Your grade journey
OCR GCSE Physics A (Gateway Science)grade boundaries
Explore official boundaries. See where your marks take you.
J2493 official seriesMaximum mark 180
Exam series
Tier / route
Flight log / June 2026
Grade boundaries
OfficialHigher tier · 03 / 04 · Out of 180
Grade 9
152
marks / 180
Grade 7
131
marks / 180
Grade 5
97
marks / 180
Grade 4
80
marks / 180
All grade thresholds
| Grade | Minimum mark | Mark range | % of maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 152 | 152–180 | 84% |
| 8 | 141 | 141–151 | 78% |
| 7 | 131 | 131–140 | 73% |
| 6 | 114 | 114–130 | 63% |
| 5 | 97 | 97–113 | 54% |
| 4 | 80 | 80–96 | 44% |
| 3 | 71 | 71–79 | 39% |
| U | Below 71 | ||
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 | 152+2 | 141+3 | 131+4 | 114+5 | 97+5 | 80+5 | 71+5 |
| June 2025 | 150+3 | 138+3 | 127+4 | 109+5 | 92+7 | 75+9 | 66+10 |
| June 2024 | 147 | 135 | 123 | 104 | 85 | 66 | 56 |
+ 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.
131 marks needed for Grade 7.
Frequently asked questions
What did you need for a grade 4 in Physics A (Gateway Science) in June 2026?
In June 2026, grade 4 in OCR GCSE Physics A (Gateway Science) (J249) needed 108 out of 180 on foundation tier; 80 out of 180 on higher tier.
What was the boundary for a grade 9 in June 2026?
152 out of 180 on higher tier — the top grade for GCSE Physics 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.