Yearly warning about taking A-level maths with a 6 at GCSE

[noblegiraffe]

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

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 I've posted), 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.

If your child is considering maths with a grade 7 but will be applying for extremely competitive uni courses, consider whether they actually need it as A*s and As from a 7 are not likely. Obviously, anything is possible, check how far they were off an 8, ask their teacher for advice, but please don't assume that an (old) A at GCSE translates to an A at A-level.

This data is from 2019, there's more recent data but not in as clear a format, and the message is basically the same.

If your child is keen to do maths, but gets a 6, please consider Core Maths instead, 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.

If they haven't been set any bridging work - don't assume that's ok! There are some resources here to help https://alevelmathsrevision.com/bridging-the-gap/

Why would you be more likely to get an A star - or an A for that matter - from a 5? That's odd!

You’re not.

The GCSE conversion grades are from 2017 and 2019..... surely they will have changed by now?

You wouldn’t. 2.1% of grade 5 got an A star compared to 44.6% of grade 9

Why does it say that you are in the table, then?

My guess is that no college would set its entry criteria to a 5 so if you were allowed on the course with a 5 there would have to have been some special circumstances that meant that didn't reflect your actual ability, like some sort of illness in Y11.

Yes, I can read the table.

2.1 percent of those who achieved a 5 at GCSE got an A*, compared to 0.5 percent of those who got a 6 , and 1 percent of those who got a 7.

Not by enough to make taking A-level maths with a 6 a good idea!

The GCSE and the A-level haven't changed in that time.

Ok, that makes sense!

@noblegiraffe i have no idea I can't work it out!!!

So few students in that category, individuals can have a significant impact.

Apologies, I’m autistic and your statement wasn’t specific enough for me to understand what you meant.

But I expect it’s because to even be allowed to take it at grade 5 there was probably extenuating circumstances leading to a lower than expected grade. My DS has already been told if the worst happens and for some reason he gets a 6 he’d still be allowed to take it because they know he’s capable

I agree. Every darn year there are posts about dcs taking A Level Maths with “low” grades - the other day it was a 4 😬

My dcs had 9s and didn’t find the A Level easy by any means. Well, it shouldn’t be easy - otherwise what’s the point.

It seems schools are doing kids/parents a huge disservice and setting up pupils for a great deal of angst by not stressing that Maths/Physics/Chemistry are hard subjects and not able to be winged or even learnt off by heart.

I completely agree with you but think this advice extends across many subjects.

Because there are fewer than 300 entries in this column, putting it firmly in the statistical noise and anomalies territory. That's perhaps 5 pupils getting an A*, perhaps they had some special circumstances.

The son of a friend was in specialist (SEN) secondary provision and was only able to take maths at foundation stage. But once the sixth form saw his ability they allowed him to take A level and he did very well.

@noblegiraffe thanks for this. I saw your identical post 2 years ago when my DC had just got an 8 at GCSE and made a late decision to switch to A level maths. They were only just over the boundary for an 8 and your post helped me to have realistic expectations. They did find it tough but were predicted a B and achieved that comfortably last week so we were very pleased (A/Astar not needed for their onward course). My friends' kids with 7s and 8s also achieved Bs and Cs so the grade progression stats rang true there too (some were very disappointed and missed their first choice unis due to the maths grades)

My DS got amazing GCSE results and still struggled with A level maths. He actually got a better grade in further maths! Thank you for the post OP, and I hope everyone’s children get the results they need.

Excellent post as always noble

I think this is definitely true for maths. You also have to enjoy maths, or you will find it a hard and boring slog!
Also wouldn’t recommend taking any science A level without a 7 in science and 6/7 in maths (7 if doing physics).

Look at the total number at the bottom. The 0.5% from people with a 6 is from a total of over 2000. The total from people who got a 5 at GCSE is only 280ish because all the people who were struggling have already dropped out, so most of those 281 will be people whose actual maths ability is much higher - perhaps they just had some really bad days during GCSEs but should have been on track for a 7 or 8.

Exactly. Doing A Level English Language with less than an 8 will be a huge uphill battle.

I wish they would rename it English Linguistics really. Make it more obvious what the difference is.

Absolutely it does, for some subjects more than others. I post because my school accepts a 6. I've had more than one conversation with a parent whose child is predicted an E who when we have said 'they're working hard, but they did only get a 6 at GCSE so it was always going to be tough' has said that they wished they'd been told before they signed up for the A-level that that was the likely outcome.

Someone on MN had some data for other subjects but I can't find it, the only data I can find is from 2020 to 2022 which would be useless as that was the covid years.

If anyone has a link, please post!

I think that this is due to very able maths students taking the Foundation level papers and not the Higher. So being capped at a grade 5 when they should or could have gone on to do the Higher papers and got a 7/8/9.

FWIW, I completely agree with your annual warning @noblegiraffe My ds and his friends got their A level results last week and many sat Maths. Their 6th form is selective and requires minimum grade 7 at GCSE but recommends grade 8. Even with that, many of them found the A level really challenging.

DS school will only let them take the maths A Level if they get 8 or 9. If you get a 7 it’s decided on a case by case basis. DS is hoping to do chemistry, physics, maths, and further maths