If your child got a B in GCSE maths...

[treasureisland]

...would you tell them that they are 'not very good at maths' ?

Uh oh, bold/star fail!

" I'm good at basic arithmetic, but often struggle to do the numbers round on countdown"

Ha. If it can be done, I've usually got it within 15 seconds. I'm rubbish with the letters and conundrum rounds though.

A b will be fine to start a levels with. Why would anyone say that's not a good grade. It is! and I'm a teacher

No, it is really not 'fine' to start maths A-level with a B. It would be risking failure. It might be ok in other subjects, but not in maths.

I've seen it too many times. Parents insisting that Johnny needs maths a-level, and forcing us to accept him on the course against our better judgement. Johnny working his socks off, and despite hard work, and expensive tutoring, Johnny getting an E or worse at the end of Y12. It's depressing.

Of course there's the odd kid who turns it around, but they are the exception. The statistics clearly show that if you have a B, the chances of a good grade are not in your favour.

Well I got a B in my maths GCSE, but I actually got 100% in both papers (intermediate level). It's a shitty thing for a parent to say, but I don't thin GCSE grades are at all indicative of intelligence or competence in certain subjects actually.

Well, they'd certainly be better than me at maths, so no!

I don't thin GCSE grades are at all indicative of intelligence or competence in certain subjects

What an extraordinary statement!

I might agree with you with regards intelligence, that is a very nebulous concept.

But to imply that a pupil with an A* is no better at maths than a pupil with a C or D seems just silly.

Read nobelgiraffe's messages again, she writes with sense and experience.

Given that they both know it's far better than what their DF got at maths O-Level, I wouldn't date.

*dare

I am sure that things have changed in 20 years since I took my a levels but I got a C in Gcse and a C at a level. In my day, you were able to do an a level in any subject as long as you had gcse at C or above.
Makes gcse seem worthless if less than an A is deemed failure.

Bit confused. I'm getting the point that some people are pushed onto maths because it is 'needed', when they will probably hate it. But my only reference is O-level. Was it also thought then that you shouldn't progress with maths without an A?

I think a B is a good decent grade and I would be very pleased if my ds got that.

I kind of regret not doing the maths a-level when I was at school. I was gifted at maths and should have done it but I would have been the only girl in the class which put me off at 16

I think she's got a point partial.

I've got a* in GCSE maths and A at A level (before the days of stars). I am worse at maths than my dh who has got a d in gcse maths.

All my high grades mean is that I was good at learning how to do the things they tested in exams. Dh is better than me because he actually understands the concepts.

Would be made up if DS got a B. I was rubbish at maths at school because I was lazy. I went on to run my own business.I constantly amaze my young colleagues with my ability to work things out in my head before they can get their phones out!

If a child has worked hard to get a B at gcse then they are probably going to struggle at A level. I went from B at O level to B at A level to 2.1 in my degree but that was 30 years ago. It is different now.

I agree rallytog1. Sadly GCSE's are far more about learning to pass the test/assessment than having a real understanding of the subject IMO. That applies across all subjects.

I don't think a B grade would be good enough for A levels - A level maths is fairly difficult.
Maths was my easy GCSE, I didn't need to revise for it (got an easy A - no A* in my day).
I ended up with a B at A level maths and a D in further maths for A level.

Private Ryan- have you any experience of A level maths?

I teach it, and I do not recommended B grade students take the course. At GCSE the style of paper is very different to A-level, the questions are more structured, they have more guidance about what methods to use. A-level is very very challenging.

A student who just misses out on a A grade and just had a bad day in the GCSE exam may cope. However a solid B grade student would not.

To get a B grade at GCSE you need around 45% of the GCSE content. To get an E at A-level you need 40% of much more challenging content.

I have taught many A grade GCSE students who have found A-leve very difficult. You need to be a natural mathematician who can make links between concepts and have a deeper understanding of how algebra and functions work- not just memeorise and repeat the methods that have been taught in class.

I know this isn't really the point of the thread, but isn't there something wrong with the system if, in the UK, you have to be a 'naturally gifted' mathematician to progress with Maths beyond the age of 15/16. (I'm saying 15 because a large proportion of the class will be 15 or only just 16 when they take their exams).

Hmm this is interesting. I'd say DD is a natural mathematician in that she understands the concepts intuitively. The more abstract it gets, the more interesting she finds it. She us however also really good at dodging available marks in exams. Even in maths, which is more clear cut than an essay subject, she will misread the question and answer one that hasn't been asked. She may get an A* but could equally well get a B. Either way, she will want to do maths A level.

Bottom line though, why would somebody say this? What is the motivation?
Are they being genuinely matter-of-fact, expressing an opinion?

Or, as seems probable from the OP's reaction, are they being trying to have a dig ...? Is it a comment with a background of similar behaviours? In which case, it isn't about the factual basis of the merits of the grade here.

merrymouse maths should be obligatory until school leaving. Can't escape it here as the baccalaureat requires maths regardless of which options you choose.

I don't know what the content of GCSE is these days (I sat o levels) but I imagine it would be possible to get a B without having to do much in the way of abstract, conceptual reasoning and that a student without these skills would struggle with the A level. however the reverse can also be true - my dd never appeared to be particularly good at maths when the curriculum focussed mainly on numeracy. But abstract reasoning appears to come naturally. It's not unusual for her to mess up a simple calculation but to be the only student in the school to answer the bonus question on a maths test.

God no. I scraped a C which I realise is still fairly good and my mum cried with happiness at that as she knew I hated it. A B at GCSE maths is something to be proud if.

I got a B in maths at GCSE. I went on to do a level maths and got a B.
But I had done maths GCSE in 1 year, having done statistics the previous year (got an A in that).
I did very little work for my A levels. The bare minimum. I was very lazy.

Maths does come easily to some people. Other people struggle more.

But I really dislike parents telling the kids they can't do maths and that's ok. I teach primary & bottom set maths is my favourite thing to teach. I spend sooo much time encouraging the kids & giving them confidence and it makes masses of difference.

Wonder why 6th forms don't demand an A before accepting students on A-Level Maths?