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/

@noblegiraffe thanks for this
Even with 8’s /9’s one should be careful
Particularly if the student needed extra tuition to get those grades
Dd1 achieved an 8 at GCSE. Maths was her weakest subject so I hired a tutor to help her.
However, despite the fact that she achieved an 8 she would have floundered at A level.

Dd2 achieved a 9 and was a ‘natural’ she did the A level and achieved an A star . She just got maths

There is a Cambridge University report called 'Progression from GCSE to A Level, 2021 – 2023' that gives similar stats across subjects. There is some variation. It is a bit more recent but as @noblegiraffe says there is no easy way to link & it is a lengthy report. If you or your young person is interested it comes up if you google the title.
This isnt to put people off - more about having realistic expectations for next steps be that uni or apprenticeships etc.

Agree. Dd achieved a 9 in GCSE chemistry and she found the first term of A level very challenging.

Ds1 took Chemistry A level with a grade 7 at GCSE. He found it very hard and dropped it at the end of the first year, having got an E in year 1 exams.

Can I add my annual suggestion that taking MFL A level with a grade lower than a 7 is also probably not a great idea.

The reason is that A level MFL presumes a certain level of knowledge in terms of grammar and basic vocab, and if a student has that (unexpected disasters aside, by which I mean not turning the paper over and missing a question) then they will have achieved a grade 7.

Nothing wrong with a 6 in MFL GCSE; my DS2 has one but he was certainly not an A level candidate in Spanish

Can totally see why. My DH teaches in a private school and they don't refuse anyone to do anything. They strongly advise but each year he has students with bad grades in his difficult subject because they simply weren't up to it and their parents ask why this has happened.
The sad thing is,those students would probably have excelled in other subjects.

Maths isn't your strong suit, is it?

Totally agree. Would definitely be the same or very similar for languages and music.

It makes sense. Look at the table, your probability of getting an A*/A if you started with a 5 is higher than if you started with a 6.

I was just looking at that. That could be the effect of kids put into Foundation who were late bloomers

I understand you mean in comparison with the 6/7

I expect it's rare to be admitted to a level maths wuth a 5 unless there are mitigating circumstances, maybe a capable child who was ill during exams or similar.

Yes, it only works out to be 5 or 6 students from the whole population. Very small number. Irrelevant really.

I mean, I really hope there aren't Foundation kids being entered for A-level!

It's not just about being a late bloomer, it's about not having covered the content that you need to even be able to start the A-level course.

The A-level course starts with a quick recap of surds, completing the square, algebraic fractions, straight line geometry. Higher kids will have seen all this before, grade 9 kids will already be able to do it well. A Foundation kid would be lost!

What do GCSE grades translate to in old money? Are 9s roughly the equivalent of an A* and 8s As?

argh of course it bolded it! Are 9s like A double stars and 8s like A stars?

I agree that a Foundation level kid would be lost in Maths A level. But there could be a very small number of kids who have studied the higher content but not taken the paper. Perhaps they took the Foundation paper in Year 10 and got the 5, studied the higher content but for all sorts of reasons, didn’t sit the paper. This is the only way that I can see that a Grade 5 student achieving an A or A* at A Level.

But I would have thought that this would be a really small cohort of pupils.

Grades 7-9 cover the old A/A*

So a 7 is a low old A, an 8 is roughly a high A, low A ⭐️ and a 9 is a high A ⭐️

Thanks for this @noblegiraffe. My DCs college allows Maths with a 7 but we’d agreed, having seen this table when previously posted, that they’d only proceed with a “good” 8 (untutored) which they got today so they’re happy 🙂

The report referred to by @Owlbookend is here
https://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/Images/735630-144.-progression-from-gcse-to-a-level-2021-2023.pdf
They don't seem to have published 2022 or later. Remember that 2020 and 2021 were CAG and TAG grades and 2022 were higher than usual due to Covid.

DS1 wanted to do Maths A-level (and we paid a lot for extra tutoring) but he got a 6, so that didn't happen. However he did take core maths as suggested, and got an A for that, which we were thrilled about. I think this was the best solution all round.

I agree this needs careful consideration but I think it also depends on flexibility/ expectations. DC got a 6/ 7 in mocks and is struggling in exams but teacher is determined they will improve as doing v well in class. We are pragmatic to the point of knowing he could have to do an A level in a year in year 14 (hopefully not, but better to be prepared). If your DC/ you are v clear they want to go top uni and go straight after 6th form and that anything else would be a disaster and A level maths not needed then think twice. If they have option to start 4 and drop to 3 that would be ideal.

DC loves maths and was adamant he was doing it. He is also doing Spanish from a 7 (borderline 6) and thriving but pre-GCSE teaching was v poor so I expected that. Ruling things out due to GCSE performance not always right…

How rude. If you can't read tables that's your issue.

I was referring back to the post above mine saying that if you get a 6 and take A level maths you are very unlikely to get an A or A star. I noticed on the table that compared with a 6 or 7, if you get a 5 at GCSE and take maths A level you tend to do better.

I think knowledge is power though. You didn't rule it out, but at least you've had fair warning to prepare.

I agree. I think it’s just worth reflecting on how even a low maths grade wouldn’t be the end of the road for most yp. There would be options. I appreciate for some that is absolutely not a risk they want to take as very clear on timeline/ wanting top uni, but worth emphasizing.

My Ds got a 7 in Maths and a 5 in Further Maths. Should he consider Maths A level?