Why isn’t there an A* grade at AS level?

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

Just that really!

There is at GCSE and A level but not at AS level.

Anyone know why?

We’re in Wales btw.

Because it's only half the qualification, I suppose. Just guessing though.

Maybe. But they’re stand alone qualifications and don’t count at all towards the A level.

I thought they do... I thought that was the whole point of them?

I could be confused tbf; it's a good long while since I had to pay any attention to it!

Ah, I’m wrong. They are stand alone qualifications but do count 40% towards the full A level.

I still don’t understand why there’s no A* grade!

The content studied at A2 (the second year of A-Level) is harder than the content in the first year. As the grading is a representative of the level attained it doesn't go as high as the opportunity doesn't exist to be tested on knowledge at such a high level..

If you’re using WJEC then they count towards the final A level - they carry a 40% weighting, with the A2 units carrying 60% weighting.

CCEA, which is the Northern Irish exam board, is the same.

There is no Astar at AS level because the only way to gain an Astar at A level is to gain 80% combined UMS from both AS and A2 AND 90% in the A2 units alone. You could get 100% in your AS units, but only 89% in your A2 units and while you would have a combined UMS well above 80% you still wouldn’t get the Astar as your A2 units were less than 90%.