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Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

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Original poster

Maths A-level - weakest link

85 replies

stubiff · 26/10/2023 10:49

Following on from DS’s choices dilemma (still ongoing) and the thread re AAC (C in Maths) then interested in DC experiences of taking Maths A-level and it being the weakest link (for whatever reason).

If they got Maths GCSE 6, or 7 even, did they regret taking Maths A-level.
If they got 777 at GCSE, did they expect predictions of BBB (or the same grades across the board) but found Maths harder/got lower (predicted/actual).
Did they take Maths A-level to ‘keep options open’ or because school/parents/MN/ANOther recommended it, and then regretted it.
Did they get predicted AAC, or BBD (say), and have trouble picking Unis/courses, or the level of Uni/course.

Thanks.

OP posts:

SandyIrving · 26/10/2023 11:27

DD in Scotland and didn't regret doing AH maths despite low A passes at Nat 5/Higher (presume low A at nat 5=7 at GSCE).

Found maths AH harder than other AHs but really enjoyed it and felt the more maths she did the more she got it. Got B prediction (no actual because of covid). Probably stopped her getting her no 1 choice uni (StA) but happy with 2nd choice. Wouldn't have allowed her to apply to top unis but she was okay with this (prefers to be above average in her cohort).

Chose Maths as useful and keeps career options open. I probably influenced as I have Maths degree.

Did a 1st year maths module option as part of her degree (partly to show her B estimated grade wasn't really a D) and did really well.

SandyIrving · 26/10/2023 11:29

I am biased but I'd give maths a levels/ahs additional UCAS points or reduced offers.

noblegiraffe · 26/10/2023 11:44

If they got Maths GCSE 6, or 7 even, did they regret taking Maths A-level.

Students on a grade 6 shouldn't be taking maths A-level. Students on a 7 will find it very difficult and should be aware that their most likely outcome is a C or D.

Desecratedcoconut · 26/10/2023 11:52

It seems the only thing more brutal than Maths is Further Maths. Ds is doing the latter, the minimum grade to enrol was an 8, and even then, the kids who languished at the bottom of the class were told that it probably wasn't for them.

Dixiechickonhols · 26/10/2023 12:08

Mine got an 8 at GCSE and wouldn’t have contemplated it. She’s yr 13 and the ones doing well seem to have 9s at gcse.

Desecratedcoconut · 26/10/2023 12:14

If she's currently in y13 then she is among a cohort in which 8s and 9s were achieved with lower grade boundaries than in the graph that Noble linked. I expect it skews things.

WilderRose · 26/10/2023 13:10

My ds got a 9 at A level maths gcse but a TAG year...
He was predicted an A for maths but got a B. Fortunately got his place at Bath as upped a grade from his prediction in another subject.
I always felt maths was a risk for him as can make silly mistakes and his teachers have always said takes an interesting approach to some aspects of maths.
However, I think in life will ultimately be a good choice.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 26/10/2023 13:21

DS got an 8 in GCSE and took maths A level. He really struggled though. He never did further maths at GCSE and that seemed to be the problem. All the kids in his class who had taken further maths were doing fine but the rest were struggling. We got a tutor on board after he got an E in his AS mock. He got a D in the actual AS exam and decided to drop maths completely to concentrate on his other three subjects.

clary · 26/10/2023 13:31

Hi @stubiff - my ds 2 scored 889 at GCSE in his A level choices (no he didn’t get all 8s and 9s! those were pretty much his best results) tho even before those grades, he was set on his A level choices from about halfway through year 11. He took biology (9 – A), PE (8 – A) and maths (8 – B). He got TAGs a A level which didn’t always play to his strengths (good in exams), but I reckon they were pretty fair. I suspect PE was marked down overall (his mate got a B when may have expected an A) for a variety of (good) reasons, so maybe he missed an A-star by not much. But the progression is interesting in that PE maybe went up from 8 to A/A-star while maths went down from 8 to B.

He found maths the most challenging without doubt; he once said to me that when you suddenly get a maths qu and see it and understand it, it’s [and he did that thing teens do with their fingers when they are delighted]. He really really rated the maths dept at his school and he certainly had a couple of excellent teachers – but that was also true imo for his other subjects.

I recall his lovely tutor and maths teacher telling me early in yr 13 that he could maybe get an A but he would have to work really hard. His uni offer was AAB so all good. He had a couple of mates who were very very good at maths (one is at Cambridge now) but there were also students who took it with a 6/7 – tho at least one of those did really badly in yr 12 and ended up dropping it I think.

He certainly didn’t do maths to “keep options open”! I never understand why so many people say this on MN. It only keeps options open if you want to study science or maths (and even then you need FM really) later on. This was good for DS as he studies bio, and I think his maths is useful, but for DD (Eng lit) it wouldn’t have kept any useful options open at all.

Obviously all A level choices close off options; but at 16 you probably know which options you want to keep open. Agree, looking at post-18 destinations is good (recall a recent thread where a student wanted to be an engineer and sadly no one had advised physics A level) but it’s also important to take what you love.

I can see how the variation in PGs is an issue for your DD. Did she take maths with a low grade or despite not really liking it then? That’s really a shame.

