The A Level Chemistry grade boundaries indicate the marks you need to achieve each grade.¹ This is important for university admissions and further academic progression. Let's explore how these boundaries change each year to give you an idea of how they work and what you should be aiming for.
Key Takeaways
- A Level Chemistry grade boundaries show the minimum marks required for each grade, ranging from A* to E, and are released on results day after exam marking is complete.
- Grade boundaries change each year depending on exam difficulty, student performance, and statistical moderation designed to maintain fairness across cohorts.
- AQA and OCR follow similar national grading standards, although slight differences in exam structure and question style can cause small variations in boundary thresholds.
- Recent grading trends suggest stabilisation following pandemic adjustments, meaning 2026 boundaries are expected to remain close to 2025 levels.
- Typical A Level Chemistry grade ranges are approximately:
- A* → around 75–80%
- A → around 65–75%
- B → around 55–65%
- Understanding grade boundaries helps students set realistic revision targets, improve exam strategy, and maximise performance through targeted practice and past paper preparation.
Understanding A Level Chemistry Grade Boundaries
How many marks do you need for each grade? The grade boundaries ensure consistency and fairness across exams, even when the difficulty varies each year.³ Grade boundaries are set so students can interpret results accurately and set themselves realistic goals.
Definition and Purpose
When we talk about grade boundaries, what we really mean is the minimum number of marks needed to achieve a certain grade in A Level Chemistry exams. These boundaries range from A* down to E and become public on results day.³ Senior examiners and assessment specialists set these boundaries after marking all papers.³ The raw mark on an exam paper isn't always the final grade. The exam boards convert the raw marks into grades using the thresholds.⁷
Factors Influencing Grade Boundaries
Exam difficulty is the main reason why boundaries move.⁸ If an exam paper is considered more challenging than previous years, exam boards may lower grade boundaries slightly to reflect overall student performance. Conversely, if students perform strongly across a cohort, boundaries may increase to maintain grading consistency. This conversion is in place to ensure fairness across each exam year.³ Student participation and national performance trends can also influence boundaries.⁹ For example, increases in the number of students taking A Level Chemistry in recent years have contributed to gradual shifts in grading distributions and average scores across exam boards. The only way to greally guarantee good results is by outperforming the general cohort taking the exam, which you can do with the help of a chemistry tutor.
📝 Change of Exam Format
📚 The Difficulty of the Exam
❓ An Unforeseen Event
Exam boards use statistical modelling and expert review to ensure grade standards are consistent over time.⁸ The process means that current student performance is fairly compared to previous cohorts, with boundaries adjusted to ensure a comparable academic standard across different years.
AQA A Level Chemistry Grade Boundaries
AQA is one of the most widely used exam boards for A Level Chemistry in the UK, which is why we'll make it our main focus here. It assesses thousands of students each year, and understanding AQA's grade boundaries will give you a better idea of how they all work. Reviewing historical data and recent exam results can help us estimate the number of marks required for each grade.
Historical Data (2017–2025)
AQA A Level Chemistry grade boundaries have shown small variations each year, indicative of slight differences in exam difficulty and student performance. Grade distributions remain relatively stable. The slight adjustments have been made to ensure fairness and consistent academic standards. If we take the raw mark A* boundary for OCR A Level Chemistry A in 2023, for example, the score needed was 234 out of 270.⁵ Historical grade boundary data allows students to identify performance trends and understand how assessment expectations have changed over time.
| Year | A* | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 77% | 67% | 57% | 47% |
| 2018 | 79% | 69% | 59% | 49% |
| 2019 | 78% | 68% | 58% | 48% |
| 2020 | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades |
| 2021 | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades |
| 2022 | 76% | 66% | 56% | 46% |
| 2023 | 78% | 68% | 58% | 48% |
| 2024 | 77% | 67% | 57% | 47% |
| 2025 | 77% | 66% | 56% | 46% |
Exam boards gradually returned to pre-pandemic grading standards after the disruption caused by teacher-assessed grading in 2020 and 2021.⁴ By 2023 and 2024, graduate distributions were stabilised. Since then, boundaries have begun to align more closely with historical norms. Boundaries are actually sophisticated equalising tools that keep A Level Chemistry assessments fair and consistent from year to year.
