Yearly warning not to take A-level maths with less than a 7 at GCSE

[noblegiraffe]

GCSE results day and therefore A-level sign-up day is coming.

So with that in mind I just thought I'd post the table of conversions from GCSE to A-level results for maths to show that there is a strong correlation. This is because A-level Maths basically starts with a quick review of grade 8/9 GCSE algebra content and then gets more difficult. Students starting with a 7 will have to work very hard to keep up, students with a 6 often flounder.

There are sixth forms and colleges that will accept students with a 6 onto A-level maths, but from many years of experience, this is not a good experience for the student. Many will drop out and switch courses early on (and therefore not appear in the results table), but some will struggle on for 2 years and then come out with a grade that really doesn't help them with university applications.

If you take A-level maths with a 6, even if you manage to complete the course (and a lot won't), about three quarters will get a D or below, with E the most common grade.

This data is from 2019 because obviously more recent data has been screwed up by covid.

If your child is keen to do maths, but gets a 6, please consider Core Maths which is designed to be taken alongside 3 A-levels and provides supportive maths content for A-level sciences and social sciences (e.g. psychology, geography).

If your child is going to do A-level maths (particularly if they are on a 7 but also 8/9), check that they have done summer bridging work so they hit the ground running in September.

It depends on WHY you are doing A level maths. My niece did it as a 4 th so want that concerned about getting g a decent grade (I think she got C or D) but what she learned has helped her enormously in her further studies

A-level Physics teacher here. Currently campaigning to not allow students with less than a 6 to take Physics. I'd prefer this to be a 7. Teaching students with 5s or 6s (and remember, this means half marks in the GCSE exam, such are the grade boundaries) is a struggle as they are not confident on the fundamentals.

Just wondering what students are meant to do when they get all their gcse's above a grade 4 but nothing higher than a 6. Ds2 got mainly 4's and 5's for his gcse's and a 6 I'm maths. So he was way over qualified for a level 2 pathway but he is now struggling with his a levels.

Level 3 Extended Diploma?
That might be a better fit for him if there is one in a subject he is interested in.

You can get level 3 BTECs.
Or T levels?

DS1 had this. Started A Levels (and a BTEC) in the hopes that less subjects would make him more focused. Did not turn out that way, so left the A Level course and is now quite happy on a Level 3 extended diploma.

DS1 got a 7 at GCSE maths and came away with a B at A level. And we paid for a tutor for the last few weeks. He sweated blood and tears for it.

Excellent grade. I think all A levels are hard and B+ is rarely going to come easy except the occasional genius.

Out of interest, is he glad he did it??

Agree with the others, BTEC Extended Diploma or T-Levels, or 3 separate Level 3 BTEC certificates.

There are A levels that are accessible to people who get 4's and 5's. Some consider these the 'easy' A levels but I would disagree with that. For example, Sociology and Psychology. As a teacher of both I would prefer a student with a 6 in biology but, I have taught many students who have had 4's and 5' and they have done very well indeed. Some young people develop later and I'm not sure I like this push towards subjects areas wanting 6's and 7s in everything to access A levels.

On another note, I think it's a failure of the exam boards if A level Maths is not accessible to those students who get C's and B's in Maths..why make it so damn hard??

I don't think the colleges around here allow it anyway. They seem to ask for grade 7's for children who want to continue with maths and science.

The big gap between GCSE’s and A Levels is a problem with our education system, particulary when pupils are expected to be in education to 18.

@privatenonamegiven But surely it isn't a great idea for a student who has failed to master half of the GCSE content in maths to then try to do an A level that explicitly builds on that content?

Stats are similar for MFL and Biology. Why is maths focused on so much more?! Genuinely curious…

@TeenToTwenties it doesn't seem to be a problem for humanities subjects??

@Hollyhedge @privatenonamegiven

I think maths has more people doing it because they or their parents think they 'ought' to do it. But if you listen to the teachers they do feel the same about needing a 7, especially re MFL.

Maths, science and MFL are much more content building block subjects than humanities. For humanities you need less to know the content of GCSEs, ( but you do need the underlying skills).

Furthermore with humanities you can probably always have a go at writing something, whereas with maths at least (and to some extent physics and chemistry too) you can look at a question and not have a clue how to do it. So the risk of bombing out entirely is higher with maths & sciences than with humanities. Maybe?

@TeenToTwenties I agree to some extend but I feel we are doing young people a disservice that maths and science is not more accessible. Not meaning to offend anyone here but I would also argue that getting excellent teachers in humanities is much easier than getting excellent teachers in sciences and maths... that has been my experience as a teacher.

That makes sense. I think the subjects you list could become inaccessible and therefore a miserable experience. With hard work maybe more chance to catch up/ excel in humanities/ English. It doesn’t mean it can’t be done though…just that DC would need to buckle in for a rough ride. So much dependent on child though…

There is core maths which i understand is more accessible and a useful add on, especially for those who need some maths in their other subjects.

Some people early in the thread have responded as if the point OP was making is "It is never possible for someone with mediocre GCSE grades to do well at Maths A level." That's not what she or her table are saying.

Never gives it a second thought now, but he needed AAB for uni so it did put the pressure on all round as the B was always going to be the Maths. Didn’t help that younger brother sailed it two years later with a 9 at GCSE and A star at A level.

Agree. The table shows the statistics. Some will beat the odds. Some will have done less well at gcse for a reason and with determination can succeed.
But it is good to know the statistics.

Are you seriously calling an A grade, which is what a 7 is mediocre? As from my experience most educational establishments don't allow pupils with less than a 7 on to their A level maths course. I wouldn't even call a 6 mediocre..

Totally agree but also think this should not be presented or interpreted as maths/ physics v everything else. As we have said MFL, biology pretty similar. E lit / history not hugely dissimilar on 7s translating to As and A*s I think the stats are possibly not as far apart as people think

@noblegiraffe sorry for highjacking thread. When I get time might do some brief analysis across subjects and share in another thread