What are the Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE Grade Boundaries in 2020 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 2020 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 2020 exams before you take them.
This article will provide you with the grade boundaries for Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE 2020, help you interpret them, and provide tools to help you succeed in your exams.
Subject | Year | Month | Maximum Mark | Grade 9 | Grade 8 | Grade 7 | Grade 6 | Grade 5 | Grade 4 | Grade 3 | Grade 2 | Grade 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Accounting Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 150 | 105 | 90 | 76 | 63 | 50 | 38 | 30 | 22 | 15 |
Accounting Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | January | 150 | 127 | 116 | 105 | 94 | 83 | 72 | 57 | 43 | 29 |
Accounting Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 150 | 121 | 104 | 87 | 70 | 53 | 36 | 29 | 22 | 15 |
Arabic (First Language) Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 125 | 96 | 88 | 81 | 71 | 62 | 53 | 43 | 33 | 23 |
Arabic (First Language) Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | January | 125 | 99 | 93 | 88 | 82 | 76 | 70 | 57 | 44 | 31 |
Art & Design: Fine Art Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 144 | 120 | 105 | 90 | 71 | 52 | 34 | 24 | 14 | 5 |
Art & Design: Fine Art Paper(s) 01T 02 | 2020 | November | 144 | 120 | 105 | 90 | 71 | 52 | 34 | 24 | 14 | 5 |
Art & Design: Graphic Design Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 144 | 120 | 105 | 90 | 71 | 52 | 34 | 24 | 14 | 5 |
Art & Design: Graphic Design Paper(s) 01T 02 | 2020 | November | 144 | 120 | 105 | 90 | 71 | 52 | 34 | 24 | 14 | 5 |
Bangla Paper(s) 01 | 2020 | November | 100 | 85 | 80 | 75 | 63 | 51 | 40 | 32 | 25 | 18 |
Bangla Paper(s) 01 | 2020 | January | 100 | 87 | 82 | 78 | 72 | 66 | 60 | 49 | 38 | 28 |
Bangladesh Studies | 2020 | November | 150 | 92 | 83 | 74 | 65 | 56 | 47 | 36 | 25 | 14 |
Biology Paper(s) 1B & 2B | 2020 | November | 180 | 129 | 109 | 89 | 70 | 51 | 33 | 28 | 23 | 18 |
Biology Paper(s) 1B & 2B | 2020 | January | 180 | 136 | 120 | 104 | 90 | 77 | 64 | 52 | 41 | 30 |
Biology Papers 1BR & 2BR | 2020 | November | 180 | 129 | 110 | 91 | 74 | 58 | 42 | 35 | 28 | 22 |
Biology Papers 1BR & 2BR | 2020 | January | 180 | 134 | 119 | 105 | 94 | 83 | 72 | 60 | 48 | 37 |
Business Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 160 | 90 | 77 | 64 | 50 | 37 | 24 | 20 | 16 | 12 |
Business Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 160 | 97 | 87 | 77 | 62 | 48 | 34 | 28 | 22 | 17 |
Chemistry Paper(s) 1C & 2C | 2020 | November | 180 | 137 | 115 | 93 | 72 | 51 | 30 | 24 | 19 | 14 |
Chemistry Paper(s) 1C & 2C | 2020 | January | 180 | 162 | 149 | 137 | 122 | 107 | 92 | 75 | 59 | 43 |
Chemistry Paper(s) 1CR & 2CR | 2020 | November | 180 | 143 | 124 | 105 | 88 | 71 | 54 | 43 | 32 | 22 |
Chemistry Paper(s) 1CR & 2CR | 2020 | January | 180 | 159 | 143 | 128 | 113 | 98 | 84 | 69 | 54 | 40 |
Chinese Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 120 | 109 | 85 | 61 | 55 | 49 | 43 | 33 | 24 | 15 |