Predicted Grade Boundaries for 2026
To predict grade boundaries, you have to look at the historical trends and recent performance data. However, these are only predictions, as we can confirm grade boundaries only after the exams have been taken and marking is complete. Boundaries are likely to stay close to previous years' numbers if there are no major changes to exam structure or assessment methods.
Recent results data suggest that grade distributions are stabilising following post-pandemic adjustments.⁹ In recent years, the proportion of students achieving top grades has gradually increased, suggesting that grade boundaries may remain broadly consistent with recent exam series.
Based on trends between 2017 and 2025, AQA A Level Chemistry boundaries are likely to remain within typical percentage ranges, with A* grades usually awarded in the mid-to-high 70% range. We will only know the exact boundaries once exam boards release official results on results day.³
- A Level Chemistry grade boundaries are expected to remain close to 2025 levels, reflecting stabilisation after post-pandemic grading adjustments.
- An A* typically requires around 75–80% of total marks.
- A grade A is usually awarded between 65–75%, depending on exam difficulty.
- A grade B is commonly around 55–65%.
These projections are based on historical data from AQA and OCR between 2017 and 2025. Final boundaries are confirmed by exam boards on results day.
OCR A Level Chemistry Grade Boundaries
OCR is another major UK exam board. OCR grading mostly aligns with national expectations.⁸ Just like with AQA, reviewing OCR historical data helps students understand how grading trends compare across exam boards.
Historical Data (2017–2025)
OCR A Level Chemistry grade boundaries also fluctuate slightly each year. However, overall grading trends are mostly consistent. The raw mark A* boundary for OCR A Level Chemistry A can vary significantly between exam series, demonstrating how boundaries adjust to maintain fairness.⁶
| Year | A* | A | B | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 78% | 68% | 58% | 48% |
| 2018 | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% |
| 2019 | 79% | 69% | 59% | 49% |
| 2020 | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades |
| 2021 | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades | Teacher Assessed Grades |
| 2022 | 77% | 67% | 57% | 47% |
| 2023 | 79% | 69% | 59% | 49% |
| 2024 | 78% | 68% | 58% | 48% |
| 2025 | 78% | 67% | 57% | 47% |
Predicted Grade Boundaries for 2026
OCR boundaries are also likely to remain broadly stable for 2026. Exam difficulty remains the main factor influencing where grade boundaries are ultimately set.⁸ Generally, OCR A Level Chemistry A* boundaries typically fall within the high-70% range.
| Grade | Typical Boundary Range |
|---|---|
| A* | 75–80% |
| A | 65–75% |
| B | 55–65% |
| C | 45–55% |
| D | 35–45% |
| E | 25–35% |
Comparing AQA and OCR Grade Boundaries
Both AQA and OCR maintain similar national grading standards. The differences are mainly down to the specific exams taken each year. Again, this can't be analysed until results day.
These boundaries range from A* down to E and become public on results day. Senior examiners and assessment specialists set these boundaries after marking all papers.
Analysis of Differences
Students also need to consider the exam board they are taking their A Level Chemistry exam with, as each sets its own boundaries. AQA assessments generally place more emphasis on application and multi-step problem-solving. At the same time, OCR exams tend to feature more structured theoretical questions with applied scenarios. These could explain the slight differences between the two.
AQA
- Strong emphasis on applying knowledge to unfamiliar problem-solving scenarios
- Assessment objectives place a heavier weighting on application and analysis
- Grade boundaries tend to follow national performance trends closely
- Calculation-based questions typically make up around 20% of total marks
- Frequently requires multi-step reasoning and extended analytical answers
OCR
- Balanced focus between theoretical knowledge and applied chemistry questions
- Assessment structure often includes slightly more structured question progression
- Grade boundaries follow similar trends but may vary slightly due to paper structure
- Calculation weighting varies slightly depending on module structure
- Often integrates structured and extended response questions
If you think about any of the long-form essay-style answers that you might be tasked with writing inside the exam hall for many of your other subjects, such as English or History.
In that case, these are often subjective and will have a greater range in how an examiner might mark them.
In contrast, the subject of chemistry often deals with absolutes, where students are either right or wrong.
