A guide to grading

After all the marking is complete, we begin the process of grading. This is when we
convert the marks that candidates achieve on every exam paper into grades.
This information sheet gives guidance on how grades are awarded to candidates.
There is a glossary of terms at the back.

What is a grade?
A grade indicates a candidates overall level of achievement on a set of exam papers which make up a
particular syllabus, such as Cambridge IGCSE Physics. It is the principal piece of information provided
by Cambridge to candidates who have completed a Cambridge qualification.
Example:
A candidate will be awarded one of the following grades at Cambridge IGCSE: A*, A, B, C, D, E, F or
G. Performance which is below the standard of the lowest grade is ungraded.

What are grades used for?

Grades are used by schools, universities and other institutions of higher education, as well as
employers, to select from a range of candidates for a particular course of study or job. Grades may
also be used as the basis for decisions about scholarships or other awards.

Maintaining the standard

When we grade candidates, our aim is to make sure that the same level of achievement is rewarded by
the same grade from one year to the next. The lowest mark needed to achieve a particular grade is
called the grade threshold and should require the same level of achievement from a candidate as was
required for the lowest mark for the same grade last year. This is known as maintaining the standard.
Grades reflect a consistent level of achievement between different syllabuses within the same
qualification and in different years.
Example:
A Grade A in Cambridge International A Level Mathematics in one year has the same value as a
Grade A in Cambridge International A Level Chemistry in another year.

Question paper difficulty

Each exam paper is unique and so the difficulty of the exam may vary slightly from year to year. These
slight variations in difficulty mean that we may need to set different grade thresholds each year to
ensure everyone gets the grade that reflects their level of achievement.
It would be unfair to candidates if grade thresholds were exactly the same as the year before if there
was evidence that the paper was slightly easier or more difficult.

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How are grades determined?

We start by setting grade thresholds for the key grades for each exam paper. The grade thresholds for
the other grades are set by using an arithmetic calculation.
For Cambridge IGCSE the key grades are always A, C, E and F. Once we have set these, we use
arithmetic rules to determine the other thresholds for the paper (A*, B, D and G for Cambridge IGCSE).
We do not use norm referencing, in other words we are not trying to let the same percentage of
candidates pass as in previous years. If the candidates are better than in the past, more will get
through at a certain grade; if the candidates are weaker, fewer will get through.
We use a combination of professional judgement and statistical evidence when deciding on the key
grade thresholds. Different sources of evidence are used to tell us:

if the exam papers are easier, more difficult or about the same level of difficulty as last year
if the candidates are better, worse or of the same ability compared with the previous year.

Once we have set the grade thresholds for each paper, we add them together to produce grade
thresholds for the syllabus (or syllabus option for syllabuses with more than one route of assessment).
The sum of the threshold marks for each paper takes into account the contribution that each paper
makes to the syllabus. A small reduction to the grade threshold may be made at the higher grades for
statistical reasons that take into account the correlation of the papers.

Who is involved in grading?

The principal examiner
We assign a principal examiner to each paper for the syllabus. The principal examiner is responsible
for the marking and question setting for their paper and recommends grade thresholds with the aim of
carrying the standard forward from the previous year.
The principal examiner decides whether the questions and mark schemes are easier, more difficult or
of the same difficulty as last year. To help them do this they consider archive scripts which are exam
answers from previous years.
The product manager
The product manager has responsibility for maintaining the standard of the syllabus from one year to
the next. They do this by combining:

expert judgement on the performance standards exhibited on the candidates exam papers
(scripts), provided by the principal examiners

statistical and technical information from a variety of sources.

Statistical and technical information includes mark distribution information (such as the mean mark and
standard deviation for the current exam series and the previous series), as well as other available data
such as teacher predictions about candidate grades (also known as forecast grades), analysis of
groups of Centres and consideration of how candidates have performed in previous exams.

Staged assessment
Candidates may either take a Cambridge International AS Level as a standalone qualification or as the
first stage of a Cambridge International A Level through staged assessment. Candidates can also sit
both stages of the full Cambridge International A Level in the same exam series. The second stage of
Cambridge International A Level (known as A2) cannot be taken as a standalone qualification.

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Candidates who have studied the A2 part of a Cambridge International A Level syllabus must enter for
the full Cambridge International A Level. However, if they have already taken the Cambridge
International AS Level papers in a previous series they do not have to take them again, but can carry
forward their result. Subject to the requirements of the particular Cambridge International A Level
syllabus, a candidate can use a grade in a Cambridge International AS Level syllabus towards a grade
in a Cambridge International A Level syllabus, in the same subject, within a 13-month period.
We take the mark that they got for the AS and add that to the marks they get for their A2 papers. This
total mark is used to calculate their overall syllabus grade for the A Level.