Chinese Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 120 | 102 | 85 | 68 | 62 | 56 | 50 | 38 | 27 | 16 |
Commerce | 2020 | January | 160 | 92 | 83 | 74 | 65 | 57 | 49 | 41 | 33 | 26 |
Commerce Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 160 | 72 | 61 | 50 | 39 | 29 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 7 |
Commerce Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 160 | 79 | 71 | 64 | 52 | 40 | 29 | 23 | 18 | 13 |
Computer Science Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 160 | 126 | 111 | 97 | 79 | 62 | 45 | 36 | 27 | 19 |
Economics Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 160 | 97 | 84 | 72 | 59 | 46 | 34 | 30 | 26 | 23 |
Economics Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | January | 160 | 111 | 99 | 88 | 80 | 73 | 66 | 55 | 45 | 35 |
Economics Paper(s) 01R & 02R | 2020 | November | 160 | 98 | 90 | 82 | 71 | 61 | 51 | 42 | 34 | 26 |
Economics Paper(s) 01R & 02R | 2020 | January | 160 | 110 | 100 | 90 | 83 | 77 | 71 | 59 | 47 | 35 |
English Language A Papers 01 & 02 | 2020 | November | 150 | 108 | 97 | 86 | 76 | 66 | 56 | 42 | 28 | 14 |
English Language A Papers 01 & 02 | 2020 | January | 150 | 118 | 108 | 98 | 88 | 78 | 68 | 51 | 34 | 18 |
English Language A Papers 01 & 03 | 2020 | November | 150 | 120 | 110 | 100 | 88 | 76 | 65 | 50 | 35 | 20 |
English Language A Papers 01 & 03 | 2020 | January | 150 | 127 | 116 | 105 | 94 | 84 | 74 | 57 | 40 | 24 |
English Language A Papers 01 & 03T | 2020 | November | 150 | 120 | 110 | 100 | 88 | 76 | 65 | 50 | 35 | 20 |
English Language A Papers 01 & 03T | 2020 | January | 150 | 127 | 116 | 105 | 94 | 84 | 74 | 57 | 40 | 24 |
English Language A Papers 01R & 02R | 2020 | November | 150 | 113 | 101 | 90 | 79 | 68 | 58 | 43 | 28 | 14 |
English Language A Papers 01R & 02R | 2020 | January | 150 | 114 | 104 | 94 | 84 | 75 | 66 | 50 | 34 | 18 |
English Language A Papers 01R & 03 | 2020 | January | 150 | 121 | 111 | 101 | 91 | 81 | 71 | 55 | 39 | 24 |
English Language A Papers 01R & 03T | 2020 | January | 150 | 121 | 111 | 101 | 91 | 81 | 71 | 55 | 39 | 24 |
English Language B Paper 01 | 2020 | November | 100 | 68 | 61 | 54 | 47 | 41 | 35 | 26 | 17 | 8 |
English Language B Paper 01 | 2020 | January | 100 | 77 | 70 | 64 | 60 | 56 | 53 | 40 | 27 | 15 |
English Language B Paper 01R | 2020 | November | 100 | 61 | 55 | 49 | 44 | 39 | 34 | 25 | 17 | 9 |
English Language B Paper 01R | 2020 | January | 100 | 77 | 69 | 62 | 59 | 56 | 53 | 40 | 27 | 15 |
English Literature Papers 01 & 02 | 2020 | November | 150 | 107 | 96 | 85 | 72 | 60 | 48 | 35 | 22 | 10 |
English Literature Papers 01 & 02 | 2020 | January | 150 | 114 | 104 | 94 | 83 | 73 | 63 | 46 | 30 | 14 |
English Literature Papers 01 & 03 | 2020 | November | 150 | 115 | 103 | 92 | 79 | 66 | 54 | 40 | 26 | 13 |
English Literature Papers 01 & 03 | 2020 | January | 150 | 120 | 109 | 98 | 87 | 77 | 67 | 50 | 33 | 17 |
English Literature Papers 01 & 03T | 2020 | November | 150 | 115 | 103 | 92 | 79 | 66 | 54 | 40 | 26 | 13 |
English Literature Papers 01 & 03T | 2020 | January | 150 | 120 | 109 | 98 | 87 | 77 | 67 | 50 | 33 | 17 |
