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First set of 9-1 GCSE maths grade boundaries published

(EDIT : Other CIE 9-1 grade boundaries can be found here)

You've all been desperate to get your hands on some real 9-1 grade boundaries so these are the ones for CIE IGCSE maths.

A is Foundation Tier and B is Higher Tier.

This may not inform the debate as the difficulty of the GCSE papers could have been different but it gives us a taste of what we might expect in two weeks' time.
(edited 6 years ago)

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Reply 1
Having taught both CIE IGCSE (a few years ago) and GCSE 9-1, I would say the level of difficulty is similar but the structure of the IGCSE exam is quite different and a student can do very well by practicing past papers, since similar questions tend to come up. I haven't seen the 2017 CIE papers, only the specimens so I don't know what 2017 was like. The specimens seem similar to how CIE IGCSE was a few years ago when I taught it.

It's still really hard to predict the GCSE boundaries based on these but it's interesting reading!

@Mr M Would you say the types of schools who take CIE IGCSE 9-1 mean that the marks will be higher (and boundaries lower) compared to if these exams were taken by the whole of the UK?
Original post by Notnek
@Mr M Would you say the types of schools who take CIE IGCSE 9-1 mean that the marks will be higher (and boundaries lower) compared to if these exams were taken by the whole of the UK?


I've no idea really. I know the number of candidates was very small (CIE won't release the actual number) because this qualification does not count for performance tables so won't have been used by any state funded schools.
Reply 3
Original post by Mr M
I've no idea really. I know the number of candidates was very small (CIE won't release the actual number) because this qualification does not count for performance tables so won't have been used by any state funded schools.


If only these were the actual boundaries for Edexcel maths 9-1, in which case I would be walking out of school with a 9 lol

How 'similar' are these going to be to other boundaries?
Reply 4
I showed this to my friend- we were all very happy 'cause we thought if CIE has 191 as a 9, surely GCSE AQA Maths will be much lower than expected.

However, we cannot really confirm anything until the AQA grade boundaries come out, so I'm not getting my hopes up too much.
Original post by 2d_vis
How 'similar' are these going to be to other boundaries?


We don't know.
Original post by Mr M
(EDIT : Other CIE 9-1 grade boundaries can be found here)

You've all been desperate to get your hands on some real 9-1 grade boundaries so these are the ones for CIE IGCSE maths.

A is Foundation Tier and B is Higher Tier.

This may not inform the debate as the difficulty of the GCSE papers could have been different but it gives us a taste of what we might expect in two weeks' time.


Still surprises me that a candidate only needs to get 50% of the raw marks to get a high B in old money. As for 25% being sufficient for a old 'O Level' pass...
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Reality Check
Still surprises me that a candidate only needs to get 50% of the raw marks to get a high B in old money. As for 25% being sufficient for a old 'O Level' pass...


Very silly, these same people then do A level maths and then expect to get the same grade (B) when it's 20 percent more at harder A level content. I've seen it happen in my class where people who got an A at GCSE expect to get an A at A level because of it.
Original post by Dwarf-Shortage
Very silly, these same people then do A level maths and then expect to get the same grade (B) when it's 20 percent more at harder A level content. I've seen it happen in my class where people who got an A at GCSE expect to get an A at A level because of it.


Exactly - talk about false hope.
Reply 9
Original post by Reality Check
Exactly - talk about false hope.


Right! The college I applied to (and going to in Sep) allows people with a 6 in maths to do A level maths. If a 6 is 113/240 or near that, would it actually be wise for them to do a level when they got 50% of the content incorrect? I mean 50% at A level is like an E (correct me if I'm wrong) and let's not forget it's much harder and requires much more effort.
Original post by 2d_vis
How 'similar' are these going to be to other boundaries?


Who can say? I've a feeling candidates will need fewer marks to get the lowest grades on the Higher Tier for the reformed 9-1 GCSE. A grade 3 boundary as high as 52 marks would deliver more than the permitted proportion of U grades I would think.
Original post by Quizlet
Right! The college I applied to (and going to in Sep) allows people with a 6 in maths to do A level maths. If a 6 is 113/240 or near that, would it actually be wise for them to do a level when they got 50% of the content incorrect? I mean 50% at A level is like an E (correct me if I'm wrong) and let's not forget it's much harder and requires much more effort.


