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Original poster

GSCEs and A level grades

31 replies

ClarasZoo · 22/04/2019 18:48

I have a year 11 son. I was wondering what people's experience of GCSE grades and A levels is. I know that this is a huge generalisation and kids with a 5 can get an A* and kids with a 9 can get a E but as a general rule can people post their results. I will start with a relative as an example.
Child took Chem, Maths and Biology at A level after getting As for all three at GCSE. Got A, A* A. The A was in Biology.
I am interested in more realistic scenarios as this child was obviously very clever. For example, if your child got 7/B what did they get at A level?
Thank you!

OP posts:
goodbyestranger · 23/04/2019 23:33

My seven eldest DC have all achieved grades at A Level which could have been expected from their GCSEs and the eighth is predicted A Level grades which completely accord with her GCSE performance last year.

Stickerrocks · 23/04/2019 22:43

Do you realise that a grade 7 = grade A under the old system, as grades 7, 8 & 9 are equivalent to A & A*? The first students to sit English & maths under the new system won't have any A level results yet, as they will sit their A levels this summer. The full cohort will sit their A levels in 2020. The old and new style GCSEs are very different, as are the old and new style A levels. This may make your comparison quite tricky.

catndogslife · 23/04/2019 14:42

OP in most sixth forms pupils with a grade 5 won't be able to take an A level in that subject. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as illness in Y11 which affected their grades, it is very unlikely that a student with a 5/C at GCSE will obtain an A* at A level.
dd had Bs and Cs at GCSE. A level grades were in the range B to D which fits titchy's suggestion of the grade lower, although all the subjects were new ones that she hadn't studied at GCSE.

TeenTimesTwo · 22/04/2019 19:56

There is a whole paper with lots of graphs on how well people do at A level based on what they got for the GCSE (based on the old letter grades). I have had a quick search but can't find the right keywords to find it right now. I expect @noblegiraffe will have it at her fingertips. Smile

However, remember that broadly speaking people won't attempt the A level unless they get at least a B/6 at GCSE. And then at A level grades go from A* to E, &U...

titchy · 22/04/2019 18:58

I think the very general rule of thumb is one grade less than at GCSE.

Dd got two grades lower for the two subjects she did at both GCSE (A star) and AL (B), and an A in the new subject.

Ds needs one grade higher for one subject, one lower for a second, and a B for the third not taken before. We will see....