a mix of statistical evidence and expert judgement”.
That is why a department should never apply one fixed percentage to every mock. A 70% on one 0580 paper and a 70% on another are not the same grade.
How do you convert mock exam marks into grades?
Use a real past paper and its own boundaries, then record any adjustment. Five steps:
- Build the mock from one complete past series, for example Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics 0580, November 2025, Papers 2 and 4.
- Mark it to that series’ mark scheme.
- Apply that series’ thresholds for the exact component combination the student sat. Cambridge publishes thresholds per combination of components, and A* “is calculated relative to the A and B thresholds”.
- Apply the tier cap (see below).
- Record any adjustment the department agrees, such as for content not yet taught, and apply it to the whole cohort, never to individuals.
If the mock mixes questions from several series, no published boundary fits. The department then has to set its own boundaries and document how, which makes the result weaker as evidence. That matters when the mock may later support a predicted grade or board contingency evidence.
How do tiers cap mock grades?
Core and Foundation papers cannot produce top grades, so a mock grade must respect the tier entered.
| Syllabus | Lower tier | Higher tier |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics 0580 (A*–G) | Core: grades C to G | Extended: grades A* to E |
| Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics 0980 (9–1) | Core: grades 5 to 1 | Extended: grades 9 to 3 |
| Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A 4MA1 (9–1) | Foundation: grades 5–1 | Higher: grades 9–4 (grade 3 allowed) |
Sources: 0580 syllabus, 0980 syllabus, 4MA1 specification.
Cambridge offers 9–1 IGCSEs in administrative zone 3, where schools can choose either scale. On its 9–1 scale, “the standards at the thresholds of grades 7, 4 and 1 are the same as the standards at the thresholds of grades A, C and G” (Cambridge).
How do Edexcel IAL grade boundaries work?
IAL raw-mark boundaries move each series, but the Uniform Mark Scale (UMS) does not. Pearson converts raw marks to UMS “because raw mark grade boundaries may change from exam session to exam session”, and “UMS grade boundaries are fixed”. In Pearson’s June 2026 tables, International AS Mathematics (XMA01) is out of 300 UMS, with boundaries of 240 (A), 210 (B), 180 (C), 150 (D) and 120 (E). The full International A Level (YMA01) is out of 600, with an A at 480. Each unit has its own fixed UMS maximum, for example 100 for a Mathematics unit, with grades at the same percentages. For an IAL mock, convert the raw mark using that series’ raw-to-UMS table for the unit, then add the student’s banked unit UMS.
Which series should a November-series school use?
Use the most recent series for the paper you set. Schools on the November series can use November 2025 thresholds now. November 2026 results arrive on 7 January 2027 (Cambridge AS & A Level) and 14 January 2027 (Cambridge IGCSE and O Level), with thresholds published after the series. Tutopiya’s free Grade Boundary Tracker collects recent boundaries by board and syllabus in one place.
How schools do this with AI Buddy
AI Buddy builds mock exams from past-paper-style questions and marks them instantly, so the conversion step starts from accurate marks. Heads of department see marks by paper and topic for the whole cohort. Combined with the Grade Boundary Tracker, they can apply the right series’ thresholds consistently across classes, and keep the department’s boundary decisions on record for moderation.
Frequently asked questions
How do you set mock exam grade boundaries?
Use the official boundaries for the past paper and series you set, apply the tier cap, and record any department-wide adjustment. Set your own boundaries only when the mock mixes questions from several series.
Where are the IGCSE grade boundaries for 2026 Edexcel?
On Pearson’s grade boundaries page, which has the June 2026 International GCSE (9–1) and International A Level documents.
Are the IGCSE grade boundaries for November 2025 available?
Yes. Cambridge’s grade threshold tables list every series from March 2022 to June 2026, including November 2025.
How do Edexcel IAL grade boundaries work?
Raw-mark boundaries change each series and are converted to a fixed Uniform Mark Scale. International AS Mathematics, for example, is out of 300 UMS and needs 240 for an A and 120 for an E.
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Sources
- Cambridge International, Cambridge IGCSE grade threshold tables
- Cambridge International, Grading choice: 9–1 and A–G*
- Cambridge International, Key dates for June 2026 series and November 2026 series
- Pearson, Grade boundaries and Understanding grade boundaries 2026: international qualifications
- Pearson, International A Level grade boundaries, June 2026
- Pearson, 2026 results support