On the most recent published boundaries, an 8 in AQA GCSE Mathematics (Higher tier) needed 191 out of 240 — 80%. That is June 2025's boundary, not a promise about next summer.
| Marks needed (June 2025) | 191 / 240 |
| As a percentage | 80% |
| Marks above a 7 | 27 |
| Marks short of a 9 | 28 |
| Series on record | 1 (June 2025) |
Based on the 8 boundary of 191 out of 240. Next summer's boundary will differ — see the range below.
| Series | Marks | % |
|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | 191 | 80% |
There is only one series on record here — June 2025 — so there is no range to reason from. Boundaries routinely move by ten marks or more between years, so treat 191 as a marker rather than a target: 193 is the number to aim at, and more if you can.
Boundaries are set after every paper is marked, precisely so that a grade means the same thing in an easy year and a hard one. That is why nobody — not this page, not your teacher, not the board — can tell you next summer's number in advance. Anyone who gives you one exactly is guessing.
191 out of 240 — 80% — on the June 2025 boundaries. That is the only series on record, so aim nearer 193 to leave room for a year that has not happened yet.
Almost certainly not. Boundaries are set after marking so that a grade represents the same standard however hard the paper was. A harder paper gets a lower boundary and an easier one gets a higher boundary.
27 marks on the most recent boundaries — usually a question or two, not a different student.
Boundaries read 18 August 2026 from the official AQA document: source PDF.
Boundaries read 19 August 2026 from the exam boards' own documents. Boundaries are set per series and never apply to a future paper.