Aripsy Research · 2026 edition
How often do GCSE and A-level remarks change grades?
Data: summer 2025 exam series and 2024 to 2025 appeals, England. Summer 2026 figures are due on 10 December 2026 (the date may change).Next update: By Amin Mudassir, Founder of AripsyShort answerAbout 1 in 4 GCSE and A-level grades sent for a remark change, almost always up by one grade. In summer 2025 that was 24.2% at GCSE and 24.1% at AS and A level in England (Ofqual, the exams regulator). Your mark on a paper can go down (11.3% of reviewed GCSE paper marks did), but it rarely costs a grade, and fewer than 0.1% of grades went down. A remark is most likely to pay off when your total is a mark or two below the next grade boundary.
Key findings
What is the remark success rate at GCSE and A level?
In summer 2025, 24.2% of challenged GCSE grades and 24.1% of challenged AS and A-level grades were changed after review.
"Remark" is the everyday name for a review, and these figures cover all three review services, mostly reviews of marking. A grade counts as challenged when your school asks for a review of any of its papers, so a subject counts once however many papers are reviewed.
Boards offer three services. An administrative error review checks that marks were added up and recorded correctly. A review of marking includes that check and has an examiner re-check the marking. A review of moderation re-checks the board's moderation of a school's coursework marks, using the same sample of work.
Of the grades that changed, 98.3% at GCSE and 99.6% at AS and A level moved by one grade. In summer 2024, 22.4% of challenged GCSE grades and 23.1% of AS and A-level grades changed. Ofqual's summer 2026 figures are due on 10 December 2026 (provisional).
What happened to challenged grades after review, summer 2024 and 2025, England
| Outcome | GCSE 2024 | GCSE 2025 | AS and A level 2024 | AS and A level 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up 2 grades or more | 900 | 965 | 75 | 55 |
| Up 1 grade | 59,020 | 57,535 | 14,220 | 14,075 |
| No change | 208,690 | 184,250 | 47,585 | 44,675 |
| Down 1 grade | 270 | 225 | 30 | 20 |
| Down 2 grades or more | fewer than 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Can a remark make your grade go down?
It can, but it almost never happens. In summer 2025, 230 of 243,150 challenged GCSE grades and 20 of 58,830 challenged AS and A-level grades went down.
Marks fall more often than grades. In summer 2025, 11.3% of reviewed GCSE paper marks and 14.5% of AS and A-level ones went down, most by one or two marks.
More rose than fell. 26.0% of reviewed GCSE marks and 29.8% of AS and A-level marks went up, and 62.7% and 55.7% did not change.
Coursework is different. If the board re-checks how your school marked coursework (a review of moderation) and finds a mistake, Ofqual says the grade can stay the same or go up, but cannot go down.
How reviewed paper marks changed, summer 2025, England (percentage of reviewed marks)
| Change in mark | GCSE | AS and A level |
|---|---|---|
| Down 5 or more | 0.6% | 0.9% |
| Down 4 | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Down 3 | 1.3% | 1.5% |
| Down 2 | 2.8% | 3.6% |
| Down 1 | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| No change | 62.7% | 55.7% |
| Up 1 | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| Up 2 | 6.0% | 6.9% |
| Up 3 | 3.5% | 4.2% |
| Up 4 | 2.4% | 2.8% |
| Up 5 or more | 3.8% | 4.8% |
Aripsy calculated the totals above (11.3% and 14.5% down, 26.0% and 29.8% up) from Ofqual's counts.Source: Ofqual, Data tables for reviews of marking and moderation for GCSE, AS and A levels: summer 2025 exam series, Tables 8 and 9
Is a GCSE or A-level remark worth it?
A remark is most likely to pay off when your total is a mark or two below the next grade boundary, because most marks that rose went up by one or two.
Exam boards cannot add marks because you were close to a boundary. Marks change only when the review finds a marking or administrative error. When marks rose, it was usually by one or two. 16.2% of reviewed GCSE marks went up by one or two, and only 3.8% by five or more (17.9% and 4.8% at AS and A level). So if you are five or more marks short, one reviewed paper rarely closes the gap.
