Do (Welsh) AS levels have an A star grade?

[Sadik]

DD thinks not but isn't sure.

Not at AS but you can on completion of the A2 course.

OK, that makes sense. Context is DD is trying to figure out whether she's doing enough out-of-class work and what she should be planning on over Christmas.

We are told at least 15 hours at home study extra per week to get the higher grades. From experience it is worth putting in the work in the first year to get a good grade at AS, it slightly takes the pressure off!

From experience it is worth putting in the work in the first year to get a good grade at AS, it slightly takes the pressure off!
Agreed. Also it is evidence for the teacher, so that they can make a better/higher A Level grade prediction at UCAS time.
So working hard now is good as long as she doesn't peak too early or get too stressed.

It's a fine balance with dd - she does tend to get stressed, and she also finds change very hard (so new much bigger 6th form, much longer days etc). She'll be storming ahead by around March / April time - but in a 1 year course that's not much help!

I feel myself that she'd probably be best to take a year out after college & apply to uni with grades in hand, but not sure whether she'll be keen on that.

apply to uni with grades in hand, but not sure whether she'll be keen on that.
I think that it's usually best to apply in Y13. The worst case scenario is that you change your mind, withdraw without penalty and waste a nominal amount of money on the UCAS application fee.
The upside is that you will have had a practice-run so you know the ropes and can do a better application next year (if necess).
She will be applying at the same time as the majority, so she won't be the odd-one-out in her year (a bit pathetic, I know, but we are talking teenagers here)
Tutors will have written a reference whilst you are a 'live' case and you are top of their priority list (which they will only need to tweak, if necess).
You can ask to defer.
I think that admissions staff are more understanding of 'we offered on a predicted A Grade but they slipped to a B Grade' student than a 'actually got a B Grade, the prediction is irrelevant now' student.

That's really helpful Senua, thanks. Good point that you can always withdraw - presumably it wouldn't be a massive deal if that was because you decided you'd made a mistake re. subject (would be physics vs engineering)

presumably it wouldn't be a massive deal if that was because you decided you'd made a mistake re. subject (would be physics vs engineering)
I don't think that you have to justify it, you just do it. There are so many applicants these days that I doubt that Universities have the time or inclination to question why someone withdraws (there could be a myriad of reasons: bereavement, illness or post-exam burnout, finances, sudden chance of a lifetime volunteering/travelling/internship, etc, etc, etc).
The new application probably ought to mention what you are doing that is useful/relevant in the gap year but, beyond that, nobody cares.