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If you get grade 5 on higher tier maths does it mean you are dumb?

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No
Original post by idontkn
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No.

It just means you're not very strong in this particular maths curriculum, that's all.
No, of course you're not dumb! You got a strong pass!
For some people maths is difficult so getting a 4 may not be an achievement to most people but will be an achievement to someone like me who’s failed 3 times already
Reply 5
What if you are Strong and capable of doing the hard stuff and do well in class and can do grade 8/9 work and it’s just exam papers that tend to throw you because it’s more applying knowledge of all topics rather than just one specific topic question?
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 6
Should anyone who gets a grade 5 in higher tier maths do foundation tier?
Original post by idontkn
Should anyone who gets a grade 5 in higher tier maths do foundation tier?

definitely not! If you're getting 5's this early on you can deffo get a 6 in your GCSE's. I remember that I was getting 5's all year around and I ended up getting a 6. If you end up doing foundation, the highest you can achieve is a 5 however if you are getting that now, there's always the possibility that you're able to get higher.
Also, it's easier (some say) to get a 5 in Maths in Higher tier since you just need to get a certain percentage however in foundation tier, you need to get nearly all correct.
Always aim to get the highest grade you can, so ensure that you do higher tier :smile:
Reply 8
Original post by amallbbyy
definitely not! If you're getting 5's this early on you can deffo get a 6 in your GCSE's. I remember that I was getting 5's all year around and I ended up getting a 6. If you end up doing foundation, the highest you can achieve is a 5 however if you are getting that now, there's always the possibility that you're able to get higher.
Also, it's easier (some say) to get a 5 in Maths in Higher tier since you just need to get a certain percentage however in foundation tier, you need to get nearly all correct.
Always aim to get the highest grade you can, so ensure that you do higher tier :smile:

I’ve already done my GCSEs in 2017. I got a 4 to start with then a 5 all year round and despite doing grade 8/9 work, I didn’t do that well in the exam because it’s applying knowledge of all topics rather than just one topic. I ended with a 5 which is annoying.
Original post by idontkn
Should anyone who gets a grade 5 in higher tier maths do foundation tier?


why would they do foundation if they’re passing? foundation is for people who i even struggle to get a 5!
Reply 10
Original post by IH8Studying
why would they do foundation if they’re passing? foundation is for people who i even struggle to get a 5!

I’m curious because a 5 is bad if you are in set 2, but the highest grade my class was achieving was a 5 so it’s fine. Set 1 got 6,7 and 8, I don’t think anyone got a 9 in our school.
Original post by idontkn
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In short, maybe. Depends if you got 7+ grades in other subjects. If you got 6-4 in all your subjects, you would be of average intelligence. However, everyone has their own specialisms, so a maths student wouldn't be as good as you in your areas of "expertise"
Original post by idontkn
I’m curious because a 5 is bad if you are in set 2, but the highest grade my class was achieving was a 5 so it’s fine. Set 1 got 6,7 and 8, I don’t think anyone got a 9 in our school.


why do you care what everyone gets? get a grade you’re comfortable and happy with
Reply 13
Original post by IH8Studying
why do you care what everyone gets? get a grade you’re comfortable and happy with

Because if you are constantly at the bottom of the set you move down sets, which can result in moving down from higher to foundation tier, so it matters what other people get in your set as well. Those are the rules in our school. If you don’t get your set average you move down, didn’t happen to me but loads of people, by the end there were 8 people in my set because my school randomly chose to create a set 6 towards the last 4 weeks of school.
No it does not mean you are dumb! A grade 5 is a strong pass (If you translate to the old grades that a high C which is good)
If you personally want to achieve higher look back at your test and look at which topics need improvement on and study them more, a great learning source is Mr Barton maths who give you links to a question sheet and another link to the answers. One other great source is Hegarty maths with different videos on the topics and little tests to complete. If your school does not have hegarty maths I highly recommend you ask because it will help a lot.
Do not worry about receiving a grade 5 though because its a fantastic pass!
Original post by idontkn
What if you are Strong and capable of doing the hard stuff and do well in class and can do grade 8/9 work and it’s just exam papers that tend to throw you because it’s more applying knowledge of all topics rather than just one specific topic question?

I recommend doing lots of timed practise papers at home to get you use to the environment and question types. Then when you sit the actual exams it'll be considered 'normal' to you so you will feel a lot more comfortable and not anxious and you will be use to applying your knowledge rather then looking in a text book or back through your notes to complete the questions.
Original post by IH8Studying
why would they do foundation if they’re passing? foundation is for people who i even struggle to get a 5!

did you revise well every time you did the exam? i am not good at maths and worried for gcse
Original post by lost.soul
did you revise well every time you did the exam? i am not good at maths and worried for gcse

no that’s why i don’t feel bad about it. i’m just tired and annoyed i have to put in effort to pass it. you have to put in effort don’t procrastinate like me
Original post by idontkn
Because if you are constantly at the bottom of the set you move down sets, which can result in moving down from higher to foundation tier, so it matters what other people get in your set as well. Those are the rules in our school. If you don’t get your set average you move down, didn’t happen to me but loads of people, by the end there were 8 people in my set because my school randomly chose to create a set 6 towards the last 4 weeks of school.

oh i see but i don’t think you’ll move down to set 6 when you’re in set 2. getting a grade 5 won’t put you in foundation? that makes no sense whatsoever
Original post by IH8Studying
no that’s why i don’t feel bad about it. i’m just tired and annoyed i have to put in effort to pass it. you have to put in effort don’t procrastinate like me

thank you, i've started but there's not much time left - good luck too!

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