Grades rarely go down, but marks do. 8.9% of reviewed GCSE marks fell by one or two (11.4% at AS and A level). If your total is only just above your grade's boundary, that could cost you the grade.
Check two things before you ask. First, find out how far you are from the next grade. Ask your school for your mark on each paper and compare your total with your board's grade boundaries, or let Aripsy's free GCSE or A-level grade calculator, listed first under Related research below, do the sum. Second, check whether a mark looks wrong. Your school can request a copy of your marked paper through the board's access to scripts service, so a teacher can look for a marking error first.
If a university or college place depends on the result, your school can request a priority review, and boards aimed to finish these by 3 September in 2026.
Most exam boards take requests only from your school or college, and your school needs your permission to ask. Private candidates can apply to the board directly, and each board publishes its deadlines on its website. Boards may charge a fee if your grade does not change, but not if it does. Ask your school's exams officer about the fee.
If the grade stands, the usual next step is a resit, in November for GCSE English language and maths or otherwise the following summer.
Source: Ofqual, Data tables for reviews of marking and moderation for GCSE, AS and A levels: summer 2025 exam series, Tables 8 and 9Source: Ofqual, Ofqual student guide to exams and assessments in 2026: What to do if you think there is a mistake in your results, How do I request a review of my results?, Deadlines and When can I resit my exams?
Which GCSE subjects have the highest remark success rates?
In summer 2025, citizenship studies (40.4%), economics (38.1%) and religious studies (36.8%) had the highest share of challenged GCSE grades changed. Among subjects with at least 500 challenged grades, combined science and performing / expressive arts (both 14.2%) had the lowest.
The subjects with the most challenged grades were English language (60,570 challenged, 16.3% changed), English literature (32,030, 23.9%) and mathematics (23,370, 29.6%). These rates describe the grades schools chose to challenge, not how well a subject is marked.
Citizenship studies
40.4%
Economics
38.1%
Religious studies
36.8%
Art and design subjects
35.4%
Spanish
33.4%
Computing
32.4%
Business studies
32.1%
Statistics
32.1%
Geography
31.5%
Social science subjects
31.3%
Show chart data as a table
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Citizenship studies | 40.4% |
| Economics | 38.1% |
| Religious studies | 36.8% |
| Art and design subjects | 35.4% |
| Spanish | 33.4% |
| Computing | 32.4% |
| Business studies | 32.1% |
| Statistics | 32.1% |
| Geography | 31.5% |
| Social science subjects | 31.3% |
GCSE remark success rate by subject, summer 2025 and 2024, England
| Subject | Grades challenged 2025 | Grades changed 2025 | Success rate 2025 | Success rate 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship studies | 885 | 360 | 40.4% | 38.5% |
| Economics | 645 | 245 | 38.1% | 41.5% |
| Religious studies | 7,605 | 2,800 | 36.8% | 35.1% |
| Art and design subjects | 6,445 | 2,280 | 35.4% | 26.5% |
| Spanish | 4,320 | 1,440 | 33.4% | 28.7% |
| Computing | 4,265 | 1,380 | 32.4% | 29.7% |
| Business studies | 6,310 | 2,025 | 32.1% | 29.8% |
| Statistics | 1,025 | 330 | 32.1% | 33.2% |
| Geography | 10,110 | 3,180 | 31.5% | 30.8% |
| Social science subjects | 1,805 | 565 | 31.3% | 29.1% |
| French | 3,860 | 1,200 | 31.1% | 28.2% |
| Physics | 7,520 | 2,285 | 30.4% | 26.1% |
| Mathematics | 23,370 | 6,915 | 29.6% | 29.7% |
| History | 12,465 | 3,655 | 29.3% | 26.3% |
| Other modern languages | 605 | 175 | 28.9% | 29.4% |
| Physical education | 6,590 | 1,890 | 28.7% | 19.4% |
| Biology | 8,670 | 2,480 | 28.6% | 29.6% |
| Media / film / TV studies | 875 | 245 | 27.9% | 20.1% |
| Classical subjects | 1,215 | 335 | 27.7% | 30.1% |
| Chemistry | 6,450 | 1,645 | 25.5% | 27.4% |
| German | 975 | 250 | 25.5% | 30.6% |
| English literature | 32,030 | 7,650 | 23.9% | 20.8% |
| Design and technology | 4,680 | 995 | 21.3% | 18.9% |
| Food preparation and nutrition | 1,680 | 350 | 20.9% | 16.8% |
| Drama | 3,535 | 610 | 17.2% | 15.7% |
| English language | 60,570 | 9,890 | 16.3% | 15.5% |
| Music | 2,925 | 460 | 15.7% | 15.3% |
| Combined science | 20,785 | 2,955 | 14.2% | 14.5% |
| Performing / expressive arts | 620 | 90 | 14.2% | 19.2% |
Subjects with at least 500 challenged grades. Engineering (210 challenged, 9.0% changed) and other sciences (95, 23.7%) are left out. Combined science counts twice because it is the size of two GCSEs.Source: Ofqual, Data tables for reviews of marking and moderation for GCSE, AS and A levels: summer 2025 exam series, Table 22
Which A-level subjects have the highest remark success rates?
