Grade boundaries
OCR GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Biology B J257 grade boundaries
The newest summer series is shown first. Type a mark to see its grade, or choose another tier, series or paper.
Level
Board
Course
Tier
Boundaries
Whole subject or paper
Type a mark to see its grade.
The boundaries
June 2026 · whole subject
| Grade | Needs |
|---|---|
| 9 | 138 of 180 |
| 8 | 124 of 180 |
| 7 | 110 of 180 |
| 6 | 91 of 180 |
| 5 | 72 of 180 |
| 4 | 53 of 180 |
| 3 | 43 of 180 |
Every course·Mock grade calculator
Marks for each grade in June 2026
Foundation tier, in total
- 112 out of 180 on OCR J257 Foundation tier in total was a grade 5 in June 2026.
- 91 out of 180 on OCR J257 Foundation tier in total was a grade 4 in June 2026.
- 71 out of 180 on OCR J257 Foundation tier in total was a grade 3 in June 2026.
- 52 out of 180 on OCR J257 Foundation tier in total was a grade 2 in June 2026.
- 33 out of 180 on OCR J257 Foundation tier in total was a grade 1 in June 2026.
Higher tier, in total
- 138 out of 180 on OCR J257 Higher tier in total was a grade 9 in June 2026.
- 124 out of 180 on OCR J257 Higher tier in total was a grade 8 in June 2026.
- 110 out of 180 on OCR J257 Higher tier in total was a grade 7 in June 2026.
- 91 out of 180 on OCR J257 Higher tier in total was a grade 6 in June 2026.
- 72 out of 180 on OCR J257 Higher tier in total was a grade 5 in June 2026.
- 53 out of 180 on OCR J257 Higher tier in total was a grade 4 in June 2026.
- 43 out of 180 on OCR J257 Higher tier in total was a grade 3 in June 2026.
Every series
9 series, newest first. Each mark is the least that reaches the grade, out of the total under the column’s name.
June 2026
From OCR’s grade boundaries for June 2026: the board’s document.
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/01out of 90 | J257/02out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 112 | 58 | 54 |
| 4 | 91 | 47 | 44 |
| 3 | 71 | 37 | 34 |
| 2 | 52 | 28 | 24 |
| 1 | 33 | 18 | 15 |
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/03out of 90 | J257/04out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 138 | 67 | 71 |
| 8 | 124 | 60 | 64 |
| 7 | 110 | 53 | 57 |
| 6 | 91 | 43 | 48 |
| 5 | 72 | 33 | 39 |
| 4 | 53 | 24 | 29 |
| 3 | 43 | 19 | 24 |
June 2025
From OCR’s grade boundaries for June 2025: the board’s document.
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/01out of 90 | J257/02out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 116 | 58 | 58 |
| 4 | 101 | 49 | 52 |
| 3 | 80 | 39 | 41 |
| 2 | 59 | 29 | 30 |
| 1 | 39 | 20 | 19 |
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/03out of 90 | J257/04out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 141 | 70 | 71 |
| 8 | 129 | 64 | 65 |
| 7 | 118 | 59 | 59 |
| 6 | 98 | 49 | 49 |
| 5 | 79 | 39 | 40 |
| 4 | 60 | 30 | 30 |
| 3 | 50 | 25 | 25 |
June 2024
From OCR’s grade boundaries for June 2024: the board’s document.
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/01out of 90 | J257/02out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 109 | 51 | 58 |
| 4 | 96 | 44 | 52 |
| 3 | 75 | 34 | 41 |
| 2 | 55 | 25 | 30 |
| 1 | 35 | 16 | 19 |
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/03out of 90 | J257/04out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 143 | 70 | 73 |
| 8 | 131 | 64 | 67 |
| 7 | 119 | 59 | 60 |
| 6 | 100 | 50 | 50 |
| 5 | 81 | 41 | 40 |
| 4 | 63 | 33 | 30 |
| 3 | 54 | 29 | 25 |
June 2023
From OCR’s grade boundaries for June 2023: the board’s document.
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/01out of 90 | J257/02out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 104 | 56 | 48 |
| 4 | 87 | 48 | 39 |
| 3 | 64 | 36 | 28 |
| 2 | 42 | 24 | 18 |
| 1 | 20 | 12 | 8 |
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/03out of 90 | J257/04out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 128 | 68 | 60 |
| 8 | 115 | 62 | 53 |
| 7 | 103 | 57 | 46 |
| 6 | 87 | 50 | 37 |
| 5 | 71 | 42 | 29 |
| 4 | 55 | 34 | 21 |
| 3 | 47 | 30 | 17 |
June 2022
From OCR’s grade boundaries for June 2022: the board’s document.
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/01out of 90 | J257/02out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 98 | 49 | 49 |
| 4 | 81 | 40 | 41 |
| 3 | 61 | 31 | 30 |
| 2 | 42 | 22 | 20 |
| 1 | 23 | 13 | 10 |
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/03out of 90 | J257/04out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 125 | 64 | 61 |
| 8 | 110 | 55 | 55 |
| 7 | 95 | 47 | 48 |
| 6 | 78 | 39 | 39 |
| 5 | 61 | 31 | 30 |
| 4 | 45 | 24 | 21 |
| 3 | 37 | 20 | 17 |
November 2021
From OCR’s grade boundaries for November 2021: the board’s document.
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/01out of 90 | J257/02out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 103 | 56 | 47 |
| 4 | 81 | 45 | 36 |
| 3 | 59 | 33 | 26 |
| 2 | 37 | 21 | 16 |
| 1 | 16 | 9 | 7 |
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/03out of 90 | J257/04out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 117 | 67 | 50 |
| 8 | 103 | 59 | 44 |
| 7 | 90 | 52 | 38 |
| 6 | 76 | 44 | 32 |
| 5 | 63 | 37 | 26 |
| 4 | 50 | 29 | 21 |
| 3 | 43 | 25 | 18 |
November 2020
From OCR’s grade boundaries for November 2020: the board’s document.
