Your grade journey
OCR GCSE Biology B (Twenty First Century Science)grade boundaries
Explore official boundaries. See where your marks take you.
J2573 official seriesMaximum mark 180
Exam series
Tier / route
Flight log / June 2026
Grade boundaries
OfficialHigher tier · 03 / 04 · Out of 180
Grade 9
138
marks / 180
Grade 7
110
marks / 180
Grade 5
72
marks / 180
Grade 4
53
marks / 180
All grade thresholds
| Grade | Minimum mark | Mark range | % of maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 138 | 138–180 | 77% |
| 8 | 124 | 124–137 | 69% |
| 7 | 110 | 110–123 | 61% |
| 6 | 91 | 91–109 | 51% |
| 5 | 72 | 72–90 | 40% |
| 4 | 53 | 53–71 | 29% |
| 3 | 43 | 43–52 | 24% |
| U | Below 43 | ||
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 | 138-3 | 124-5 | 110-8 | 91-7 | 72-7 | 53-7 | 43-7 |
| June 2025 | 141-2 | 129-2 | 118-1 | 98-2 | 79-2 | 60-3 | 50-4 |
| June 2024 | 143 | 131 | 119 | 100 | 81 | 63 | 54 |
+ 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.
110 marks needed for Grade 7.
Frequently asked questions
What did you need for a grade 4 in Biology B (Twenty First Century Science) in June 2026?
In June 2026, grade 4 in OCR GCSE Biology B (Twenty First Century Science) (J257) needed 91 out of 180 on foundation tier; 53 out of 180 on higher tier.
What was the boundary for a grade 9 in June 2026?
138 out of 180 on higher tier — the top grade for GCSE Biology B (Twenty First Century 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.