Got maths GCSE grade A struggling at AS maths now told it's normal

Yes, it is very common for students who 'only' got an A at GCSE to struggle with the leap to A-level. A lot of the content of the C1 module is A GCSE material so those who got an A find it easier as it is revision.

What usually happens is that the student either drops out early for another subject, struggles on and drops maths at AS, or finally gets into the swing of things and goes on go be very successful.

A lot depends on how much independent work is put in outside of lessons, especially practising algebra.

Always has been, I have A for o level, B for additional Maths and a D for A Level and I'm 45.

Maths becomes an art as much as a science, you kind have have to have a feel for the harder stuff. It's very hard to explain, but the best mathematicians just look at an equation and know what method to use to solve it.

Maths is a language to them, just as music or languages are to some people.

DH is a computer scientist and a better mathematician than me, but he said watching their professor solve things that stumped a roomful of bright postgrads was quite amazing. Maths was just hard wired into his soul.

Not unusual from what I can gather. Maths is supposed to be one of the hardest A levels which is why a lot of schools wont let you take maths without at least A Gcse.
My Ds is doing maths and further maths and doing ok but it is hard work. His teacher says the ones that do well are those that do lots of extra practice.

Can only comment from DCs experience. One had no problem, but had taken GCSE in Y10 and then a "freestanding maths qualification" in Y11. The other found it a real step change but gradually improved performance to end up with a B at A2.