English Literature Papers 01R & 02R | 2020 | November | 150 | 106 | 94 | 83 | 71 | 59 | 47 | 34 | 22 | 10 |
English Literature Papers 01R & 02R | 2020 | January | 150 | 114 | 104 | 94 | 83 | 73 | 63 | 46 | 30 | 14 |
English Literature Papers 01R & 03 | 2020 | November | 150 | 114 | 103 | 93 | 81 | 69 | 58 | 43 | 28 | 14 |
English Literature Papers 01R & 03 | 2020 | January | 150 | 120 | 109 | 98 | 87 | 77 | 67 | 50 | 33 | 17 |
English as a Second Language Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 150 | 134 | 125 | 117 | 103 | 89 | 76 | 67 | 58 | 49 |
English as a Second Language Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 150 | 136 | 124 | 113 | 93 | 73 | 54 | 47 | 41 | 35 |
English as a Second Language Papers 01 & 02 | 2020 | January | 150 | 139 | 132 | 125 | 115 | 106 | 97 | 85 | 73 | 62 |
English as a Second Language Papers 01R & 02R | 2020 | January | 150 | 137 | 131 | 125 | 115 | 106 | 97 | 85 | 73 | 62 |
English as a Second Language Speaking Endorsement | 2020 | January | 40 | 38 | 34 | 30 | 26 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 7 |
French Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 120 | 89 | 77 | 65 | 55 | 45 | 35 | 26 | 18 | 10 |
French Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 120 | 92 | 80 | 69 | 55 | 41 | 27 | 21 | 15 | 10 |
Further Pure Mathematics Papers 01 & 02 | 2020 | November | 200 | 159 | 125 | 92 | 75 | 59 | 43 | 35 | - | - |
Further Pure Mathematics Papers 01 & 02 | 2020 | January | 200 | 183 | 166 | 149 | 122 | 95 | 68 | 54 | - | - |
Further Pure Mathematics Papers 01R & 02R | 2020 | November | 200 | 153 | 123 | 93 | 79 | 65 | 52 | 45 | - | - |
Further Pure Mathematics Papers 01R & 02R | 2020 | January | 200 | 184 | 168 | 152 | 124 | 97 | 70 | 56 | - | - |
Geography Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 175 | 132 | 116 | 100 | 81 | 63 | 45 | 35 | 26 | 17 |
Geography Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 175 | 130 | 114 | 98 | 82 | 66 | 51 | 40 | 30 | 20 |
German Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 120 | 79 | 66 | 53 | 42 | 31 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 11 |
German Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 120 | 80 | 66 | 53 | 45 | 37 | 30 | 25 | 20 | 15 |
Global Citizenship | 2020 | November | 100 | 73 | 65 | 57 | 48 | 39 | 31 | 24 | 18 | 12 |
Greek (First Language) | 2020 | November | 125 | 103 | 93 | 84 | 76 | 68 | 60 | 51 | 42 | 33 |
History Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 120 | 93 | 81 | 69 | 60 | 51 | 43 | 31 | 19 | 8 |
History Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 120 | 93 | 81 | 69 | 60 | 51 | 43 | 31 | 19 | 8 |
Human Biology | 2020 | January | 180 | 149 | 139 | 129 | 118 | 107 | 96 | 80 | 64 | 49 |
Human Biology Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 180 | 133 | 115 | 97 | 86 | 75 | 64 | 48 | 32 | 17 |
Human Biology Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 180 | 118 | 104 | 91 | 80 | 69 | 58 | 42 | 27 | 12 |
ICT Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 200 | 120 | 99 | 79 | 62 | 45 | 29 | 22 | 15 | 9 |
ICT Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 200 | 125 | 108 | 92 | 72 | 52 | 32 | 24 | 17 | 10 |
