Grade 9 in GCSEs: How common are they?

[ChumpyWumpy]

I have 3 friends whose children have all received what seems like an abundance of them! Friend 1’s child received 9 x Grade 9 and 1 x Grade 8. Friend 2’s child received 8 x Grade 9 and 2 x Grade 8 and friend 3’s child received 7 x Grade 9, 2 x Grade 8 and 1 x Grade 7. Absolutely amazing results and I’m really chuffed for them. My DD (in year 9) is now extremely worried because she thinks this is the norm! (I have, of course, put her straight.)

With regard to grades boundaries and a level 10 PattiStanger his it right in that they are only giving out grades to a percentage of pupils.

Just like the sainted "O" levels.

At our school 40% of GCSEs were 9s (no IGCSEs - it's a state school).

The schools with that sort of result are overwhelmingly grammars.

It's a bit disappointing really, as the 9 was supposed to be for exceptional candidates, and a rare beast.

I suppose to avoid an utter meltdown amongst this past year's Year 11s, 9s are clearly still quite common. Perhaps this coming year the numbers achieving 9s will be shaved, so there is a gradual decline in numbers instead of a sudden shock.

At dd's school they were told that only 99 or 100% in Maths would be a Grade 9. I don't suppose this was true?

Irmafay you can look up the grade boundaries online. That's a bit of a stupid thing for a, school to say tho - was that a maths teacher?

FWIW I do think grade 9 is a rare beast. Dd was in the first cohort of numbers and she was the only person in her school to get 2 (of a possible three) so she was very proud and happy.

9s are clearly still quite common.

4% of Grades were 9s. Hardly common. Why do we need more differentiation that that?

I don't think that was the case, no, although I'm not quite sure what the score required was.

There's no particularly illuminating or detailed info coming from Ofqual, not sure why.

No, it was around 80% for a 9 in igcse Maths this year, I think.

Overall, fewer pupils got a 9 as the old A star, so the new system is working ie its differentiating more.

However, a grade 10 could be introduced to differentiate between those who get 80% and 99% -100% (the real maths geniuses!)

If you look at results on AQA website, only 2% of those who sat English language and 2.7% of those who sat maths were awarded a Grade 9. Sounds pretty rare to me!

The % of 9s varies widely according to subject but are clustered in certain schools so won't seem rare in those schools but still are, nationally.