EmmaStone · 26/10/2023 13:43

DD got a 9 in maths GCSE and sat further maths at GCSE, and ended up with a B at A Level, it was definitely her bete noire, and the B was hard earned. She'd been predicted an A, but she wasn't ever really achieving that, it was very generous (for completeness sake, she got an A star and an A in her other 2 subjects which were arts based). I don't know if she regrets taking it, she did enjoy it, although I would say she's relieved that it's now over!

JediKnightingale · 26/10/2023 13:56

DS got an 8 (a few marks off a 9 apparently) and was predicted an A. He needs an A star for one uni choice (Bath) who have changed their Comp Sci offer from A star, AA to A star A star A.

After talking to his teacher DS was told he was capable of getting the A star but would have to put in a lot of independent study. He has agreed to up his prediction to A star so DS is now acutely aware he’s going to have to work for it (he glided through his GCSEs with very little effort on his part).

So I would say if the student is dedicated and prepared to put in the time and effort into a subject high grades can be achieved.

NotDonna · 26/10/2023 14:04

My eldest 2 both got 8’s at GCSE maths but one is MUCH more of a natural mathematician than than the other. She did A level and received an A, the other would not have contemplated it for a nano second but did take Core Maths in yr12 to support her humanity A levels. The problematic A level for my eldest wasn’t maths, but chemistry - another 8 at GCSE but that A level was painful.

FebuarySmith · 26/10/2023 14:06

Mine got a 9 in maths at GCSE and did it at A level. What an ordeal it’s been. The slog to get an achieved A grade was immense, and at times we worried a lot about the impact on the other A levels. We had to get a private tutor for a year when it became apparent the maths grade could scupper chances of a decent uni. All 9s at GCSE so no indication that it was going to be the battle it was.

Desecratedcoconut · 26/10/2023 14:09

What do you mean by a decent uni? Surely there are decent unis whose minimum entrance doesn't hinge on a run of As?

FebuarySmith · 26/10/2023 14:16

Sorry, meant she needed As to meet her offer.

Desecratedcoconut · 26/10/2023 14:19

It's fine. I was honestly just asking - it wasn't an attempt at being offended 😁

dootball · 26/10/2023 14:19

@noblegiraffe I presume this table doesn't even include the large percentage of students who start with a 6 and then drop out? Or are they included in the Us?

Ivesaidenough · 26/10/2023 14:31

@noblegiraffe where did you find that table? It looks interesting.

Dishee · 26/10/2023 14:33

@Ivesaidenough I believe it was Edexcel who tracked actual students from their GCSE to their A level for maths if my memory serves. It is from several years ago.

Africa2go · 26/10/2023 14:39

I also wouldn't be advising anyone with less than a 9 (maybe a very high 8) to take it at A level if they want to achieve a decent grade.

Also, it depends on the school's quality of teaching and the grades it has achieved historically. The exam board also matters (anecdotally OCR is more difficult than some of the other boards).

Dishee · 26/10/2023 14:41

@stubiff is there a link to your previous thread? It is that your child is predicted lower than the courses they want? I might be going over stuff asked and answered on your previous thread but is there any way your child could sit another test to show a higher grade than the C? Did they do any work over summer to improve it and can show they worked on it?

Original poster

stubiff · 26/10/2023 14:48

@Dishee and others. My thread was to do with what DS might choose (in Feb) for A-levels (based on his lack of any sort of direction).
The AAC thread wasn't mine but struck a chord as a possible outcome if a DC chooses an A-level (for whatever reason) which might lead to a (possibly significantly) lower prediction, which then may impact Uni/course choices.

@noblegiraffe Think you may have posted the matrix before. Is that in the public domain or do you have access due to your role. I have (previous to starting the thread) found a different one (for 2019), but it uses the average GCSE point score rather than the subject specific grade. It is generally useful as a guideline though.

Thanks for the replies, will digest.

OP posts:

HappiDaze · 26/10/2023 14:48

DS is just good at maths. He just sees it and gets it. He doesn't need to work at it. He does tons of homework they're given and has just sat his MAT and the other one the day before

He got a 9 for his GCSEs

He says half the pupils taking FM dropped out after a couple of months.

He's doing pure maths not applied maths the latter is easier and better for uni courses like Engineering

He's already taken his Maths A Level they take it at the end of Yr 12 if they're taking FM which they do end of Yr 13 the usual time. He got an A* they pretty much all did those taking FM.

They're worked really hard alongside their other subjects. He slipped a bit with Physics for a while due to prepping for the MAT but is still predicted an A. He's at State school if that matters. It's slightly selective in that you needed a 7 to take FM I think. They mostly all got 9 some I'm sure 8. Those who got 7 are most likely the ones who dropped it.

DS found the Maths A Level very easy.

HappiDaze · 26/10/2023 14:50

He's doing pure maths not applied maths the latter is easier and better for uni courses like Engineering

They choose which as part of FM A Level as well as Statistics

My DS hates statistics he finds it extremely dull

HappiDaze · 26/10/2023 14:57

Maths A Level is bloody hard IMHO. It looks baffling to me.

Get your DS to look at A Level past papers to see what he thinks.

He should be able to work some questions out from what he's already learnt in GCSE.

He also I think he should look at the questions he didn't get right in the GCSE as he may have made silly mistakes meaning he's more than capable of 8 or 9

My DS rushes things, not so much now, he's learnt his lesson and can make silly mistakes costing vital marks

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