Grade boundaries and re-marks
Close to the next grade? Check the gap before you guess the odds
Detailed results can show a scaled total mark, lower and upper grade boundaries, and the marks needed for a grade increase. Those fields describe the current result. They do not provide a validated probability that a re-mark will move the mark by a particular amount.
Primary sources checked September 28, 2026
| Information | Useful for | Cannot tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Scaled total mark | Locating the result inside the published lower and upper boundary range when the detailed view is available. | Whether a re-mark will gain marks. A boundary is a threshold, not a forecast of examiner movement. |
| Marks required for a grade increase | Understanding the size of the gap to the next grade on the current result record. | The probability of crossing that gap after a re-mark. |
| Current grade boundary | Interpreting the current session's one-to-seven ranges after component marks and weights are aggregated. | A future session's boundary. Grade awarding is performed for each exam session using multiple forms of evidence. |
| Re-mark request | Requesting a fresh marking of eligible work through the school's programme coordinator. | That the grade can only rise. The official FAQ warns that a grade can be lowered and requires written consent. |
Before you request a re-mark
- 01Read the detailed result fields. Confirm the scaled total mark, the current boundary range and the marks required for a grade increase if your school has made those details available.
- 02Do not convert the gap into a success percentage. The public material does not provide an individual-candidate model that turns “one mark away” into a validated re-mark probability.
- 03Discuss the eligible enquiry route with your programme coordinator. The school submits the request, and the official FAQ warns that a grade can go down as well as up.
- 04Use the current session's evidence. Historical distributions can add context, but they cannot predict a future boundary or explain how an individual script will move.
How boundaries are set
Grade awarding uses multiple forms of evidence. Statistical recommendations are part of the process, while the official assessment FAQ also describes review of candidate work against grade descriptors. The commissioned research notes that statistical recommendations can be less suitable for small cohorts or new assessment models.
Historical distributions are context, not a boundary forecast
iBacalao's grade-distribution dataset is useful for seeing how outcomes changed across sessions. It should not be converted into a claim about where a future subject boundary will land.
Open the grade-distribution dataset →Sources & verification
Primary-source references used to verify key assessment facts on this page. Last source check: September 28, 2026.
No re-mark success rate is estimated because the cited public sources do not provide an individual-candidate probability model.
- International Baccalaureate: assessment FAQOfficial explanation of grade boundaries, detailed result fields and re-mark constraints.
- International Baccalaureate: statistical grade-boundary setting researchResearch summary describing the evidence used in grade awarding and where statistical recommendations can be less reliable.