At AS and A level in summer 2025, business studies (34.1%), English language (32.7%), economics (30.7%) and biology (30.1%) were highest, while drama (12.8%), design and technology (15.2%) and physical education (16.5%) were lowest.
The subjects with the most challenged grades were history (5,165 challenged, 17.8% changed), mathematics (4,820, 24.2%), biology (4,600, 30.1%) and psychology (4,510, 19.1%).
Business studies
34.1%
English language
32.7%
Economics
30.7%
Biology
30.1%
Physics
28.9%
Geography
28.6%
Law
28.2%
French
27.6%
Further mathematics
27.2%
Media / film / TV studies
27.1%
Show chart data as a table
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Business studies | 34.1% |
| English language | 32.7% |
| Economics | 30.7% |
| Biology | 30.1% |
| Physics | 28.9% |
| Geography | 28.6% |
| Law | 28.2% |
| French | 27.6% |
| Further mathematics | 27.2% |
| Media / film / TV studies | 27.1% |
AS and A-level remark success rate by subject, summer 2025 and 2024, England
| Subject | Grades challenged 2025 | Grades changed 2025 | Success rate 2025 | Success rate 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business studies | 2,730 | 930 | 34.1% | 32.7% |
| English language | 730 | 240 | 32.7% | 27.1% |
| Economics | 4,210 | 1,290 | 30.7% | 34.1% |
| Biology | 4,600 | 1,385 | 30.1% | 31.9% |
| Physics | 2,625 | 760 | 28.9% | 28.5% |
| Geography | 2,505 | 715 | 28.6% | 23.6% |
| Law | 795 | 225 | 28.2% | 29.7% |
| French | 640 | 175 | 27.6% | 24.0% |
| Further mathematics | 1,105 | 300 | 27.2% | 26.5% |
| Media / film / TV studies | 1,140 | 310 | 27.1% | 18.1% |
| Sociology | 2,520 | 665 | 26.4% | 25.7% |
| Spanish | 800 | 200 | 24.9% | 22.6% |
| Mathematics | 4,820 | 1,165 | 24.2% | 21.2% |
| English language and literature | 600 | 145 | 24.1% | 15.4% |
| Music | 645 | 155 | 23.9% | 22.7% |
| Political studies | 2,295 | 550 | 23.9% | 27.3% |
| Computing | 1,290 | 305 | 23.6% | 18.3% |
| English literature | 4,085 | 885 | 21.7% | 19.5% |
| Religious studies | 1,115 | 235 | 21.3% | 17.9% |
| Psychology | 4,510 | 860 | 19.1% | 22.4% |
| Classical subjects | 540 | 95 | 17.9% | 15.3% |
| Art and design subjects | 1,245 | 220 | 17.8% | 24.3% |
| History | 5,165 | 920 | 17.8% | 13.1% |
| Chemistry | 3,055 | 540 | 17.6% | 16.2% |
| Physical education | 1,660 | 275 | 16.5% | 17.9% |
| Design and technology | 1,130 | 170 | 15.2% | 22.0% |
| Drama | 970 | 125 | 12.8% | 17.0% |
Subjects with at least 500 challenged grades in summer 2025. Left out are German (205 challenged, 18.5% changed), performing / expressive arts (90, 16.9%), other modern languages (220, 24.8%), other sciences (60, 24.6%) and Ofqual's "all other subjects" group (730, 25.3%).Source: Ofqual, Data tables for reviews of marking and moderation for GCSE, AS and A levels: summer 2025 exam series, Table 23
How long do remarks take?
