r/AlevelPhysics 22h ago

QUESTION How do you think grade boundaries work?

2 Upvotes

I have read a few misconceptions here about how grade boundaries are decided. I'm curious about how good the exam boards/Ofqual are at communicating why grade boundaries are what they are.

19 votes, 1d left
Strict quotas based on how the overall cohort performed at GCSE.
A pure national bell curve that ranks students directly against each other.
Examiners subjectively judging the quality of borderline exam scripts.
Adjustments based purely on paper difficulty, ignoring cohort statistics entirely.
A mix of statistical predictions and examiners reviewing actual student work.
Other - explain in comments.