Maths GCSE requirement for A level Biology

I’ve got A level maths ok it was 30yrs ago so I’m tad rusty but we both had to look up how to do some of the maths being asked on a bunch of biology past papers. DD got. G6 predicted an 7 on her gcse and is needing support to pick up more points on her biology A L after a scrape through the As level. It’s not super easy to some of us I wish last year I’d had more awareness that she’d need support on the maths.

Biology really has basic level maths, mostly around calculating percentages/gradients/surface area/etc. No real algebra/ complex equations. So I think she'll be fine as long as she keeps ups with some form of maths and learns how to use a calculator properly.

She may need to understand things like standard deviation (sampling) but they won't be asked to calculate it themselves; same with statistical tests (they will be given equations to use in the data booklet).

Exam boards have lots of free online pdfs of maths examples for the subject. Well worth looking through the correct board.

Must be a different board, there was only quite basic maths in his.

Well DD just did it and she tells me there was, mainly statistics and working stuff out from graphs etc I think.
I am rubbish at Maths and I couldn't help with a few things she asked me to and even DH (who is good at Maths) had to google a couple of things

My DS did Biology A level, I can't remember any maths in it really?

Interestingly I hadn’t realised that strong maths was such an issue in Alevel biology. My DD just scraped her AS biology to stay on her second year of AL and after reviewing her papers I can see she’s dropped marks on every single maths question so we’ve now bought the CGP book for maths for AL biology and are going to be helping her with it. I wish I’d known this last year as she’s ok at maths just not doing it in her other subjects so she’s got rusty. I hope your DD does well and enjoys her new college.

Glad she’s in if that’s what she wants.

I would say that those without really strong GCSE maths (I mean 8 or above or at a push a v high 7) tend to perform poorly in A Level sciences. They will probably pass, but you might be looking at a pretty low grade. Whether this matters depends on what they want to do next.

Many students find they can achieve a grade higher in social science or humanity if their English is decent, but their maths mediocre. 5 isn’t strong maths.

Students should study what they like an enjoy but they should also have an eye to what the possible outcomes from their starting points are, and what that might mean for the next stage such as uni entry. Lots forget to look at these things. They find themselves on courses that they struggle with and with grades that are quite disappointing, when they could have done better in other things. It’s worth bearing in mind when considering science or maths A Levels from a low starting base.

Why do places have different entry requirements? Some are more selective than others and can afford to be so as they are popular. Those that can afford to be more selective know that students with a 5 in a certain subject typically struggle. Often students say they won’t and hard work will compensate etc etc but unless there are genuine contextual reasons why thr GCSE was a surprising under performance and the school would have expected higher, their refusal to admit the student is usually well founded and not just to be awkward.

16 year olds often want to go where their friends are going or to do subjects that might not deliver the best outcomes. Making sure they have all the info about likely outcomes from their starting point is really important.

That's really great that your DD has got in. As a parent of a DC who has just sat their Biology A level, please do not underestimate how important maths skills are for A level Biology. In my DC's cohort, those who did not take maths A level found it much harder. I would recommend keeping maths going the whole sixth form in some measure on another. I think there are maths for Biology A level books out there and I would recommend at least keeping up with those.

That's great! DD also needed a 6 in maths to do A level biology and was so relieved to get that, her chem/physics not as strong as your DD's.

It's lovely when they get in where they want to go.

That's great OP!

If she knows which exam board the college do she could look up the maths requirements of that course, identify which ones were part of maths GCSE and have a bit of a practice of those. It might be that they were the bits of maths she was good at anyway but a bit of prep will help her feel more confident if she feels those 6 weeks are a bit of an assessment.

If she needs any help finding the relevant info feel free to ask and I can probably point you in the right direction

In the U.K. sixth forms and colleges are competitive entry.

Some colleges are big and will basically take anyone as they have enough courses that they can find something appropriate,

Others are not and are really picky.

There are sixth forms near me that interview for places and make offers which kids need to meet (high offers).

Thinking about your daughter, she isn't being told she can't do it. She can do biology a level. Just not at the college she wants.

I understand there are countries where everyone carries on with everything until 18 but most countries have some level of trying to fit the qualifications to what kids are capable of.

Might be jumping the gun a bit here but DD is doing a Biology degree from September and they asked for a 6 in Maths. She says that there are a LOT of statistics in Biology A level and she did need good maths (she got an 8 at GCSE)

If the issue is over subscription then they will take the kids with the best grades and this is a lost cause.

That's what I was going to suggest. Very common option for students taking Science A Levels without maths. Surprised the college doesn't offer it.

The high grades in other science subjects, might go some way to mollify the college, possibly? Was the 5 unexpected, did she get better grades in mocks/other tests during secondary school?

Could you afford a maths tutor or do the college offer this?
Would they let her do biology if she is having some maths tutoring for the first term to get her up to standard in what she would need for biology?

She shouldn’t offer to do this, because her maths is not good enough, she isn’t interested in maths and it won’t help with her biology A-level.

Could she offer to do maths as a fourth A-level or AS if they still have these? Sounds like it might help anyway.

Ask if she can start Biology and resit her maths?