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Original poster

GCSE maths grades

31 replies

BertrandRussell · 01/12/2016 14:49

If a kid got a solid 5 in a maths mock GCSE last week what are the chances of them pushing it to a 7 in the real thing? Any thoughts?

OP posts:
Original poster
BertrandRussell · 01/12/2016 17:52

He's a friend of ds's who was really upset with his result and his mum asked me if I knew anything about it. I think it's AQA. He's top set -but the top set is a very wide range of ability. I would imagine he would have worked quite hard. Got a B in Stats last summer.

OP posts:
RalphSteadmansEye · 01/12/2016 17:51

I'm going to make a big assumption here and "know" your ds - assume that's who you're talking about - is both able and reasonably hard working.

A 5 at this stage indicates to me (not a maths teacher but work with them!) that either school is marking paper harshly (well picking harsh grade boundaries) or he's not been taught all the content yet.

If it's the second, that makes achieving the hallowed 7 a bit harder. Have you looked at exam board spec or revision guides endorsed by the board and established whether he can do all the top difficulty topics?

I'm sure a maths teacher will be along with more useful advice!

TheFallenMadonna · 01/12/2016 17:45

Out of interest, do you know what board, and their raw score?

noblegiraffe · 01/12/2016 17:40

Actually, what kind of student is this? A middle ability student wanting to improve or a high ability student who has done unexpectedly badly?

noblegiraffe · 01/12/2016 17:37

No such thing as a solid 5, just an 'I'm going to put this score as a 5, but actually we are totally guessing'. It could actually be a weak 5, a 6, or, depending on the madness of the grade boundaries, already a 7 - assuming it was on the higher paper.

All any child can do is work their socks off and hope for a favourable wind. It's in the lap of the gods.

TeenAndTween · 01/12/2016 17:18

How much revision did they do for the mock?
Have they finished the syllabus yet?