What are the Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE Grade Boundaries in 2023 and Why They Matter

Grade boundaries set by Edexcel (Pearson) are the minimum number of marks you need to score in your IGCSE exam to achieve a certain grade. The grade boundaries change for every exam series, so they will be different in 2023 than they were in previous years. Grade boundaries are set after your Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE exams have been marked, so you won’t know the exact grade boundaries for the 2023 exams before you take them.

This article will provide you with the grade boundaries for Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE 2023, help you interpret them, and provide tools to help you succeed in your exams.

SubjectYearMonthMaximum MarkGrade 9Grade 8Grade 7Grade 6Grade 5Grade 4Grade 3Grade 2Grade 1
Accounting2023November150131119108968472543720
Accounting2023January1501099378685848372615
Accounting Paper(s) 01 022023June150131119108968472543720
Accounting Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June1501351261181079685654526
Arabic (First Language)2023November125898174665952382512
Arabic (First Language)2023June125888073655851372411
Arabic (First Language)2023January125857565574942312111
Art & Design: 3D Design2023June144122112102907968533824
Art & Design: Fine Art2023June144122112102907968533824
Art & Design: Graphic Design2023June144122112102907968533824
Art & Design: Photography2023June144122112102907968533824
Art & Design: Textile Design2023June144122112102907968533824
Bangla2023November100777166574839292011
Bangla2023June100797368595041312213
Bangla2023January100837567574737281911
Bangladesh Studies2023June150131120109988777614530
Biology Paper(s) 1B 2B2023November180142124107937966544231
Biology Paper(s) 1B 2B2023June180142124107937965534130
Biology Paper(s) 1B 2B2023January18013411495796449403123
Biology Paper(s) 1BR 2BR2023June180146126107938067554332
Biology Paper(s) 1BR 2BR2023January18013411495796449403123
Business2023November160132121111968167574737
Business Paper(s) 01 022023June160132121111968167574737
Business Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June1601371271171049280695949
Chemistry Paper(s) 1C 2C2023November180147125103887460473421
Chemistry Paper(s) 1C 2C2023June180145123101877359463321
Chemistry Paper(s) 1C 2C2023January18014211997826752413121
Chemistry Paper(s) 1CR 2CR2023June18014312098847158453321
Chemistry Paper(s) 1CR 2CR2023January18014111896816651403020
Chinese2023November160150141132124117110845934
Chinese Paper(s) 01 02 032023June160150141132124117110845934
Chinese Paper(s) 01R 02R 032023June160145126107978777604327
Commerce2023November160123113103948678685848
Commerce2023January1601069381746760504030
Commerce Paper(s) 01 022023June160123113103948678685848
Commerce Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June1601321231141069890807060
Computer Science Paper(s) 01 022023June160133123113988470513213
Economics Paper(s) 01 022023November160121110100928477665545
Economics Paper(s) 01 022023June160121110100928477665545
Economics Paper(s) 01 022023January1601079584746455463728
Economics Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June16011410290827466534027
Economics Paper(s) 01R 02R2023January1601079584746455463728
English Language A Paper(s) 01 022023November15011510799898071533518
English Language A Paper(s) 01 022023June15011510799898071533518
English Language A Paper(s) 01 022023January15011310496867666503520
English Language A Paper(s) 01 032023November150123114106968676584124
English Language A Paper(s) 01 032023June150123114106968676584124
English Language A Paper(s) 01 032023January150122113104938271553924
English Language A Paper(s) 01 03T2023November150123114106968676584124
English Language A Paper(s) 01 03T2023June150123114106968676584124
English Language A Paper(s) 01 03T2023January150122113104938271553924
English Language A Paper(s) 01R 02R2023November150123114106968676584124
English Language A Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June15011310496877870523518
English Language A Paper(s) 01R 02R2023January15011310496867666503520
English Language A Paper(s) 01R 032023November15011510799898071533518
English Language A Paper(s) 01R 032023June150122113105958575584124
English Language A Paper(s) 01R 032023January150122113104938271553924
English Language A Paper(s) 01R 03T2023June150122113105958575584124
English Language A Paper(s) 01R 03T2023January150122113104938271553924
English Language A Paper(s) 03 1C2023June150123114106968676584124
English Language A Paper(s) 03 1CR2023June150122113105958575584124
English Language A Paper(s) 03T 1C2023June150123114106968676584124
English Language A Paper(s) 03T 1CR2023June150122113105958575584124
English Language A Paper(s) 1C 2C2023June15011510799898071533518
English Language B Paper(s) 012023November100706459555249382717
English Language B Paper(s) 012023June100706459555249382717
English Language B Paper(s) 012023January100665953494542322314
English Language B Paper(s) 01R2023June100666055524946362617
English Language B Paper(s) 01R2023January100615447444240312214
English Literature Paper(s) 01 022023November15011710899877563483318