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/01out of 90 | J257/02out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 102 | 56 | 46 |
| 4 | 80 | 44 | 36 |
| 3 | 58 | 32 | 26 |
| 2 | 37 | 21 | 16 |
| 1 | 16 | 9 | 7 |
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/03out of 90 | J257/04out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 119 | 70 | 49 |
| 8 | 106 | 63 | 43 |
| 7 | 93 | 55 | 38 |
| 6 | 78 | 46 | 32 |
| 5 | 63 | 37 | 26 |
| 4 | 48 | 28 | 20 |
| 3 | 40 | 23 | 17 |
June 2019
From OCR’s grade boundaries for June 2019: the board’s document.
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/01out of 90 | J257/02out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 108 | 59 | 49 |
| 4 | 93 | 51 | 42 |
| 3 | 71 | 39 | 32 |
| 2 | 50 | 28 | 22 |
| 1 | 29 | 16 | 13 |
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/03out of 90 | J257/04out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 123 | 72 | 51 |
| 8 | 111 | 65 | 46 |
| 7 | 100 | 59 | 41 |
| 6 | 87 | 52 | 35 |
| 5 | 74 | 44 | 30 |
| 4 | 61 | 36 | 25 |
| 3 | 54 | 32 | 22 |
June 2018
From OCR’s grade boundaries for June 2018: the board’s document.
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/01out of 90 | J257/02out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 90 | 48 | 42 |
| 4 | 76 | 41 | 35 |
| 3 | 57 | 31 | 26 |
| 2 | 38 | 21 | 17 |
| 1 | 20 | 12 | 8 |
| Grade | Whole subjectout of 180 | J257/03out of 90 | J257/04out of 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 109 | 60 | 49 |
| 8 | 97 | 54 | 43 |
| 7 | 86 | 49 | 37 |
| 6 | 73 | 43 | 30 |
| 5 | 60 | 37 | 23 |
| 4 | 47 | 30 | 17 |
| 3 | 34 | 22 | 12 |
Questions
What mark do you need for a grade 7 in OCR GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Biology B J257?
In June 2026, the least mark for the whole subject that reached a grade 7 was 110 out of 180 on the Higher tier.
What mark do you need for a grade 4 in OCR GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Biology B J257?
In June 2026, the least mark for the whole subject that reached a grade 4 was 91 out of 180 on the Foundation tier and 53 out of 180 on the Higher tier.
Which series of OCR GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Biology B J257 grade boundaries are there?
9 series, from June 2018 to June 2026: June 2026, June 2025, June 2024, June 2023, June 2022, November 2021, November 2020, June 2019 and June 2018.
Do OCR GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Biology B J257 grade boundaries change each year?
Yes. Across the 9 series here, a grade 7 on the Higher tier needed from 86 out of 180 (June 2018) to 119 out of 180 (June 2024).
Other courses
Other OCR GCSE courses
- GCSE Ancient History J198
- GCSE (9–1) Art and Design: Art, Craft and Design J170
- GCSE (9–1) Art and Design: Critical and Contextual Studies J176
- GCSE (9–1) Art and Design: Fine Art J171
- GCSE (9–1) Art and Design: Graphic Communication J172
- GCSE (9–1) Art and Design: Photography J173
- GCSE (9–1) Art and Design: Textile Design J174
- GCSE (9–1) Art and Design: Three-Dimensional Design J175
- GCSE Gateway Science Suite - Biology A J247
- GCSE Business J204
- GCSE Gateway Science Suite - Chemistry A J248
- GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Chemistry B J258
- GCSE Citizenship Studies J270
- GCSE Classical Civilisation J199
- GCSE Classical Greek J292
- GCSE Gateway Science Suite - Combined Science A J250
- GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Combined Science B J260
- GCSE Computer Science J277
- GCSE Design and Technology J310
- GCSE Drama J316
- GCSE Economics J205
- GCSE English Language J351
- GCSE English Literature J352
- GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition J309
- GCSE Geography A (Geographical Themes) J383
- GCSE Geography B (Geography for Enquiring Minds) J384
- GCSE History A (Explaining the Modern World) J410
- GCSE History B (Schools History Project) J411
- GCSE Latin J282
- GCSE Mathematics J560
- GCSE Media Studies J200
- GCSE Music J536
- GCSE Physical Education J587
- GCSE Gateway Science Suite - Physics A J249
- GCSE Twenty First Century Science Suite - Physics B J259
- GCSE Psychology J203
- GCSE Religious Studies J625
- GCSE Religious Studies J125
A series, or the safe rule
A paper is graded against the boundaries of the series it was sat in. Choose that series and the grade is the one the board’s boundaries gave that sitting. Where a series published more than one set of boundaries for the whole subject, one for each combination of papers, each grade takes the highest of them, and the line under the grade says so.
The safe rule is for a mark with no series of its own, such as a mock. For each grade it takes the highest boundary in the board’s most recent summer series, up to three of them and leaving out 2020 to 2022, or the course’s main series where it has no summer one. A grade it gives would have been enough in each of them. The line under the grade names the series it counted.
In the app you log a paper in one line, or question by question where asterisk has its questions, and each grade comes from these same boundaries. Open the app.
Not here
CCEA, AS level, IB and AP: the app holds no grade boundaries for them, so they are not offered.
Where these numbers come from
Boards publish their grade boundaries after each series, and that is all this page holds: each grade’s boundary mark and what the subject or paper is out of, as the board printed them. The papers stay on the boards’ own sites; nothing here reproduces a question or a mark scheme.