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Do grade 8 students from GCSEs do further maths for A level?

From my GCSEs, although i haven't got my results for maths yet (that's in like 3 months), I don't feel like i got a grade 9, which is what I want, as many people are saying that the GCSE edexcel Maths exams were easy. So i wanted to know whether students who got/get a grade 8 fro maths GCSE are doing Further maths at a level. Cus I don't know if mainly grade 9 students in maths choose it.

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Original post by linzzy21
From my GCSEs, although i haven't got my results for maths yet (that's in like 3 months), I don't feel like i got a grade 9, which is what I want, as many people are saying that the GCSE edexcel Maths exams were easy. So i wanted to know whether students who got/get a grade 8 fro maths GCSE are doing Further maths at a level. Cus I don't know if mainly grade 9 students in maths choose it.


I’m going to do it and I’ve got an 8 I believe this year. I was narrowly off the 9 boundary of the markscheme and predicted boundaries are anything to go off by and the entry requirement for FM is 8/9 so it’s all good
With the new Further Maths A-level, getting a grade 7 would mean you initially struggle. Getting grade 8/9 would mean you'd progress fine. As long as you put the work in over the year I'd say persue Further Maths if you get at least an 8
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S2M
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Original post by linzzy21
From my GCSEs, although i haven't got my results for maths yet (that's in like 3 months), I don't feel like i got a grade 9, which is what I want, as many people are saying that the GCSE edexcel Maths exams were easy. So i wanted to know whether students who got/get a grade 8 fro maths GCSE are doing Further maths at a level. Cus I don't know if mainly grade 9 students in maths choose it.

Usually, a lot of grade 9 students do choose it. However, I think you should still choose it because 9/8 is sort of on the same level as you’ll have a strong understanding of GCSE Maths for A-Level. Some schools may require a grade 9 though for Further Maths so just make sure your school is ok with an 8 which they should be.
Original post by linzzy21
From my GCSEs, although i haven't got my results for maths yet (that's in like 3 months), I don't feel like i got a grade 9, which is what I want, as many people are saying that the GCSE edexcel Maths exams were easy. So i wanted to know whether students who got/get a grade 8 fro maths GCSE are doing Further maths at a level. Cus I don't know if mainly grade 9 students in maths choose it.


Well, from my experience, the people who did well in further maths all had A* GCSE Maths.

An 8 is an A grade is roughly 88% UMS on the old grading system. It's a bit below A*.

So if you can get a mid-low 8, then you should be good.

Main thing for A Level is to be familar with everything at GCSE - it makes the transition much easier. Coming back from the summer struggling to rearrange equations is going to set you back
I got a grade C in GCSE Maths and did further.

Ended up with AA
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linzzy21
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Original post by stoneroses38383u
I’m going to do it and I’ve got an 8 I believe this year. I was narrowly off the 9 boundary of the markscheme and predicted boundaries are anything to go off by and the entry requirement for FM is 8/9 so it’s all good


Oh okay thanks for telling me! Cus I was getting a bit scared that i'd be the only grade 8 student in my FM class XD. That's good then, cus i also feel like i was on the boundary of a grade 9 but i don't know how much they're gonna raise the grade boundaries :s-smilie: GL!
I got a 9 and I did it, in my FM class it's 50/50 between grade 8 and 9 so as long as you've got that it's ok.
Well one of my friends gets constant 8 and 9s in Math, he's honestly just a mathematical genius, and well he's taking Math and Further Math for his A-Levels, thing is I believe that if you can constantly achieve high 8s and 9s at GCSE then you're good to go.

The reason sixth forms have the requirements for FM as high as 8s and 9s is because the teaching will be more independent and they expect the students to do most of the learning themselves.

Good luck with your choices, but in the end just follow your heart
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linzzy21
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Alright thanks all of you!!! I feel much more reassured. I think i'll be fine then cus i have been constantly been getting a solid grade 8 but i wanted to boost it to a grade 9 but meh... During the exams my brain wasn't working.
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Original post by ayyy2
I got a grade C in GCSE Maths and did further.

Ended up with AA


WOW well done!
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S2M
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Original post by ayyy2
I got a grade C in GCSE Maths and did further.