English Literature Paper(s) 01 022023June15011710899877563483318
English Literature Paper(s) 01 022023January15010910092817161473319
English Literature Paper(s) 01 032023November150123113104928170533721
English Literature Paper(s) 01 032023June150123113104928170533721
English Literature Paper(s) 01 032023January15011710899887766513621
English Literature Paper(s) 01 03T2023November150123113104928170533721
English Literature Paper(s) 01 03T2023January15011710899887766513621
English Literature Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June150118109100897868523621
English Literature Paper(s) 01R 02R2023January15010910092817161473319
English Literature Paper(s) 01R 032023June150124114105948372553822
English Literature Paper(s) 01R 032023January15011710899887766513621
English Literature Paper(s) 01R 03T2023June150123113104928170533721
English Literature Paper(s) 02 1C2023June15011710899877563483318
English Literature Paper(s) 03 1C2023June150123113104928170533721
English Literature Paper(s) 03 1CR2023June150124114105948372553822
English Literature Paper(s) 1C 2C2023June15011710899877563483318
English as a Second Language Paper(s) 01 022023November15014013412911910999877564
English as a Second Language Paper(s) 01 022023June150140134128120112104917865
English as a Second Language Paper(s) 01 022023January15013813012211110089766351
English as a Second Language Paper(s) 01R 02R2023November4037322824201713107
English as a Second Language Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June15014013212511610798847057
English as a Second Language Paper(s) 01R 02R2023January15013813012211110089766351
English as a Second Language Paper(s) 032023June4037322824201713107
English as a Second Language Paper(s) 032023January40373228221611987
French2023November160134118102918171533619
French2023November160134118102918171533619
French Paper(s) 01 02 032023June160133117102918070533619
French Paper(s) 01 02 03T2023June160133117102918070533619
French Paper(s) 01R 02R 032023June16012711094837261473319
Further Pure Mathematics Paper(s) 01 022023November20016514512699724633--
Further Pure Mathematics Paper(s) 01 022023June20016514512699724633--
Further Pure Mathematics Paper(s) 01 022023January2001361067761463123--
Further Pure Mathematics Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June200170150131104785239--
Further Pure Mathematics Paper(s) 01R 02R2023January2001401108166513628--
Geography2023November175136122108958269533721
Geography Paper(s) 01 022023June175136122108958269533721
Geography Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June175133119105938169533823
German Paper(s) 01 02 032023June16012911295816855443424
German Paper(s) 01R 02R 032023June16014011998836955443424
Global Citizenship2023June100807468625650382716
Greek (First Language)2023June1251059789817365534129
History2023November120978777696153392512
History Paper(s) 01 022023June120988879706254402612
History Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June120948372645648352210
Human Biology2023November1801341231121008876614733
Human Biology2023January180135119104887358473626
Human Biology Paper(s) 01 022023June180133122111998775604632
Human Biology Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June18014713812911910999836751
ICT2023November2001511391271119580624427
ICT Paper(s) 01 022023June2001511391271119580624427
ICT Paper(s) 01R 022023June2001511381261099276594327
Islamic Studies2023June90767166595347403327
Mathematics A (Foundation) Paper(s) 1F 2F2023November200----139116855424
Mathematics A (Foundation) Paper(s) 1F 2F2023June200----140117865524
Mathematics A (Foundation) Paper(s) 1F 2F2023January200----12898734823
Mathematics A (Foundation) Paper(s) 1FR 2FR2023June200----137108784818
Mathematics A (Foundation) Paper(s) 1FR 2FR2023January200----135104785226
Mathematics A (Higher) Paper(s) 1H 2H2023November2001521239576573930--
Mathematics A (Higher) Paper(s) 1H 2H2023June2001521239575553525--
Mathematics A (Higher) Paper(s) 1H 2H2023January2001421179269472514--
Mathematics A (Higher) Paper(s) 1HR 2HR2023June20016013110380583625--
Mathematics A (Higher) Paper(s) 1HR 2HR2023January2001491249975522917--
Mathematics B Paper(s) 01 022023November300231189148123987462--
Mathematics B Paper(s) 01 022023June300231189148122967158--
Mathematics B Paper(s) 01 022023January30018514610887664636--
Mathematics B Paper(s) 01R 02R2023June300231189148122977259--
Mathematics B Paper(s) 01R 02R2023January30018915011290684635--
Pakistan Studies2023June1501301201101009182654832
Physics Paper(s) 1P 2P2023November180142125109998979655138
Physics Paper(s) 1P 2P2023June1801451281121029282685542
Physics Paper(s) 1P 2P2023January18013711797837057473829
Physics Paper(s) 1PR 2PR2023June180143122101897867554433
Physics Paper(s) 1PR 2PR2023January18013711797837057473829
Religious Studies2023June16711510697918579675543
Science (Single Award) Paper(s) 1B 1C 1P2023June1801641431231099582685542
Sinhala2023June100878073666054474033
Spanish Paper(s) 01 02 032023June16013411392806857463626
Spanish Paper(s) 01 02 03T2023June16013411392806857463626
Spanish Paper(s) 01R 02R 032023June16012610686746352423324
Swahili Paper(s) 01 022023June120988980695847393124
Tamil2023June100787572696664524028

