Exams: How do the new 9-1 GCSE grades work?

Thousands of teenagers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are revising hard as they sit their GCSEs. But, in England, there have been major changes, with a new 9-1 grading system being phased in to reflect a more demanding curriculum. So what's the new grading system all about?

What are the new grades?

The new grading scheme is designed to reflect the fact that the new GCSE content in England is more challenging and rigorous.

A 9 is the highest grade, while 1 is the lowest, not including a U (ungraded).

Three number grades, 9, 8 and 7, correspond to the old-style top grades of A* and A - this is designed to give more differentiation at the top end.

The exams watchdog, Ofqual, says fewer grade 9s will be awarded than A*s and that anyone who gets a 9 will have "performed exceptionally".
A 4 is broadly being compared to a C grade, although Ofqual warns against "direct comparisons and overly simplistic descriptions".

It says that, broadly, the same proportion of teenagers will get a grade four and above as used to get a grade C or above.