Edexcel GCSE Foundation Grade Boundaries (Updated 2014)

Here are the historic grade boundaries for the past few years for the GCSE Maths Edexcel Foundation course.

The y-axis is out of 200 which is the maximum score you can have over the two papers.

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Grade C

A tiny drop on last year but still significantly above the average.  I think it is becoming more and more accepted that students who are capable of a C should be entered for the Higher paper.  Trying to achieve 70%+ on the Foundation paper gives you very little wriggle room in you make an error or two or come across a topic you haven't studied.

Grade D

 Just like the grade boundaries on the Higher tier, this grade boundary is still creeping upwards and is way above its average.  I don't know about you but I haven't noticed that the papers have been getting easier...

Grade E

And the pattern continues...another step upwards...

Grade F

Another jump...but wait until you see Grade G....

Grade G

Staggering...a jump of over 10%.  How does this grade boundary jump by so much?

I have to admit that I am starting to lose faith in Edexcel and their ability to maintain standards.

What do you think?

GCSE Foundation (Edexcel) Historic Grade Boundaries for Maths.

Recently, I posted a blog on how the Edexcel Grade Boundaries (Maths GCSE)  for the last 3 years have changed.   It can be found here....

GCSE Higher (Edexcel) Historic Grade boundaries.

This time I have taken a look at how the Foundation grade boundaries have changed in the past 3 years.  The y-axis (the vertical axis) is out of 200 which is the maximum mark attainable across the 2 papers.

Essentially, there is a very clear pattern.  Grade boundaries have been on an upward path for the past 3 years and last year's jump was phenomenal.  It is becoming very difficult for anyone to forecast what students will get this year.

Anyway, take a look and let me know what you think.

Grade C

As many of us will know, there was a massive jump in the C grade boundary last year....

Grade D.

Hmmmm...there seems to be a pattern developing here already.


Grade E.

So, the third grade in a row suffers a huge jump in grade boundary and is far above the 3 year average.

Grade F

The pattern continues...

Grade G

Any surprises!


So, the grade boundaries have been getting higher and jumped massively in 2013.  This does make it particularly difficult for anyone (students, teachers or parents) to know where they are going to be set this year.  Logically, they can't go too much higher as there is a ceiling!

I keep coming back to the conclusion that the government will not want GCSE attainment to drop in the run up to an election and Gove wouldn't have been moved if Cameron was delighted with what was going on.

Add in to this that I thought the 2014 papers were more challenging than in previous years and the grade boundaries have to come down.....don't they?

Can the grade boundaries go much higher this year?  We will find out in a couple of weeks time...

The charts will be updated as quickly as possible.