For my sixth form, a 7 is required for Maths and a 9 for Further Maths (Chelsea Academy); I think these are reasonable as regular Maths is quite easy but FM is hard (hence you require a 9; requiring mathematical passion). And yeah you're right - there's a new spec A Level Maths now which completely outshines the old in difficulty (emphasis on problem solving, harder content i.e. proof and proof by contradiction, differentiation from first principles, modelling, etc.) hence a 6 wouldn't be able to go through with it (unless s/he really tries).
I think what we can take away from these boundaries is that the gap between boundaries may be smaller than what we previously thought - predictions had gaps of about 35 - 40 marks, whilst the largest gap here is 27. Squeeze together your boundaries, kids!

Original post by Mr M
I've no idea really. I know the number of candidates was very small (CIE won't release the actual number) because this qualification does not count for performance tables so won't have been used by any state funded schools.


Are you saying that only private schools took this exam?
Original post by Quizlet
Right! The college I applied to (and going to in Sep) allows people with a 6 in maths to do A level maths. If a 6 is 113/240 or near that, would it actually be wise for them to do a level when they got 50% of the content incorrect? I mean 50% at A level is like an E (correct me if I'm wrong) and let's not forget it's much harder and requires much more effort.


Yep, I totally agree with this. Surely isn't it reasonable to suggest that if you can't get 80% of a GCSE paper correct, then surely you shouldn't be doing an A level in it? But 80% would restrict A level candidates to those who got a 9 at their GCSE!

The problem with my reasoning here is that I"m assuming everyone who goes on to do A level is going to do very well - there are of course A level candidates who don't expect to get higher than a C/D. But whether or not candidates should be allowed to enter A levels with such low expectations is another question altogether. It also doesn't take account of students who 'blossom' during the Sixth Form and who have underperformed at GCSE - it wouldn't be right to deny them at least the chance of doing well at A level because of mediocre GCSE results.

I'm arguing against my own argument here :laugh:
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Gabzinc
Are you saying that only private schools took this exam?


Yes.
Original post by thekidwhogames
For my sixth form, a 7 is required for Maths and a 9 for Further Maths (Chelsea Academy); I think these are reasonable as regular Maths is quite easy but FM is hard (hence you require a 9; requiring mathematical passion). And yeah you're right - there's a new spec A Level Maths now which completely outshines the old in difficulty (emphasis on problem solving, harder content i.e. proof and proof by contradiction, differentiation from first principles, modelling, etc.) hence a 6 wouldn't be able to go through with it (unless s/he really tries).


I was predicted to get a 6 and I applied for maths. But, I worked really hard and I hope to get 200+ raw marks now :smile:. If someone gets a 6 and then goes into the right mindset and decides to try very hard and study smart, then they should try it out.
Original post by Reality Check
Yep, I totally agree with this. Surely isn't it reasonable to suggest that if you can't get 80% of a GCSE paper correct, then surely you shouldn't be doing an A level in it? But 80% would restrict A level candidates to those who got a 9 at their GCSE!


A level isn't as hard as you're making it out to be - some grade 9 questions require more Mathematical intuition than 90% of C1-C2 and some C3 questions (from the old spec) however the new spec A Level Maths (this year) will require more emphasis on modelling/problem solving meaning no grade 9 questions = A Level question in difficulty so in a way you're right. My school requires 7 for Maths and 9 for FM - I think this is reasonable. And what my school thinks:

7 in GCSE may lead you to a B in A Level
8 will lead you to A/A*
9 will lead you to A* in both M/FM (with enough work)
Original post by Quizlet
I was predicted to get a 6 and I applied for maths. But, I worked really hard and I hope to get 200+ raw marks now :smile:. If someone gets a 6 and then goes into the right mindset and decides to try very hard and study smart, then they should try it out.


Exactly so people who work hard can do it so I think the bound for Maths should be a 7 - those who work hard can easily revise over Summer and do Maths :smile:
Original post by Mr M
Who can say? I've a feeling candidates will need fewer marks to get the lowest grades on the Higher Tier for the reformed 9-1 GCSE. A grade 3 boundary as high as 52 marks would deliver more than the permitted proportion of U grades I would think.


I completely agree with this. In the April mocks at my school, around 21% of higher candidates recieved 45 marks or LESS out of 240. We're a pretty good performing school, with generally 80% achieving A*-C. It would be very unusual for more than 1/5 of higher candidates attaining a u.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by thekidwhogames
My school requires 7 for Maths and 9 for FM - I think this is reasonable. And what my school thinks:

7 in GCSE may lead you to a B in A Level
8 will lead you to A/A*
9 will lead you to A* in both M/FM (with enough work)


My school requires 6 for Maths and 7 for FM. The last three lines of your quote sound reasonable but I am disappointed your school doesn't appear to be interested in students who might achieve lower A level pass grades.

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