AS Levels

[Leeds2]

Apologies for the very basic question!

DD is about to go into Sixth Form, and will do AS Levels next summer. I had thought that she would get a grade for these, upon which school may base predictions for A2 grades and which would be included on her UCAS form.

A friend, whose DD has just done her AS Levels, tells me that this isn't right, and that the marks achieved in the AS exams contribute to final grades. So that if, say, you got an E at AS Level it would be almost impossible to get an A* at A2.

Is this right?

You're both right. The school will base their predictions on the AS grades AND they'll be added into her final grade for those she continues to A2 (I'm assuming that she will start more at AS than she takes for A2, like most kids).

Oh, and to get an A* overall, you have to get over 90% at A2 (and an overall A-grade). I think. I had to ask DS to explain his results sheet v e r y slowly to me.

Leeds2 - AS is roughly half of the overall A level. So if, for example, a student needed to do 2 exams for an AS subject the total mark for the AS would probably be out of 200. And the same for A2.

If 160/200 at AS was an A (or 320/400 for the full A level) and they got 170/200 at AS, that would mean they'd only need to get 150/200 to keep the A at A2.

If they got an E at AS, say 80/200 then, even if they got 200/200 at A2, that would still only give them 280/400 which would put them on the B/C boundary.

KittiesInsane - the A thing makes my head reel! It seems unfair that someone could get an A with lower overall marks than someone who got an A... Does it apply to every subject do you know?

Thank you for explaining it to me! I really had no idea, and am glad I found out before DD goes into Sixth Form.

Stonecircle- the A is awarded in that way for all subjects except, I believe, Maths. It does sometimes seem unfair that students with more marks overall can end up with a lower grade but the A is really good for keeping the bright kids from getting complacent. Before the A was introduced if you had 200/200 at AS you only had to scrape a C at A2 to bag the top grade. I do think it's good for the A to reward exceptional performance in the harder A2 year.

Oh god, don't start on Maths. I could swear DS said you had to get an A in every maths paper for an overall A, but he didn't (and did get the A), so who knows?

I don't think the Maths is harder as such. I think you have to get 90% across two specific A2 units and an A overall. As long as your total adds up to an A you can get an A*-you don't need an A in every unit.

Yes, sasdly I didn't find this out until after ds had done his ASs. I thought they were more like a 'mock'... a predictor, but no, they do, as your friend says, form part of the overall total mark.