Examiner-written IGCSE revision resources that improve your grades 2x

  • Written by expert teachers and examiners
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  • Everything you need to know, and nothing you don’t

What is the best way to prepare for your IGCSE Edexcel (Pearson) exam?

The best way to prepare for your Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE exam is to start your revision early. Begin with a list of topics for all your IGCSE courses and highlight the ones you are the most unsure about. Create a revision timetable with short periods of focus, giving the most time to these topics.

Ideally, you will want to revise all the topics for each subject, but often there just isn’t time. Prioritising topics will help you make the best use of the time you do have, and will give you the biggest increase in marks for your IGCSE exams.

Use revision notes to revise Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE content. Flashcards are a great tool to practice recall, reinforce key concepts and boost memory retention. Then use exam questions to test your understanding and identify any areas that you are still unsure of.

It is also super helpful to use 2023 Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE past exam papers to practice your exam technique. Set a timer for the amount of time allowed for your Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE exam, and sit the paper under exam conditions. This will help you to manage your time more effectively. It will also help increase your exam stamina! It is difficult to concentrate and to write for extended periods, so you need to practice this before the big day.

How to interpret 2023 grade boundaries for Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE exams

Grade boundaries are established by exam boards such as Edexcel (Pearson) to reflect student performance in any given year. It is important to understand that the IGCSE grade boundaries are set after the IGCSE exams have been marked.

A variety of methods are used to ensure the grade boundaries are set fairly. Statistical analysis and examiner judgement are used to ensure the grade boundaries are fair and consistent with previous years.

Each IGCSE exam paper is different, so the level of difficulty of the paper as a whole can fluctuate slightly from year to year. For example, if an entire cohort of students finds an exam paper particularly difficult, the grade boundary is lowered slightly so that students are not unfairly penalised.

Looking at the Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE grade boundaries for previous years can help you get an idea of the marks you need in 2023 to achieve the grade you want. With this information and your Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE past paper scores, you can get an idea of the grade you are currently working at. You will be able to see how many marks you would have needed to get the higher grade. Armed with this information and an effective revision process, you can successfully work to increase your grade.

A word of caution. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE grade boundaries were lowered to minimise the disadvantage faced by students who missed school due to lockdowns. Therefore, the grade boundaries for the Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE years 2020 to 2022 will not be representative of other years.

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