Making sure candidates have the right grades

After the grading is complete, we make further checks before results are released. Part of this process
is called grade review. This is when the principal examiner and other senior examiners check the
marking of a sample of scripts before results are issued.
Grade review checks include:

targeted marking of candidate answer papers marked by particular examiners

marking of candidate answer papers that fall into predetermined categories

verification of cases of apparent errors in addition or transcription by examiners

review of special consideration applications that require subject-specific input.

Additional information for Centres

We provide additional information alongside candidate grades, which includes:
Paper marks reports
These reports show the journey a candidates mark takes from the raw mark to the final mark. The
paper marks report includes:

marks for each paper of the syllabus for each candidate

the raw, adjusted and final mark for each paper.

Percentage uniform marks

We supplement the candidates grade in some countries by also issuing a percentage uniform mark
out of 100. The percentage uniform mark is based on the candidates grade and gives an indicator of
where in the range of marks for that grade the candidate came.
For example, all candidates obtaining Grade B would have a percentage uniform mark in the range 70
to 79; 79 would indicate that the candidate had almost obtained a Grade A, whereas 70 would mean
that they had only just obtained a Grade B.

Example:
Nabila and Ryan both sat a Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies syllabus, but in different years. There
are two equally weighted papers needed to achieve the qualification. Both papers are marked out of
100 and the syllabus total is 200. Both candidates score 122. Nabilas examination included more
complex questions than Ryan's, and the grade threshold for achieving an A grade is set at 122.

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Ryans examination was relatively straightforward and the A grade boundary is set at 128. Therefore
for this syllabus, Nabila achieves an A and Ryan achieves a B. Their marks are converted to
percentage uniform marks (out of a maximum of 100) as shown below. Ryan therefore has 122 raw
marks with the A grade boundary for his examination set at 128. When this is converted into
percentage uniform marks, he has 77 percentage uniform marks. Nabila also has 122 raw marks with
the A grade boundary for her examination set at 122. When this is converted into percentage uniform
marks, she has 80 percentage uniform marks.

Raw
mark
A*
A
B
C
D
E
F
G

147
128
109
90
78
66
53
40

Ryan

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20

Uniform
mark
A*
A
B
C
D
E
F
G

Raw
mark
A*
A
B
C
D
E
F
G

140
122
104
86
73
60
50
40

Nabila

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20

Uniform
mark
A*
A
B
C
D
E
F
G

Sometimes candidates achieve the same grades as each other on the papers
that make up the syllabus, but are awarded different syllabus grades. Why?
We give Centres a breakdown of the grades that candidates achieve for each paper so they can see
areas of strengths and weakness. However, we do not use the paper grades to calculate the syllabus
grade. We always calculate the syllabus grade from the marks.

Example:
Luke and Mia both have the same paper grades for Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry a B and two Cs
each but have different syllabus grades. Luke gets a syllabus grade of B and Mia gets a syllabus
grade of C. This is because Luke had a higher total mark for the syllabus high enough to put him
above the B threshold.

Summary

Grades reflect a consistent level of achievement between different syllabuses within the same
qualification.

Grades are awarded based on grade thresholds, chosen at each examination series and for each
syllabus to reflect the minimum level of achievement worthy of the grade, incorporating judgements
about the relative difficulty of the individual examination papers compared with previous
examination series.

Grades are not awarded based on a quota system. If the candidates are better, the results will
improve.

Grade thresholds are not predetermined and may vary from one examination series to another.

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Glossary
Archive scripts

Exam papers from a previous series that are at the grade thresholds
taken in that series. They are used to help the principal examiner to
remember the minimum level of achievement for the grade when
recommending grade thresholds.

Arithmetic threshold

Threshold determined using arithmetic rules

For example, for Cambridge IGCSE:
The threshold for B is set halfway between those for Grades A and C
The threshold for D is set halfway between those for Grades C and E
The threshold for G is set as many marks below the F threshold as the
E threshold is above it
The A* threshold is calculated using the difference between A and B
as a starting point.

Grade review

Process for final checks on the marking which takes place during the
period between grading and issue of results. Senior examiners
re-mark targeted exam papers.

Grade threshold

The minimum mark that a candidate would need to score to achieve a

grade. Also known as a grade boundary or cut score.

Percentage uniform mark

A number out of 100 which indicates how well a candidate did on the
syllabus, and in particular shows how well they did within their grade.

Raw mark

The mark that the examiner gave the candidate for the work on the
component, seen on the candidates completed exam paper.

Script

The candidates answers to an exam paper.