Why do History grade boundaries change every year?

Because they're set after the papers are marked, once examiners can see how hard students found that year's exam. If a paper was harder, the boundary drops so the same standard of work still earns the same grade. That's why a boundary from a previous year is never a safe prediction for this year.

Are these the marks for the whole subject or for one paper?

The whole subject. Pearson Edexcel also publishes "notional" per-paper boundaries, but those are illustrative only — your grade is decided by your total subject mark against these subject-level boundaries, so those are the numbers we show.

Pearson Edexcel GCSE History grade boundaries

Q: Which History boundary applies to me?

The one for your specific option or route (shown on your exam paper). Pearson Edexcel publishes 110 distinct option/route mark-sets published for June 2025, each with its own boundaries, so there is no single History number — match your option in Pearson Edexcel's file.

Data source: Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) grade boundaries (June 2025) · 2024–2025 data · checked July 2026How we verify →

The raw marks needed for each grade in Pearson Edexcel GCSE History (1HI0), straight from Pearson Edexcel's official tables. Boundaries are set after every paper is marked, so a lower boundary usually means the paper was harder that year — not that the grade got easier. Because there's no single boundary, we show one worked option below rather than a full year-by-year table.

Pearson publishes History (1HI0) boundaries per option/route combination — there is no single subject-wide boundary.

Reform watch:England's 2025 Curriculum & Assessment Review doesn't change GCSE or A-level content until reformed specs are first taught (national curriculum September 2028; updated GCSEs from 2029). Your 2026–2028 exams use the current specification. What's changing →

There is no single "History" boundary. Pearson Edexcel publishes History (1HI0) as 110 distinct option/route mark-sets published for June 2025. Each has slightly different boundaries, so the top grade lands anywhere in the range roughly 134–148 out of 168 depending on the options taken. Any site quoting one "History" boundary is wrong — you need the boundaries for your option, printed on your exam paper and your statement of results.

Worked example: 1HI0 · one option combination (2025)

One option, to show the shape. Check your own option against Pearson Edexcel's file below.

Grade	Raw mark
9	145
8	134
7	123
6	110
5	98
4	86
3	65
2	44
1	23

How to read these. A boundary is the minimum raw mark for that grade — score it or above and you get the grade. They're a whole-subject total, not a per-paper pass mark, and they change every year. Never treat a past year's boundary as this year's target. Why GCSE grade boundaries move →

Where these numbers come from

2025: Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) grade boundaries, June 2025 (June 2025 series)
2024: Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) grade boundaries, June 2024 (June 2024 series)
Earlier series and other qualifications are on Pearson Edexcel's grade-boundaries pages. We add boards and years as we verify each against its official file.

Frequently asked questions

See all GCSE grade boundaries, or read how GCSE grades work.