Islamic Studies | 2020 | November | 90 | 67 | 58 | 49 | 38 | 27 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 |
Mathematics A (Foundation) Paper(s) 1F 2F | 2020 | November | 200 | - | - | - | - | 118 | 93 | 68 | 44 | 20 |
Mathematics A (Foundation) Paper(s) 1FR 2FR | 2020 | November | 200 | - | - | - | - | 118 | 93 | 68 | 44 | 20 |
Mathematics A (Foundation) Papers 1F & 2F | 2020 | January | 200 | - | - | - | - | 145 | 120 | 88 | 56 | 24 |
Mathematics A (Foundation) Papers 1FR & 2FR | 2020 | January | 200 | - | - | - | - | 141 | 112 | 83 | 54 | 25 |
Mathematics A (Higher) Paper(s) 1H 2H | 2020 | November | 200 | 141 | 116 | 91 | 68 | 46 | 24 | 13 | - | - |
Mathematics A (Higher) Paper(s) 1HR 2HR | 2020 | November | 200 | 152 | 121 | 91 | 67 | 43 | 20 | 8 | - | - |
Mathematics A (Higher) Papers 1H & 2H | 2020 | January | 200 | 159 | 131 | 104 | 83 | 62 | 41 | 30 | - | - |
Mathematics A (Higher) Papers 1HR & 2HR | 2020 | January | 200 | 158 | 130 | 103 | 82 | 61 | 41 | 31 | - | - |
Mathematics B Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 300 | 196 | 155 | 114 | 84 | 55 | 26 | 11 | - | - |
Mathematics B Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 300 | 231 | 186 | 142 | 106 | 71 | 36 | 18 | - | - |
Mathematics B Papers 01 & 02 | 2020 | January | 300 | 244 | 210 | 177 | 144 | 111 | 78 | 61 | - | - |
Mathematics B Papers 01R & 02R | 2020 | January | 300 | 241 | 208 | 175 | 142 | 109 | 77 | 61 | - | - |
Pakistan Studies | 2020 | November | 150 | 98 | 85 | 73 | 59 | 45 | 32 | 25 | 19 | 13 |
Physics Paper(s) 1P 2P | 2020 | November | 180 | 128 | 104 | 80 | 62 | 45 | 28 | 23 | 18 | 14 |
Physics Paper(s) 1PR 2PR | 2020 | November | 180 | 134 | 115 | 96 | 77 | 58 | 39 | 32 | 26 | 20 |
Physics Papers 1P & 2P | 2020 | January | 180 | 149 | 135 | 122 | 110 | 98 | 87 | 71 | 55 | 40 |
Physics Papers 1PR & 2PR | 2020 | January | 180 | 148 | 134 | 120 | 110 | 100 | 91 | 74 | 57 | 40 |
Religious Studies | 2020 | November | 167 | 114 | 102 | 91 | 74 | 57 | 40 | 29 | 19 | 9 |
Science (Single Award) | 2020 | November | 180 | 116 | 100 | 85 | 71 | 57 | 43 | 35 | 27 | 20 |
Sinhala | 2020 | November | 100 | 86 | 78 | 71 | 59 | 47 | 36 | 30 | 25 | 20 |
Spanish Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 120 | 88 | 73 | 59 | 50 | 41 | 33 | 27 | 21 | 15 |
Spanish Paper(s) 01R 02R | 2020 | November | 120 | 82 | 71 | 61 | 51 | 41 | 32 | 26 | 20 | 15 |
Swahili Paper(s) 01 02 | 2020 | November | 120 | 98 | 90 | 82 | 69 | 56 | 44 | 37 | 30 | 23 |
Tamil | 2020 | November | 100 | 69 | 60 | 52 | 45 | 38 | 32 | 25 | 19 | 13 |
Examiner-written IGCSE revision resources that improve your grades 2x
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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 2020 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 2020 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 2020 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.
Looking for Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE subject specific grade boundaries?
Edexcel (Pearson) IGCSE grade boundaries from other years
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