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IB Literature and Performance Exam Statistics

Latest data: May 2026Provisional

IB Literature and Performance is offered at SL only. In May 2026, 616 students took it, with a mean grade of 5.0. The grade 7 rate was 5.5%.

Compared with May 2025, the mean grade was up from 4.7, and the grade 7 rate was up from 4.8%.

Standard Level (SL), May 2026

Students
616
May 2025: 583
Mean grade
5.0
May 2025: 4.7
Grade 7 rate
5.5%
May 2025: 4.8%
Grade 6 or 7 rate
36.3%
May 2025: 25.7%

Average Literature and Performance grade over time

The mean grade at SL in every May session since May 2022.

Mean grade in IB Literature and Performance at SL, May sessions.
IB Literature and Performance mean grade in May sessions, newest first
SessionSL
May 2026provisional5.0
May 20254.7
May 20244.7
May 20234.74
May 20224.83
  • The IB states that these results combine examination and non-examination assessment routes, which were used during the COVID-19 disruption. (May 2022)

Literature and Performance grade 7 rate over time

The share of students awarded a 7 at SL in every May session since May 2022.

Share of IB Literature and Performance students awarded a 7 at SL, May sessions.
IB Literature and Performance grade 7 rate in May sessions, newest first
SessionSL
May 2026provisional5.5%
May 20254.8%
May 20245.2%
May 20234.8%
May 20228.5%
  • These bulletins print no N (no grade) column, so grades 1-7 are shares of the students who received a grade, and N is shown as —. (May 2022, May 2023)
  • These bulletins include N (no grade) in the total, so grades 1-7 add up to less than 100% and are measured on a slightly different basis from sessions without an N column. (May 2024, May 2025, May 2026)
  • The IB states that these results combine examination and non-examination assessment routes, which were used during the COVID-19 disruption. (May 2022)
  • Grade cells the bulletin leaves blank are shown as 0.0%. (May 2022, May 2023, May 2024, May 2025)

Literature and Performance grade distribution in May 2026

The share of students at each grade at SL.

Share of IB Literature and Performance students at each grade at SL, May 2026.
IB Literature and Performance grade distribution, May 2026
Level1234567N6 or 7Mean gradeStudents
SL0.00.89.420.331.230.85.51.936.35.0616

Percentage of students at each grade, as published. The grade 6 or 7 rate is the two shares added.

Historical Literature and Performance results

Results at SL for every session since November 2021, newest first, with November sessions alongside May. The chart shows how many students took Literature and Performance in each May session.

Students taking IB Literature and Performance at SL, May sessions.
IB Literature and Performance results by session, newest first
SessionStudentsMean gradeGrade 7 rateGrade 6 or 7 rate
May 2026provisional6165.05.5%36.3%
November 2025285.50.0%53.6%
May 20255834.74.8%25.7%
November 2024215.54.8%47.7%
May 20245044.75.2%25.0%
November 2023216.233.3%85.7%
May 20233244.744.8%29.0%
November 2022195.635.3%57.9%
May 20224824.838.5%33.4%
November 2021256.2432.0%92.0%

Grade 7 rate: the share of students awarded a 7, as published. Grade 6 or 7 rate: the published shares for grades 6 and 7 added.

  • These bulletins print no N (no grade) column, so grades 1-7 are shares of the students who received a grade, and N is shown as —. (November 2021, May 2022, November 2022, May 2023)
  • These bulletins include N (no grade) in the total, so grades 1-7 add up to less than 100% and are measured on a slightly different basis from sessions without an N column. (November 2023, May 2024, November 2024, May 2025, November 2025, May 2026)
  • Grade cells the bulletin leaves blank are shown as 0.0%. (November 2021, May 2022, November 2022, May 2023, May 2024, May 2025)
  • The IB states that these results combine examination and non-examination assessment routes, which were used during the COVID-19 disruption. (May 2022)

Compare with other subjects

Source and methodology

These statistics are from the International Baccalaureate's statistical bulletins. The latest data shown is from the May 2026 assessment session.

About this data

  • May and November are separate assessment sessions. November is much smaller and mostly taken by schools in the southern hemisphere, so its figures aren't directly comparable with May's.
  • The May 2026 figures are from the IB's provisional bulletin and may change when the final bulletin is published.
  • Older bulletins call the people sitting the exams “candidates” and newer ones “students”. This site says “students” throughout.
  • “<10” means the IB didn't publish the exact number because fewer than 10 students took the subject. These figures are never estimated or counted as zero.
  • The grade 7 rate is the share of students the bulletin reports at grade 7. The grade 6 or 7 rate is calculated by IBonomics by adding the published shares for grades 6 and 7. Every other figure is as published.
  • From November 2023 the bulletins include students who received no grade (N) in each subject's percentages, so grades 1 to 7 add up to slightly less than 100%. Earlier bulletins give percentages of graded students only.
  • Bulletins up to May 2023 print figures to two decimal places and later ones to one. Each figure is shown as printed, and changes are compared at the lower precision.

IBonomics is not affiliated with or endorsed by the International Baccalaureate.