Yearly warning about taking A-level maths with a 6 at GCSE

I understand what you mean about a 6 which of course is a good grade. And it's enough for lots of A levels which are more topic based.

But for linear subjects like maths (and indeed my subject, MFL) there is an expectation at the start of the A level course that you will know certain things that you will build on. @noblegiraffe has noted what those are for maths; for German (for example) you would need to have good grasp of irregular verbs and tenses, basic common vocab and use of prepositions and cases. That won't be covered again. If you do have that, you will pretty much gain a grade 7.

This year a 6 in AQA German was 64%; in AQA maths it was 54%. Does that really suggest the mastery needed for advanced level? I don't think it shows that education is in a sorry state at all.

When I took A levels in the 1980s, a B at O level was advised; but there was only one grade above that. Now there are three.

Appreciate this is well meaning but it's so depressing. What a sorry state education is in that young people with a 6 (B) in maths should be discourage from doing maths A level...

DS’s school asks for an 8 in GCSE maths for this reason. They found the children who had a 7 struggled more. Selective state. DS got a 9. Very proud!

At the bottom of the grade boundaries document from the Emporium for 2025 there is the equivalent for 2023 - 2025, but I can't open it on my phone @noblegiraffe

My dd got an a from gcse grade 6, she wasn’t alone at her sixth form either. Remember GCSE grades are impacted by poor teaching, teacher absences etc not just student ability

It's a minimum of grade 7 to do A level maths at ds's school. Even then, some of his class mates struggled.
I think if you had to work really hard to achieve a 7 at gcse, A level maths is not the best choice. Doing it with a 6 would be crazy.

I agree, and saw this post last year. I showed it to my DS, who got a 7 but was determined to do maths. He thinks he can buck the trend, we will see! Although we aren't targeting top flight unis which need A or A star but those around the B grade, but still means working for it.
Of the three A levels he is always doing maths, even over the summer he has a booklet of maths for each week alongside catching up on some weaker areas. Compared to this he does some physics work and practically no geography. The teaching is also gruelling, expectation is high, those who did not pass a test at the end of term 1 were moved to other a level subjects. They are expected to study in advance of a topic and are constantly tested.
So my view is your DC need to understand maths is no joke and requires a lot of time input.

My Ds got a 7 in Maths and a 5 in Further Maths. Should he consider Maths A level?

I agree. I think it’s just worth reflecting on how even a low maths grade wouldn’t be the end of the road for most yp. There would be options. I appreciate for some that is absolutely not a risk they want to take as very clear on timeline/ wanting top uni, but worth emphasizing.

How rude. If you can't read tables that's your issue.

I was referring back to the post above mine saying that if you get a 6 and take A level maths you are very unlikely to get an A or A star. I noticed on the table that compared with a 6 or 7, if you get a 5 at GCSE and take maths A level you tend to do better.

I agree this needs careful consideration but I think it also depends on flexibility/ expectations. DC got a 6/ 7 in mocks and is struggling in exams but teacher is determined they will improve as doing v well in class. We are pragmatic to the point of knowing he could have to do an A level in a year in year 14 (hopefully not, but better to be prepared). If your DC/ you are v clear they want to go top uni and go straight after 6th form and that anything else would be a disaster and A level maths not needed then think twice. If they have option to start 4 and drop to 3 that would be ideal.

DC loves maths and was adamant he was doing it. He is also doing Spanish from a 7 (borderline 6) and thriving but pre-GCSE teaching was v poor so I expected that. Ruling things out due to GCSE performance not always right…

DS1 wanted to do Maths A-level (and we paid a lot for extra tutoring) but he got a 6, so that didn't happen. However he did take core maths as suggested, and got an A for that, which we were thrilled about. I think this was the best solution all round.

The report referred to by @Owlbookend is here
https://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/Images/735630-144.-progression-from-gcse-to-a-level-2021-2023.pdf
They don't seem to have published 2022 or later. Remember that 2020 and 2021 were CAG and TAG grades and 2022 were higher than usual due to Covid.

Thanks for this @noblegiraffe. My DCs college allows Maths with a 7 but we’d agreed, having seen this table when previously posted, that they’d only proceed with a “good” 8 (untutored) which they got today so they’re happy 🙂

I agree that a Foundation level kid would be lost in Maths A level. But there could be a very small number of kids who have studied the higher content but not taken the paper. Perhaps they took the Foundation paper in Year 10 and got the 5, studied the higher content but for all sorts of reasons, didn’t sit the paper. This is the only way that I can see that a Grade 5 student achieving an A or A* at A Level.

But I would have thought that this would be a really small cohort of pupils.

argh of course it bolded it! Are 9s like A double stars and 8s like A stars?

What do GCSE grades translate to in old money? Are 9s roughly the equivalent of an A* and 8s As?

Yes, it only works out to be 5 or 6 students from the whole population. Very small number. Irrelevant really.

I understand you mean in comparison with the 6/7

I expect it's rare to be admitted to a level maths wuth a 5 unless there are mitigating circumstances, maybe a capable child who was ill during exams or similar.

I was just looking at that. That could be the effect of kids put into Foundation who were late bloomers