Your grade journey
OCR GCSE Physics B (Twenty First Century Science)grade boundaries
Explore official boundaries. See where your marks take you.
J2593 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
119
marks / 180
Grade 5
87
marks / 180
Grade 4
71
marks / 180
All grade thresholds
| Grade | Minimum mark | Mark range | % of maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 141 | 141–180 | 78% |
| 8 | 130 | 130–140 | 72% |
| 7 | 119 | 119–129 | 66% |
| 6 | 103 | 103–118 | 57% |
| 5 | 87 | 87–102 | 48% |
| 4 | 71 | 71–86 | 39% |
| 3 | 63 | 63–70 | 35% |
| U | Below 63 | ||
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 | 141-6 | 130-5 | 119-4 | 103-3 | 87-3 | 71-3 | 63-3 |
| June 2025 | 147+3 | 135+4 | 123+5 | 106+4 | 90+4 | 74+4 | 66+4 |
| June 2024 | 144 | 131 | 118 | 102 | 86 | 70 | 62 |
+ 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.
119 marks needed for Grade 7.
Frequently asked questions
What did you need for a grade 4 in Physics B (Twenty First Century Science) in June 2026?
In June 2026, grade 4 in OCR GCSE Physics B (Twenty First Century Science) (J259) needed 106 out of 180 on foundation tier; 71 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 Physics 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.