farmer1

Thought some of you may be interested to know that the pass mark (Grade C) for the maths GCSE paper I took in the summer was 13%.

Fortunately I managed to achieve a higher percentage then that of the 61% needed for an A*

And they wonder why Maths A level is such a step up from GCSE

darts_aint_sport

Are you sure they didn't mean pass mark as in 'not a fail' , like an F or something

farmer1

Nope it was definately 13% for a Grade C

Note this is on the Edexcel board

Hanslow

I think a grade C was 50% in my day (2nd year to do GCSEs). I'd heard that the pass levels were remarkably low, probably because they don't like to fail people.

All it does is make people think that those that actually got a really good mark are no better than some of the thickies that were allowed their mark

farmer1

There was a guy in my set who regularly got 100% in test and he walked out of the exam with the same grade as me and I quite often leave a question or two out + the ones i get wrong. Very demorilising.

NWMark

Yes this may be correct but i bet you sat the higher grade (much harder) paper, which is meant for students expected to get B's and above anyway.

The next paper down which 'most' students sit. where an A* is not possible (well not when i sat it a few years ago) but its possible to get a fail, is the one most suitable to compare against 'older' style exams papers that others have sat in the past.

Mark

darts_aint_sport

So what was the grade boundary for an F?

farmer1

There isn't one, because its higher anything below 13% is a U.

But the point is I reckon I could teach anybody enough to get 13% in a couple of hours the day before, providing they have basic number skills.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Where does your info on grade boundaries come from? The exam boards don't usually release that.

Alcazar

farmer1

Information came from the school, because they release it to the school because they use the old exam paper for past exam paper practice.