Two tiers
Foundation leads to grades 1 to 5. Higher leads to grades 4 to 9 (with a grade 3 safety net). A grade 4 or 5 is worth the same on either tier. All papers must be taken at the same tier.
England · Reception to Year 13
The school journey,
one step at a time.
New to schools in England, or just lost in the jargon? Here is every year group on one line, the checks and exams along the way, and when they happen this school year.
01 Year groups and key stages · tap a year
Where are we now?
Yellow dot = a national check or exam in that year (tap the year to see it).
02 School year 2026/27 · England
What's coming up?
Dates for the whole country come from the Department for Education and JCQ. 11+ tests, mock exams and option choices are set by each area or school, so check yours.
03 GCSE maths · the facts
GCSE maths, explained.
Three papers
Each paper is 1 hour 30 minutes, and one of the three is non-calculator.
| Board | Marks per paper | Non-calculator |
|---|---|---|
| AQA | 80 | Paper 1 |
| Edexcel | 80 | Paper 1 |
| OCR | 100 | Paper 2 (Foundation), Paper 5 (Higher) |
Grades 9 to 1
4 is a standard pass and 5 a strong pass. Grade boundaries change every year, so there is no fixed pass mark.
Missed a 4?
Students without a grade 4 in maths keep studying it after 16. Maths and English can be resat in the November series (age 16 or over on 31 August) or the next summer.
Sources
Primary assessments: future dates (GOV.UK) · JCQ key dates · Ofqual: choosing the right tier · AQA GCSE Mathematics (8300) · GOV.UK: apply for a secondary school place. Checked 26 October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.