Your grade journey
OCR GCSE Chemistry A (Gateway Science)grade boundaries
Explore official boundaries. See where your marks take you.
J2483 official seriesMaximum mark 180
Exam series
Tier / route
Flight log / June 2026
Grade boundaries
OfficialHigher tier · 03 / 04 · Out of 180
Grade 9
163
marks / 180
Grade 7
139
marks / 180
Grade 5
97
marks / 180
Grade 4
76
marks / 180
All grade thresholds
| Grade | Minimum mark | Mark range | % of maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 163 | 163–180 | 91% |
| 8 | 151 | 151–162 | 84% |
| 7 | 139 | 139–150 | 77% |
| 6 | 118 | 118–138 | 66% |
| 5 | 97 | 97–117 | 54% |
| 4 | 76 | 76–96 | 42% |
| 3 | 65 | 65–75 | 36% |
| U | Below 65 | ||
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 | 163+5 | 151+6 | 139+7 | 118+6 | 97+5 | 76+3 | 65+2 |
| June 2025 | 158+4 | 145+5 | 132+5 | 112+5 | 92+5 | 73+5 | 63+5 |
| June 2024 | 154 | 140 | 127 | 107 | 87 | 68 | 58 |
+ 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.
139 marks needed for Grade 7.
Frequently asked questions
What did you need for a grade 4 in Chemistry A (Gateway Science) in June 2026?
In June 2026, grade 4 in OCR GCSE Chemistry A (Gateway Science) (J248) needed 100 out of 180 on foundation tier; 76 out of 180 on higher tier.
What was the boundary for a grade 9 in June 2026?
163 out of 180 on higher tier — the top grade for GCSE Chemistry 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.