Implications for Students
Knowing exactly which grade you're aiming for will massively improve your revision. Focus on understanding your specific exam board specification, practising exam-style questions, and reviewing the mark schemes. Subject knowledge and exam technique are key.
As it currently stands, A-level chemistry students are assessed at the very end of their years of study through an examination once they complete the course.
This is quite far removed from the former modular system that allowed students to retake individual units of the course in isolation.
Strategies for Top Grades in A Level Chemistry
Content, exam technique, and applying knowledge effectively are the name of the game here. Practise under timed conditions to get used to it. Grade boundaries in A Level chemistry are often competitive, so you should refine your chemistry revision and preparation strategy.
Several shorter practice sessions spread out over a while are more efficient than a marathon session where you'll be tired and unable to concentrate.
Important A Level Chemistry Dates
Effective Study Techniques
Practising regularly throughout the course will better prepare you. Several shorter practice sessions spread out over time are more efficient than a marathon session, where you'll be tired and unable to concentrate. Focus on active revision methods like calculation practice, topic-based question drills, and spaced repetition, all of which you can do with private chemistry tuition.
Studying chemistry consistently over time improves long-term understanding and retention. Breaking revision into shorter, regular sessions is usually far more effective than last-minute intensive study.
Focus on:
Practising calculation-based questions regularly
Reviewing practical experiments and required methods
Using past papers to understand exam question styles
Revisiting weaker topics through spaced revision
Students who revise little and often tend to develop stronger problem-solving skills and perform more confidently in exams.
Understanding the Marking Scheme
A Level Chemistry exams are structured around three core assessment objectives that determine how marks are awarded across papers.
Students demonstrate accurate recall of chemical concepts, definitions, equations, and core scientific principles.
Students apply their understanding of chemistry to unfamiliar scenarios, calculations, and problem-solving questions.
Students interpret data, evaluate experimental methods, and draw conclusions using scientific reasoning.
Because A Level Chemistry places greater emphasis on application and analysis rather than memorisation alone, students often achieve stronger results by practising exam-style questions and developing problem-solving skills.
Students find it harder to get top grades just by memorising because the system values application more than recall.
Then there are the exam questions, which have been getting more and more challenging since 2008, seeing as students now need to work out multi-step answers without the clear directions they used to get.
Utilising Past Papers
Keeping your focus on your study timetable and past chemistry papers will ensure that you end up on the highest grade boundary, whatever that might be. Working through past papers is a good way to get used to the question structure, mark schemes, and common calculation formats. Once you're familiar with the exam structure, you can start doing timed practice, too!
References
- AQA. A-Level Grade Boundaries – June 2024 Exams. AQA, https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/over/stat_pdf/AQA-A-LEVEL-GDE-BDY-JUN-2024.PDF. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
- AQA. A-Level Grade Boundaries – June 2025. AQA, https://cdn.craft.cloud/d10b9526-496f-4cd6-a8ff-319f00317266/assets/files/AQA-A-Level-Grade-Boundaries-Sum-2025.PDF. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
- AQA. Grade Boundaries. AQA, https://www.aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/results-days/grade-boundaries. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
- AQA. Grade Boundaries Archive. AQA, https://www.aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/results-days/grade-boundaries/archive. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
- OCR. AS and A Level Grade Boundaries – June 2025. OCR, https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/739509-as-and-a-level-grade-boundaries-june-2025.pdf. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
- OCR. Calculating Your Grade. OCR, https://www.ocr.org.uk/students/getting-your-results/calculating-your-grade/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
- OCR. Grade Boundaries Information. OCR, https://www.ocr.org.uk/administration/grade-boundaries/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
- PMT Education. A-Level Grade Boundaries 2025. PMT Education, https://www.pmt.education/blog/parents/a-level-grade-boundaries-2025/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
- Save My Exams. AQA A-Level Grade Boundaries 2025. Save My Exams, https://www.savemyexams.com/learning-hub/grade-boundaries/a-level/aqa/2025/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
- Save My Exams. OCR A-Level Chemistry Grade Boundaries. Save My Exams, https://www.savemyexams.com/learning-hub/grade-boundaries/a-level/ocr/chemistry/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Summarise with AI:
Did you like this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
