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Secondary education

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Original poster

What's the correlation between GCSE grades and A Level grades?

26 replies

Ligresa · 22/08/2019 23:11

If you get a B (6) at GCSE is there any hope of an A in the same subject at A level?

I know it depends on many factors, but I am sure I have heard people on mumsnet talking about the link.

OP posts:
ChicCroissant · 22/08/2019 23:15

I don't know about the link, but at my DD's school if you want to study a subject at A level in the sixth form you need a B in the subject at GCSE.

If the A is needed for career/Uni, I hope it works out OK, OP.

cauliflowersqueeze · 22/08/2019 23:19

Ligresa - extremely slim chance.

Page 18 shows you by subject (albeit a few years ago)

www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/Images/153531-progression-from-gcse-to-as-and-a-level-2010-.pdf

TheFrendo · 22/08/2019 23:20

There is some hope, yes, but not much. noblegiraffe has posted links showing the likely grades at A level given specific GCSE grades.

What subject?

Berthatydfil · 22/08/2019 23:21

I have heard that in general it’s difficult to maintain the grade and you see a drop of around one grade and it’s rare to improve greatly.
Of course this is highly simplistic and doesnt account for many variables.
However if they covered the syllabus, revised thoroughly, had good teaching and no issues in the run up to the exams and no nightmares in the exam papers then I think its potentially possible but would be very difficult to achieve

cauliflowersqueeze · 22/08/2019 23:21

About 3%-5%

Pipandmum · 22/08/2019 23:22

I know a few who did not great in GCSE and went on to ace their A levels and also the other way round. I think it depends far more on the student and their motivation than any statistics.

LaBelleSauvage123 · 22/08/2019 23:35

Some children, like my DS, are slow burners. He was below average in many areas in primary school, average in KS3, got 2 As, 4 As and 2 Bs at GCSE and has just got AAA at A level, with one of those As in a subject he got B in at GCSE. He’s just got more confident and better at studying and expressing his knowledge as time has gone on.

clary · 22/08/2019 23:54

Dd got a 9 in Eng Lit then a B at A level. She worked really hard, though there were other factors which brought her grades down this year but still, it's a bit of a drop. Mind you I think it was hard to get a high grade in, only one A in the school and no A*.

Was there a reason for a 6 when, say, an 8 was expected (such as illness, traumatic event, even exam panic?) Otherwuse no, a 6 to an A is unlikely. Not to say you can't do a level, but a C/B is a more likely outcome tbh.

jitterbugintomybrain · 23/08/2019 00:14

I think the standard of teaching of the A level also has a massive impact.

Original poster
Ligresa · 23/08/2019 00:32

Thanks,really helpful. The 6 was in a potential a level subject. She wants to do English lit (9), RS (8) and classics (6). Was predicted a 7/8 and thought exam went well.

She's now thinking she might take psychology instead as she got 7s and 8s in sciences.

OP posts:
TheFrendo · 23/08/2019 02:04

Non-professional opinion...
Eng Lit/RS & classics have quite a lot in common. Given the very high grades in Eng lit & RS, the classics result looks anomalous. She has options, and classics could be one of them.

OneHanded · 23/08/2019 02:35

Shit all in my case! Got all A’s whilst getting drunk and taking overdoses for gcse, completely failed a levels even after taking extra year 🙈

Aragog · 23/08/2019 03:02

It varies massively as progression at school, even at 16-18y, isn't linear. It gives a rough idea but a teen can suddenly decide to work much harder or may have been a slow burner and come into their own at sixth form when focusing only on subjects they've chosen. But they can also get distracted - sixth form is a time when social life often kicks off in a bigger way and there's more chances of serious boyfriend/girlfriends on the scene.also part time jobs can have a bigger impact as well. Many kids get jobs at this time but obviously employers aren't interested in their studies and a lot will try to push teens into doing more and more hours. Many sixth form and college teachers will talk about this having a negative impact on studies.

Just highlight the need to really knuckle down and get a good study plan, and to balance study with other distractions.

But there are definitely cases of people doing very well at A level compared to at GCSE.

A grade B (a new high 5 or a solid 6) is a good GCSE grade.

SockMachine · 23/08/2019 03:27

My Ds worked hard throughout sixth form and just got A A A at A level for subjects that were 9, A* and A at GCSE (maths, chemistry, physics).

