[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-621450-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-621450-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","understanding-grade-boundaries-2026-uk-qualifications-pearson-public-version","Understanding grade boundaries 2026 - UK qualifications - Pearson public version","","Explains how Edexcel grade boundaries are determined for UK qualifications in 2026, and why they may shift between years. Describes the role of changing paper difficulty, the removal of unintended barriers, and the need for fairness so grades reflect comparable performance. Outlines how boundaries are set using statistical evidence and expert judgement, senior examiner review, and approval by Pearson staff, followed by regulator oversight across awarding organisations. Includes helpful links.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/understanding-grade-boundaries-2026-uk-qualifications-pearson-public-version/621450/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/understanding-grade-boundaries-2026-uk-qualifications-pearson-public-version/621450.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Damian","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-06","2026-10-20",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",7,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why do grade boundaries move from year to year?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Paper difficulty can vary, with questions sometimes proving easier or harder than in the previous year. 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Maintaining these standards over time ensures fairness for all and confidence in what grades mean.  \nWhy do grade boundaries move?  \nThe difficulty of a paper may change from year to year. Sometimes, this is just because questions proved to bea bit easier, ora bit harder, than those seen the year before. Changes might also bea result of our desire to produce fairer assessments, for example if we have removed unintended barriersin the assessment to make it more accessible.  \nSuch improvements are aimed at enabling students to access questions appropriately, enhance their experience, and build confidence. Boundaries move to allow for differences in the difficulty of the test.  \nHow are boundaries set?  \nWe use a mix of statistical evidence and expert judgement. This year, like every year, students can have confidence that the grade they receive fairly reflects their knowledge of the subject, and maintains the standard from previous years, so that grades mean the same thing regardless ofwhen an exam was taken.  \nThe process starts with data, we use these to help identify a range of marks where the grade boundary might be, based on evidence such as how the paper performed in comparison to last year and what we know about the students taking the paper.  \nSenior examiners have then reviewed the quality of student work over a range of marks and recommended grade boundaries based on all the available evidence. Boundaries are approved by Pearson staff to ensure consistency both across years, and that we’ve applied the principles fairly across subjects. These boundaries are then compared to those from other awarding organisations in a process overseen by the regulator, to ensure a fair approach for all.  \nHelpful links  \n• Pearson Grade Boundaries  \n• Ofqual How GCSE andA level grading works video  \n4523463506a | Version 1 | Aug 2026 | Public","cbCaifs0ppEweT9c","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaifs0ppEweT9c","pdf",806067,"English","# Understanding grade boundaries 2026\n## Why grade boundaries move\n## How boundaries are set\n## Helpful links","[{\"question\":\"Why do grade boundaries move from year to year?\",\"answer\":\"Paper difficulty can vary, with questions sometimes proving easier or harder than in the previous year. Boundaries may also adjust to support fairer, more accessible assessment and remove unintended barriers.\"},{\"question\":\"How are grade boundaries set for 2026 UK qualifications?\",\"answer\":\"They are set using a mix of statistical evidence and expert judgement. Senior examiners review student work across a range of marks and recommend boundaries based on all available evidence.\"},{\"question\":\"Who approves and checks the fairness of grade boundaries?\",\"answer\":\"Pearson staff approve boundaries to ensure consistency across years and fair application across subjects. Boundaries are then compared with other awarding organisations under processes overseen by the regulator.\"}]","Understanding grade boundaries 2026 - UK qualifications - Pearson public version | PDF",1792465552]