A standard review of marking took an average of 6.3 days at GCSE and 4.5 days at AS and A level in summer 2025, and priority reviews took 2.5 and 3.5 days.
In summer 2025 the boards' deadlines, set through the Joint Council for Qualifications, were 10 days for an administrative error review, 15 for a priority review of marking, 20 for a standard one and 35 for a review of moderation, and 99.9% of reviews met them.
Average days to complete a review, England
| Type of review | GCSE 2024 | GCSE 2025 | AS and A level 2024 | AS and A level 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative error review | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 1.2 |
| Review of marking (standard) | 7.3 | 6.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Review of marking (priority) | 2.2 | 2.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 |
| Review of moderation | 21.3 | 20.6 | 17.8 | 17.3 |
How often does an exam appeal change a grade?
Few grades go to appeal, but about 1 in 3 of those that do are changed. In the 2024 to 2025 academic year, 720 of the 2,170 GCSE, AS and A-level grades challenged at appeal, on any ground, were changed. That is 0.01% of the 6.7 million results issued.
If you and your school still have concerns after a review, the school can challenge the decision through an appeal, and private candidates can appeal a review of marking directly. Exam boards agreed with 1,095 of 1,930 appeals (56.6%). The most common ground was a marking error that the review of marking had not corrected.
About 7 in 10 upheld appeals were linked to a grade change.
How many students ask for a remark?
In summer 2025, 17.0% of GCSE students and 14.8% of AS and A-level students in England had at least one grade challenged.
In summer 2025, 389,730 reviews were requested for GCSE (down 11.5% on 2024), 101,100 for A level and 2,075 for AS, covering 2.9% of the 17.5 million paper and coursework entries.
Students with grades challenged and changed after review, England
| Measure | GCSE 2024 | GCSE 2025 | AS and A level 2024 | AS and A level 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students receiving results | 989,880 | 1,019,010 | 338,840 | 336,045 |
| Students with a grade challenged | 188,855 | 172,995 | 52,255 | 49,865 |
| Share with a grade challenged | 19.1% | 17.0% | 15.4% | 14.8% |
| Students with a grade changed | 54,790 | 53,290 | 13,750 | 13,615 |
| Share with a grade changed | 5.5% | 5.2% | 4.1% | 4.0% |
Common misreadings
"A quarter of reviewed papers get a new mark"
The 24% counts grades, not papers. More than a third of reviewed GCSE marks changed (62.7% did not), and a changed mark often leaves the grade the same."Remarks can't go down"
Marks can and do go down (11.3% of reviewed GCSE marks in 2025). Grades very rarely do, at fewer than 0.1% of challenged grades."A remark re-checks every paper in the subject"
Reviews are requested paper by paper, so only the papers your school names are re-checked. How we checked these figures
Methodology and sources
- Remark figures come from Ofqual's summer 2025 reviews of marking statistics (11 December 2025) and data tables, covering full-course GCSE, AS and A level in England. "Remark" covers all three review services, mostly reviews of marking. A grade is "challenged" when a review is requested for any of its components, and the "success rate" is Ofqual's percentage of challenged grades that were changed.
- Ofqual rounds counts to the nearest 5 and works out percentages before rounding, so totals and rates may not match the counts shown exactly. Reviews still open at the data cut-off on 10 November 2025 are not counted in the change figures. Ofqual changed its method in this edition, so 2024 figures here can differ slightly from the previous edition.
