To think asking for 6 level 7 (A) GCSE grades to enter the schools sixth form is a bit intense !

[firefly400]

DD is year 10 and to get in to her schools sixth form requires 6 level 7 ,and 2 level 6 GCSE's this is equivalent to 6 A and 2 B grades on the current grading system. I think this creates unfair pressure on pupils who most probably left to their own devices i.e not have to have 'sleepless' nights would achieve.

The school has problems with some girls suffering from Anorexia , Bulimia and self harming . The school should have a more reasonable (though appropriate expectation for A or level 7 grades in just the A levels required for study).

This alone would reduce the 'fear' and concern on my own daughter. Do they want to make their own 'very' bright pupils anxious for some kind of power race with over schools !

'We have more stringent entry requirements than you ' though our girls are always afraid of not getting an A*

Secondly getting 8 A at GCSE does not always equate to 3 A at A Level similarly as demonstrated by my Nephew getting no A at GCSE (only 4 A grades) does not mean you can't get A A level he got 2A and 1 A. The 2 A were in English and Chemistry ( Chemistry Dept did not think he was up to it since he only scraped a A at GCSE)

The final point what a pupil is at 16 is not comparable to the pupil at 18 !

[ghostyslovesheets]

if they only offer A level it wouldn't be far off what I would expect

for BTEC not so much

but I am sure there are other colleges she could consider

[BanjoStarz]

My fairly average comp required A* in your a level subjects and a minimum of 5 As in other subjects for sixth form entry (7 years ago) So 6 A and 2 B sounds fairly relaxed to be honest!

A pupils grades at 16 can be used as a fairly good indicator of a level grades for the average student. Clearly there will always be exceptions though.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

6As and 2Bs seems quite a high requirement to me. Are you sure that is what level 6s and 7s collate to?

[Idefix]

You need to look at other schools op. Those grade expectations are not typical.

[firefly400]

A large no of grammar schools 'non super' allow access to A levels with B grades and only expect A grades in the designated A level choices. Some only require B grades for designated choices.

It is only about the top '10' or so grammar schools in the country that have been drawn in to a 'power' race with scant regard to the well being of their pupils !.

[Suppermummy02]

sounds ok, if you don't like it go to a different sixth form

[OpalTree]

Doesn't it go with the territory in a super selective?

[firefly400]

A combined score of '51.2' points over the pupils best 8 subjects meaning an average point score of 6.4 points relate to grades which equates to 6 level 7 ( which are stated as A grade equivalents 57 = 42 and 3 6 = 12

Sorry miscalculation its a minimum of 5 level 7 and three level 6 = '52 'points .

I think only the 'Tiffin's et.al have equal or more stringent requirements for sixth form.

[OpalTree]

They selected the very top pupils at 11, so wouldn't they then want to do the same at 16 I mean.

[QueenOfTheNaps]

I thought a level 7 was a grade B?
I know they don't exactly equate but if level 9 is the highest then surely that would be about A*, level 8 would be an A so 7 would be B??

[fruityb]

Level 7 would be a B grade I think. 6 is the new C (I think - I'm on mat leave and forgetting everything about teaching!)

They are high expectations but A levels are hard. We asked for a B in English to study lit at A level.

[PlayOnWurtz]

I'd expect a*-b grades in the subjects they want to take at a level and a minimum of c grades in several other subjects (including maths and english) otherwise you may struggle

[firefly400]

No a 9 is going to be an A* an 8 is going to be equivalent to an A 7 being an A and so on....

Confused. com ?

[QueenOfTheNaps]

Sorry OP, I've just done a bit of googling as it really confused me and you're absolutely right. The proportion of students obtaining level 7, 8 or 9 will be the same as previous A and A* grades.
It does seem quite intense to be honest but I assume they've been having the same goalposts before but with A/A* grades?

[BlackDoglet]

This s the equivalents:

[BertrandRussell]

Those are not usual grammar school requirements for internal applicants. A 9 is above current A, an 8 is an A, a 7 is an A.

[Liiinoo]

My DDs state (academic convent) comp required that and more. My DD achieved it, got a 2 A8 and and 2 Bs at A level. Even now 9 years on, she still refers to that as the day she 'failed' her A levels. She did not get her first choice uni and had to 'settle' for another top 10, Russell Group establishment. She succumbed to AN within weeks of starting there.


With hindsight I now know pastoral care and general happiness is much more important than high grades. Given a do-over I would have encouraged her to do 6th form at another local comp where her grades may not have been as high but her mental health might have been better.

[Liiinoo]

2 A*s, not 2 A8s.

[OpalTree]

Could you have a look around a few sixth forms, including ones with lower entry requirements? That way she might feel less anxious if she sees there's a backup plan.

[firefly400]

Opal. That's a good idea .

However, as Bertrand has pointed out the requirements are higher than what is generally required by grammar schools.

My DS's (YR12) 'boys' grammar accepts girls in the sixth form and requires 3 A grades as does it is sister school .

That is not the point though, my DD wants like all her friends to stay at the school she has been at since 11.

'Girls' or boys should not be worrying in November of year 10 !

[OpalTree]

Is that because it's super selective? Or is your son's super selective too?

[firefly400]

DS school is a 'super' in that the school takes pupils with the best scores from around the 'county' . However, it is not quite the same as DDs which has 700 applications per year for its 100 or so places at year 7 !

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

My DD's sixth form college is the best in the area (has been Sunday Times college of the year etc). A couple of years ago it was asking for 4As and 4Bs but has relaxed that by a couple of grades now.

[CauliflowerSqueeze]

There is not much point in them making the entry requirements as 5s and 6s for A level courses when the courses are so much more difficult and with such a massively increased amount of content.

[Colby43443]

Still remember local grammar courting brother after he got 11 A stars at GCSEs (this was the same grammar that refused to pay for a school bus to our 'rough' area which is why he never took up the place he applied for despite passing 11 plus). They like to scour the county for 'top talent' as a significant portion of existing students don't meet the 6th form requirements, and apparently that's still the usual course of events if my colleagues in other counties are to be believed.