Propertyfaux · 23/08/2019 07:44

I do think there is a small group within these grades who are are the same ability but the end result is determined by revision, exams stress, confidence and more. I have known some go from Bs to As but also As to Bs especially amongst the gcse As student who pushed themselves extremely hard and at some point either hit burn out or reached their peak. The same with Bs who didn’t revise at GCSEs but changing at A levels.

Original poster
Ligresa · 23/08/2019 07:55

Wish she could explain it away by saying she didn't work hard, but she did! Lots of revision and felt the exam went well. Might get the script back and have a look. She's really keen on the subject and wanted to do it as a joint degree with English. Maybe a tutor might help if she decided to carry on.

OP posts:
Bimkom · 23/08/2019 08:13

@Ligresa - no experience but what you say seems right to me. If it feels completely wrong, then there has at least to be a chance that this is one of the "not marked properly", error papers, that everybody, including the exam boards, acknowledge exist. I know it is money which maybe you will struggle to afford, and maybe it will be a waste, but I suspect it will eat you and she up if you don't at least get the script (I assume you are allowed to do that), and depending what it looks like, go for a remark. We have all heard stories about - well even numbers not being added up correctly. May be getting false hope up, but what if it is that? I don't know how classics is marked at all - but are there questions that, for example, require a few short paragraphs and a few marks and the marks could have been missed?

Propertyfaux · 23/08/2019 08:17

Sometimes is just a case of the paper not being the best fit for the child. DS1 always did better with exams that were deemed difficult. He found A level exam more consistent and the teaching of answering and the requirements better than GCSE. I would look at the results of the essay style exams as a whole to give a better picture.

Original poster
Ligresa · 23/08/2019 08:37

OneHanded oh dear Flowers

I was similar in that I flew through o levels but then really screwed up a levels. Awful home life and no support. At least dd2 isn't in that position.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ligresa · 23/08/2019 08:38

Thank you. Definitely going to ask for the script back. School say all the info in how ti do ut us in the booklet that they gave out last term Confused desperately searches piles of papers

OP posts:
TheTheoretical1 · 23/08/2019 11:25

In my opinion, linking GCSE and A-level is stupid. Both me and my friend got a B in GCSE maths and both got A* in A-level maths as well as him getting a B in A-level further maths and me getting a C. We both put in more effort in A-level and got what we needed. I got a C in GCSE physics and got an A in A-level. Quite honestly, GCSE was boring for me and I had no interests in studying for it, but A-level was much more fun, so I put more effort in. Don't see A-level as "more difficult", see it as more precise, more accurate and more broad, which allows one to ask deeper questions as well as get a deeper understanding. To conclude, doesn't really matter what you get in GCSE, if you like the A-level subject, put the effort in and you will get the grade you want.

ArthurtheCatsHumanSlave · 23/08/2019 12:10

Also, this doesn't make sense.

In old money, that would mean everyone getting A would only achieve an A, anyone with a very old top grade A would only get a B - and that is obviously not the case. So, only those with the new 9, or A will get an A..... surely not.

dennishsherwood · 25/08/2019 16:49

The question is a good one, but assumes that the original grade B is reliable. It isn't - see, for example, www.hepi.ac.uk/2019/02/25/1-school-exam-grade-in-4-is-wrong-thats-the-good-news/

A statement posted on the Ofqual website on 11 August says

"more than one grade could well be a legitimate reflection of a student’s performance"

www.gov.uk/government/news/response-to-sunday-times-story-about-a-level-grades.

So that B is only one of however many "legitimate grades" there might be.

The reality, of course, is that only one grade is shown on the certificate. If that makes you angry, please join the club.

And if you know a good lawyer, speak to her about www.hepi.ac.uk/2019/08/15/dear-ofqual-%EF%BB%BF/

SigmaGrindesetter · 10/10/2021 06:32

I got A B B C D D D D for GCSE, recently obtained A A B a a for my A levels(including AS). The A* is in Literature in English, I got a D in that at gcse. So yeah, it is possible to achieve anything as long as you want it hard and harder than last time as coach Greg would say. I didnt work hard, but I worked smart. I didnt even read my books for literature😂. And my grades are not inflated, A level results were normal in my country, which is Mauritius. But I would like to say that schools set students to fail, take your own path, know better, trust the process because it takes time and dedication and make good use of the internet. Good luck for all those who are doing A levels!

lilyfire · 10/10/2021 06:53

I got a B in history at GCSE level and A at a level. GCSE was bad teacher and boring syllabus. A level good teacher and interesting syllabus.