Maths gcse boundary grades

[hmmwhatatodo]

Hello, I’m trying (and failing) to get my head around the complicated system for working out approx marks needed to get certain grades.

Studying gcse maths foundation with edexcel can anyone tell me approximately how many marks out of 240 will be needed to secure the equivalent of an old c. Or if anyone can tell me how many marks to gain a 4 or 5 grade? I think I saw that 122 were needed to get grade 4 in the exams last year but I may be misinterpreting the data.
Thanks in advance!

Summer 2017 it was 122/240 for a 4. November 2017 it was 113/240 for a 4.

The grade boundaries are set after all the exams are marked though.

Explained here

Thanks a lot, yes I see that they are set after the exams but I just wanted an idea based on previous exams as you have show. Do you think there is much chance it will be wildly different?

High 90's = 9
High 80's/ low 90's = 8
High 70's /low 80's = 7
High 60s to low 70's = 6
High 50s to low 60s = 5
High 40s to low 50's =4
High 30's to low 40's 3

Or something like that, from a friend who is HOD

Not sure I understand those gilllybeanz?

Thanks gillybeanz. So confusing! Is that the percentage from the 3 papers added together?

Wildly different, probably not. A bit higher, possibly. I think.

Sorry, yes a percentage,
At the time the reports were saying that the levels could change as the syllabus became older.
I suppose as you have shown yourself, between the years so far.

She did tell me it wasn't widely accepted, a complete science, but would help put my mind at rest a bit as I was quite worried at the time.
I have a borderline child.

Gilly’s boundaries look like they’re for the higher paper. For Foundation last year it was just over 50% for the equivalent of a C (ignore the November grade boundaries, they were odd because it was a resit paper). It will probably be slightly higher this year, because the cohort will be better prepared than last year, and the foundation papers are being amended to be more accessible. Probably not past 60% though. A 5 last year was about 65%.

Gilly those grade boundaries are too high

Last year I think a higher maths 55 percent was a 6 or 7

Yeah last year on the higher paper it was 17% for a 4. Nowhere near 50%!

Just shy of 80% for a 9!

Sorry, didn't mean to confuse further.

so it could be 60% which I think is 144/240 to get a c grade. Yikes.

Unlikely to change that much, but with Edexcel making the papers easier and the cohort being better prepared, it’s more likely the grade boundaries will be higher than lower than last year.

But obviously the best thing to do is to prepare as well as you can. We don’t know where the grade boundaries can be, the only thing that can change is how you do on the day.

Ok, well thanks all!

I’m confused. In one post you say 50 % for a 4 and in another 17 %. I thought the 17 % was more quoted so I think gills s are too high

50% for a 4 on the foundation paper, 17% for a 4 on the higher paper.

OP is talking about foundation, so the 50% figure is the relevant one.

Please let it closer to 50 than 60% for a c!

Oh thanks

Can I ask a question please?
Is it true that the questions increase in difficulty, so the percentage of lower grades comes first?

I too am hoping for it to be closer to 50% then 60% for a pass.
even though there's time, mine has started the syllabus in Y9, which is great, and just the easier stuff, but the worry has started already.

Forgot to say, I'm so glad my figures were too high, apologies again.
It's quite refreshing and less worrying for me.

Not that I would have the answer anyway gillybeanz but I don’t understand your question!

I'm not sure I can even explain tbh.

Ok, on the ofqual boundary pages, as linked above, it gives levels and percentage of the questions. eg Foundation has 50% questions at level 1-3 and 505 at 3-5.
does this mean that the questions start at level 1 and progress to level 5 being the last questions, or are they mixed between levels throughout the paper?