- Appeal figures come from Ofqual's 2024 to 2025 appeals statistics (2 April 2026). Appeals are made paper by paper, so one appeal can cover several students and one grade can have several appeals, which is why the counts of appeals and grades differ. Fees, priority reviews and who can request a review come from Ofqual's student guide for 2026.
- Aripsy calculated these figures from Ofqual's counts. They are the shares of reviewed marks that fell (11.3% GCSE, 14.5% AS and A level) or rose (26.0%, 29.8%), the shares that moved by one or two marks (16.2% and 17.9% up, 8.9% and 11.4% down), the 230 GCSE grades that went down (225 by one grade, 5 by two or more) and the 1 in 3 grades changed at appeal (720 of 2,170, 33.2%). Every other value is as published.
Official statistics
- Source 1 · Official statistics
Ofqual
Reviews of marking and moderation for GCSE, AS and A level: summer 2025 exam series- Published:
- 11 December 2025
- Data covers:
- Summer 2025 exam series, with comparisons to 2024, England
- Last checked by Aripsy:
- 2 November 2026
- Reuse:
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Source 2 · Official statistics (data tables)
Ofqual
Data tables for reviews of marking and moderation for GCSE, AS and A levels: summer 2025 exam series- Published:
- 11 December 2025
- Data covers:
- Summer 2022 to 2025 exam series, England
- Last checked by Aripsy:
- 2 November 2026
- Reuse:
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Source 3 · Official statistics
Ofqual
Appeals for GCSE, AS, A level and Project qualifications: 2024 to 2025 academic year- Published:
- 2 April 2026
- Data covers:
- 2024 to 2025 academic year, England
- Last checked by Aripsy:
- 2 November 2026
- Reuse:
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Source 4 · Guidance
Ofqual
Ofqual student guide to exams and assessments in 2026: What to do if you think there is a mistake in your results- Published:
- 15 January 2026
- Data covers:
- 2026 exams and assessments, England
- Last checked by Aripsy:
- 2 November 2026
- Reuse:
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Source 5 · Release announcement
Ofqual
Reviews of marking and moderation for GCSE, AS and A level: summer 2026 exam series (release announcement)- Published:
- 16 December 2025
- Data covers:
- Release date: 10 December 2026, 9:30am (provisional)
- Last checked by Aripsy:
- 2 November 2026
- Reuse:
- Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
How to cite this page
Please cite the original publisher for each figure, linked beside it. To cite this page's summary and tables:
Aripsy (2026). GCSE and A-Level Remark Success Rates by Subject: 2026 Statistics. Retrieved from https://aripsy.com/en/research/gcse-a-level-remark-success-ratesLink to a single figure with its anchor, for example https://aripsy.com/en/research/gcse-a-level-remark-success-rates#gcse-remark-success-rate. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it and note the change below.
Change log
- First published with Ofqual's summer 2025 reviews of marking and 2024 to 2025 appeals data.
Frequently asked questions
Is a GCSE or A-level remark worth it?
Usually only if your total is a mark or two below the next grade boundary. In summer 2025, about 1 in 4 grades sent for a remark changed (24.2% at GCSE, 24.1% at AS and A level), almost always up by one grade, and fewer than 0.1% went down (Ofqual). Boards may charge a fee, but not if the grade changes.
Can a remark lower your grade?
Rarely. Fewer than 0.1% of challenged grades went down in summer 2025, though 11.3% of reviewed GCSE marks fell.
How long does a GCSE or A-level remark take?
In summer 2025 a standard review took 6.3 days on average at GCSE and 4.5 at AS and A level, against a 20-day deadline (15 for priority).
Can students request a remark themselves?
Usually not. Most exam boards accept requests only from schools and colleges, which need your permission, so ask your exams officer. Private candidates can apply to the board directly.
When will the summer 2026 remark figures be published?
Ofqual lists them for 10 December 2026 at 9:30am (provisional). We will update this page when they are out.
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If the grade stands and you resit, practise the topics you lost marks on. Turn your notes into exam-style questions and get an estimated mark on your short answers.Practise the topics you lost marks on