Your grade journey
OCR GCSE Combined Science B (Twenty First Century Science)grade boundaries
Explore official boundaries. See where your marks take you.
J2603 official seriesMaximum mark 360
Exam series
Tier / route
Flight log / June 2026
Grade boundaries
OfficialHigher tier · 05 / 06 / 07 / 08 · Out of 360
Grade 9–9
257
marks / 360
Grade 7–7
206
marks / 360
Grade 5–5
139
marks / 360
Grade 4–4
107
marks / 360
All grade thresholds
| Grade | Minimum mark | Mark range | % of maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9–9 | 257 | 257–360 | 71% |
| 9–8 | 244 | 244–256 | 68% |
| 8–8 | 231 | 231–243 | 64% |
| 8–7 | 218 | 218–230 | 61% |
| 7–7 | 206 | 206–217 | 57% |
| 7–6 | 189 | 189–205 | 53% |
| 6–6 | 172 | 172–188 | 48% |
| 6–5 | 155 | 155–171 | 43% |
| 5–5 | 139 | 139–154 | 39% |
| 5–4 | 123 | 123–138 | 34% |
| 4–4 | 107 | 107–122 | 30% |
| 4–3 | 99 | 99–106 | 28% |
| U | Below 99 | ||
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 | 9–9 | 9–8 | 8–8 | 8–7 | 7–7 | 7–6 | 6–6 | 6–5 | 5–5 | 5–4 | 4–4 | 4–3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2026 | 257-2 | 244 | 231+1 | 218+2 | 206+4 | 189+3 | 172+2 | 155+1 | 139+1 | 123+1 | 107+1 | 99+1 |
| June 2025 | 259 | 244 | 230 | 216 | 202 | 186 | 170 | 154 | 138 | 122 | 106 | 98 |
+ 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.
244 marks needed for Grade 9–8.
Frequently asked questions
What did you need for a grade 4–4 in Combined Science B (Twenty First Century Science) in June 2026?
In June 2026, grade 4–4 in OCR GCSE Combined Science B (Twenty First Century Science) (J260) needed 189 out of 360 on foundation tier; 107 out of 360 on higher tier.
What was the boundary for a grade 9–9 in June 2026?
257 out of 360 on higher tier — the top grade for GCSE Combined Science 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.