A-level · June 2026
Which subjects had
the highest boundaries?
Compare the percentage needed for the same grade across subjects and exam boards.
Qualification-level thresholds. Each row is a subject, board and entry option. High percentages don’t rank subject difficulty.
The top of this view
| Rank | Subject / entry | Grade A* | Change | Check / compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drama and TheatrePearson Edexcel · 9DR0 | 88.0%264 / 300 marks | -1.0 pp | Source for Drama and Theatre ↗ |
| 2 | MathematicsAQA · 7357 | 86.7%260 / 300 marks | 0.0 pp | Source for Mathematics ↗ |
| 2 | Chemistry AOCR · H432 | 86.7%234 / 270 marks | -3.3 pp | Source for Chemistry A ↗ |
| 4 | Economics APearson Edexcel · 9EC0 | 86.0%288 / 335 marks | +0.3 pp | Source for Economics A ↗ |
| 5 | ChemistryAQA · 7405 | 85.0%255 / 300 marks | +5.3 pp | Source for Chemistry ↗ |
| 6 | MathematicsPearson Edexcel · 9MA0 | 84.7%254 / 300 marks | -1.3 pp | Source for Mathematics ↗ |
| 7 | Mathematics AOCR · H240 | 83.3%250 / 300 marks | +2.7 pp | Source for Mathematics A ↗ |
| 8 | Computer ScienceOCR · H446 | 82.6%289 / 350 marks | — | Source for Computer Science ↗ |
| 9 | ChemistryPearson Edexcel · 9CH0 | 82.0%246 / 300 marks | 0.0 pp | Source for Chemistry ↗ |
| 10 | PhysicsPearson Edexcel · 9PH0 | 79.7%239 / 300 marks | +4.0 pp | Source for Physics ↗ |
| 11 | PsychologyAQA · 7182 | 79.5%229 / 288 marks | +2.4 pp | Source for Psychology ↗ |
| 12 | Drama and TheatreAQA · 7262 | 78.5%157 / 200 marks | — | Source for Drama and Theatre ↗ |
| 13 | BusinessOCR · H431 | 77.1%185 / 240 marks | — | Source for Business ↗ |
| 14 | Physics AOCR · H556 | 76.7%207 / 270 marks | +0.4 pp | Source for Physics A ↗ |
| 15 | BiologyAQA · 7402 | 76.5%199 / 260 marks | +2.7 pp | Source for Biology ↗ |
| 16 | PhysicsAQA · 7408 · Option A: Astrophysics | 76.4%191 / 250 marks | +3.6 pp | Source for Physics · Option A: Astrophysics ↗ |
| 17 | PhysicsAQA · 7408 · Option C: Engineering physics | 76.0%190 / 250 marks | 0.0 pp | Source for Physics · Option C: Engineering physics ↗ |
| 18 | Biology AOCR · H420 | 75.6%204 / 270 marks | +6.3 pp | Source for Biology A ↗ |
| 19 | PhysicsAQA · 7408 · Option E: Electronics | 75.2%188 / 250 marks | +1.2 pp | Source for Physics · Option E: Electronics ↗ |
| 20 | BusinessPearson Edexcel · 9BS0 | 74.9%251 / 335 marks | +0.3 pp | Source for Business ↗ |
| 21 | PhysicsAQA · 7408 · Option D: Turning points in physics | 74.8%187 / 250 marks | +1.2 pp | Source for Physics · Option D: Turning points in physics ↗ |
| 22 | PhysicsAQA · 7408 · Option B: Medical physics | 74.4%186 / 250 marks | +2.0 pp | Source for Physics · Option B: Medical physics ↗ |
| 23 | EconomicsAQA · 7136 | 74.2%178 / 240 marks | — | Source for Economics ↗ |
| 24 | Biology A (Salters Nuffield)Pearson Edexcel · 9BN0 | 73.3%220 / 300 marks | -1.7 pp | Source for Biology A (Salters Nuffield) ↗ |
| 24 | PsychologyOCR · H567 | 73.3%220 / 300 marks | -0.7 pp | Source for Psychology ↗ |
| 26 | Biology BPearson Edexcel · 9BI0 | 72.7%218 / 300 marks | +0.3 pp | Source for Biology B ↗ |
| 27 | BusinessAQA · 7132 | 70.7%212 / 300 marks | — | Source for Business ↗ |
| 28 | Economics BPearson Edexcel · 9EB0 | 67.2%225 / 335 marks | +0.3 pp | Source for Economics B ↗ |
| 29 | PsychologyPearson Edexcel · 9PS0 | 60.0%162 / 270 marks | +0.4 pp | Source for Psychology ↗ |
A dash means there is no comparable previous-year value in this dataset. Separate entry options may share identical boundaries. Percentages are rounded for display; ranks use the unrounded figures. Coverage varies by year.
Does a higher boundary mean a harder subject?
A boundary tells you how many marks reached a grade on that particular assessment. Papers, mark schemes, coursework and the students taking each subject all differ. A lower percentage can accompany a paper where marks are harder to earn.
These rankings compare published thresholds. They cannot rank your ability, the work a course takes, or how fairly a board grades. Read the explanation and Ofqual evidence →