How do the 9-1 GCSE grades work? The 9-1 grading scheme was brought in alongside an overhaul of the curriculum in England in 2014.

The rollout began in 2017 with three subjects - English language, English literature and maths - being the first to be graded in numbers. By 2020, all subjects were using the new grading system.

GCSE number to letter guide The numerical system provides one additional possible grade to GCSE students, meaning they are not directly comparable, with the exception of the U ‘ungraded’ grade.

Here we have explained what the 9 to 1 scale means and how they equate to the old grades system. The new GCSE grading scale is not directly equivalent to the old A* to G one.