Your grade journey
OCR GCSE Biology A (Gateway Science)grade boundaries
Explore official boundaries. See where your marks take you.
J2473 official seriesMaximum mark 180
Exam series
Tier / route
Flight log / June 2026
Grade boundaries
OfficialHigher tier · 03 / 04 · Out of 180
Grade 9
141
marks / 180
Grade 7
121
marks / 180
Grade 5
86
marks / 180
Grade 4
69
marks / 180
All grade thresholds
| Grade | Minimum mark | Mark range | % of maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 141 | 141–180 | 78% |
| 8 | 131 | 131–140 | 73% |
| 7 | 121 | 121–130 | 67% |
| 6 | 103 | 103–120 | 57% |
| 5 | 86 | 86–102 | 48% |
| 4 | 69 | 69–85 | 38% |
| 3 | 60 | 60–68 | 33% |
| U | Below 60 | ||
These boundaries apply to this exam series and route.
How these boundaries have changed
Higher tier, every official series. Boundaries move each year with how hard the papers were.
| Series | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | 141+2 | 131+3 | 121+4 | 103+3 | 86+3 | 69+3 | 60+3 |
| June 2025 | 139-3 | 128-3 | 117-4 | 100-4 | 83-4 | 66-4 | 57-4 |
| June 2024 | 142 | 131 | 121 | 104 | 87 | 70 | 61 |
+ higher than the same series a year earlier (harder to reach) · − lower (easier to reach).
Grade calculator
June 2026 · Higher tier
Enter your mark for each paper to see your grade.
121 marks needed for Grade 7.
Frequently asked questions
What did you need for a grade 4 in Biology A (Gateway Science) in June 2026?
In June 2026, grade 4 in OCR GCSE Biology A (Gateway Science) (J247) needed 93 out of 180 on foundation tier; 69 out of 180 on higher tier.
What was the boundary for a grade 9 in June 2026?
141 out of 180 on higher tier — the top grade for GCSE Biology A (Gateway Science) in June 2026.
How is my grade worked out?
Your marks from each paper are added up (scaled by a weighting factor where papers count differently) to give your subject mark, which is then compared with the boundaries. Your grade comes from the total — not from each paper separately.
When will the next boundaries be published?
OCR publishes grade boundaries on results day for each series. Until then, any figures shown for a future series are Starley estimates, clearly labelled, based on recent years.