§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage marks were required to pass734W GCSE mathematics at each grade from A*- G in each year from 1985 to 2000; and if he will make a statement. [123952]
§ Mr. MilibandThe GCSE is not a pass/fail examination. The GCSE grading system is criteria-related and grade boundary ranges for each subject are established each year by awarding bodies, making reference to candidates' work from the previous year, grade descriptions, past papers and statistical data. Each boundary is set by individual awarding bodies using both professional judgment and key statistical evidence.
Although QCA has access to detailed information on the grade boundaries set in all subjects at GCSE for each awarding body, further work will be required on these data to present them in the form requested. It will be lodged in the House of Commons Library in due course and will show the grade boundary marks from 1988, as this was the first year in which the GCSE was examined.