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Original poster

GCSE double science grade '43' what does this mean?!

70 replies

thatcoldfeeling · 23/08/2018 10:31

Exactly that, can someone quickly help on this?

Double science - grade 1 '43' points (not grade) - 3.5. Does this mean less than a level 1 overall!? Shock

OP posts:
HateIsNotGood · 24/08/2018 07:16

Aaaaah - thanks wombat - so all the 1st papers/exams of the 3 subjects is Paper1 and all the 2nd papers of the 3 subjects is Paper2.

Now I understand and it's only 7am.

Clairetree1 · 23/08/2018 21:39

sorry, that should say 34 not 43

Clairetree1 · 23/08/2018 21:39

combined science, you get 2 grades 43 is above 3 and below 4

so not a pass, sorry

Newsofas · 23/08/2018 21:36

We had the same. My child had 56 and I couldn’t fathom it out. Turns out two grades a 5 and a 6. Took me about 4 hours to work that out / I even googled GCSE grade 56 !!!

buttybuttybutthole · 23/08/2018 21:11

I thought 4-3 was a low 4 whereas 4-4 is a strong 4. Stupid system.

wombatsears · 23/08/2018 20:54

Sorry I know referring to paper 1 is confusing when it's actually 3 papers!

wombatsears · 23/08/2018 20:48

but ds did Combined Science and this covered 3 Subjects (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) with 2 papers for each subject.

Yes there are 2 papers.

Paper 1 comprises of a biology exam, a physics exam and a chemistry exam. (B1, C1 and P1) This is 1 GCSE
Paper 2 is also 3 exams (B2, C2 and P2).

This also used to be the case for core and additional science where you could theoretically get an A a D in the other. Now you get the same grade in both as all 6 exams are linked together iuswim? You couldn't for example get a 6-4 now...

greathat · 23/08/2018 18:31

Until this year combined science was two sections core and additional which is what was being referred to with the "both papers". Students got a grade for each. Now it's just as previous posters said, all in together then ranging from 11-99

HateIsNotGood · 23/08/2018 18:21

wombat - thanks for that explanation but ds did Combined Science and this covered 3 Subjects (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) with 2 papers for each subject. So, I'm not sure how that works out with your explanation of 'both papers'. Bearing in mind Maths isn't a strong point of mine.

wombatsears · 23/08/2018 17:35

He sorry!

wombatsears · 23/08/2018 17:32

Science teacher here. We've been using this system for three years now and they aren't two separate grades - one for each GCSE. That's not how it works.

They are a double-weighted average grade of the 2 GCSEs. They add both paper's scores together and then use a finer grading system. So 5-5, 5-4, 4-4, 4-3 etc...

All it means is that she is between a grade 3 and 4 so similar to what would have been a D grade.

AreWeDoingThisNow · 23/08/2018 15:45

It's two GCSEs one 4 and one 3. So yes, like a C and a D in the old system (though the grades aren't exact equivalents).

Icantbelieve · 23/08/2018 12:38

It’s a 4 and a 3 would be my understanding. So in old money a C and a D. She’s got two GCSEs for it. One is a C and one is a D, except now we are talking in terms of numbers so 4 and 3. That’s my best guess (science teacher although I’ve not been involved in results today)

Ingalia · 23/08/2018 12:22

Two grades - a 4 and a 3.
A 4-4 would be higher.
3-3 (or presumably 3-4) is lower.

marvelousways · 23/08/2018 12:09

my dds grade was written as "66" turns out it was two sixes.

Original poster
thatcoldfeeling · 23/08/2018 11:14

There was no hyphen or anything at all, it was literally written as '43' hence totally baffled!

I have just watched this which seems to suggest as per @MrsacksonAvery that this is one old style grade C pass, and one old style D.

Wish the school exam's office would answer their phone though!

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 23/08/2018 11:11

Double science grades are written with a hyphen, was it a 4-3?

Yes, a 4-3 means just missed a 4-4 on the higher paper.

MrsJacksonAvery · 23/08/2018 11:10

If it's the same as our students' sheets (I just back for the school where I teach) it means they got two separate grades of 4 and 3 for double science.

Original poster
thatcoldfeeling · 23/08/2018 11:07

Am still completely confused but now realise this is part of a wider issue with the higher tier double science (cheers Gove, you muppet). I think he may have just failed with 4.4 being a pass. Can't get hold of the school exams office.

OP posts:
SnowyAlps · 23/08/2018 10:57

Bump for you