Ended up with AA


Did you actually? How did your school let you take both of them when they at least expect a B for single Maths only?
Original post by Kyber Ninja
Well, from my experience, the people who did well in further maths all had A* GCSE Maths.

An 8 is an A grade is roughly 88% UMS on the old grading system. It's a bit below A*.

So if you can get a mid-low 8, then you should be good.

Main thing for A Level is to be familar with everything at GCSE - it makes the transition much easier. Coming back from the summer struggling to rearrange equations is going to set you back


8 is A* equivalent (9 is the A**), and last year around 60-65% was needed for an 8
Original post by 3pointonefour
8 is A* equivalent (9 is the A**), and last year around 60-65% was needed for an 8


8 isn't an A* grade - unis rounded it up to A* grade

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/gcse/exams/new-gcse-grades-explained

Conveniently why It's below the A* here

NB - Don't know why TSR has put 6 above a B - that isn't true

Again here

https://ofqual.blog.gov.uk/2018/03/02/gcse-9-to-1-grades-a-brief-guide-for-parents/
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by Kyber Ninja


You're right in saying that there's no direct pairings and while an A* is ranked higher than an 8. Though in terms of maths, someone who got a grade 8 will still be better at maths than someone who got the A* though, considering the changes in question types and introduction of harder content.
Original post by 3pointonefour
You're right in saying that there's no direct pairings and while an A* is ranked higher than an 8. Though in terms of maths, someone who got a grade 8 will still be better at maths than someone who got the A* though, considering the changes in question types and introduction of harder content.


Nope - boundaries get adjusted for harder content.

I did the new spec A Levels, doesn't make me better than those that came before - boundaries were made lower so that the person getting each grade was equivalent. The new spec is also 90% of the old spec in the first place
Original post by Kyber Ninja
Nope - boundaries get adjusted for harder content.

I did the new spec A Levels, doesn't make me better than those that came before - boundaries were made lower so that the person getting each grade was equivalent. The new spec is also 90% of the old spec in the first place


I assume you're talking about normal maths? Because in A-Level Further Maths there's quite a lot of new content. But it's not just the content, the new spec also has harder questions in general (for GCSE and A-levels) due to the extra emphasis on problem solving, modelling and proof. I've studied A-level maths and further maths under both the old and new spec and the papers and the questions in the new spec generally require more thinking - though we'll see how the grade boundaries turn out this summer.

But anyway, I guess the massive drop in grade boundaries last year explain the difficulty of the new exams for GCSE (17% for a 4 off the top of my head). But maybe it's just me, but doing the old spec papers for GCSE seemed like standard grade 7/8 stuff at its worst - such as that Hannah's Sweets question - so I always had the idea that despite the comparisons made, the new grades for maths meant much more than the older grades.
In my sixth form you need grade 8/9 to do FM. I got an 8 but I'm not doing it, too much effort I guess lol
Original post by 3pointonefour
I assume you're talking about normal maths? Because in A-Level Further Maths there's quite a lot of new content. But it's not just the content, the new spec also has harder questions in general (for GCSE and A-levels) due to the extra emphasis on problem solving, modelling and proof. I've studied A-level maths and further maths under both the old and new spec and the papers and the questions in the new spec generally require more thinking - though we'll see how the grade boundaries turn out this summer.

But anyway, I guess the massive drop in grade boundaries last year explain the difficulty of the new exams for GCSE (17% for a 4 off the top of my head). But maybe it's just me, but doing the old spec papers for GCSE seemed like standard grade 7/8 stuff at its worst - such as that Hannah's Sweets question - so I always had the idea that despite the comparisons made, the new grades for maths meant much more than the older grades.


The exams are harder with a few harder concepts, but it balances out with lower grade boundaries.

It's actually better for anyone who is very strong in Maths - hard papers are the easiest to get 9/A* grades, mainly because silly mistakes are less impactful than on high boundaries
Original post by Black Water
Did you actually? How did your school let you take both of them when they at least expect a B for single Maths only?


Yeah.

But i had to take a gap year to do them. In Y13 I resat my GCSE Maths and went from a C to an A*.

Technically I had both a C and an A*. haha

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