Why the board matters
In England, GCSEs are set by AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and WJEC Eduqas. The content is broadly similar because it follows national subject content, but question styles, paper lengths and set texts differ. Revision guides and past papers should match the board your child sits.
How to find out
Ask the subject teacher for the specification code, such as AQA 8300 for Maths. Schools can use different boards for different subjects, so check each one.
Grades 9 to 1
Grade 9 is the highest. Grade 4 is a standard pass and grade 5 a strong pass. Grade boundaries are set after each exam series and change from year to year.
No tutor, including one with examiner experience, can tell you in advance where the grade boundaries will fall.
Wales and Northern Ireland
Wales uses WJEC GCSEs, and Northern Ireland uses CCEA with letter grades from A* to G. If you live outside England, tell us so we match a tutor who knows the right qualification.
Exam details change. Check the current specification on the exam board's website before making decisions.