Based on previous years’ grade boundaries, it is likely that students need to achieve the percentage scores shown below to reach each grade. However, these are subject to change depending on the overall national performance, and there are no clear percentage-to-grade ratios for grade boundaries.
Standard grade boundaries
A*: 90% and above
A: 80% – 89%
B: 70% – 79%
C: 60% – 69%
D: 50% – 59%
E: 40% – 49%
F: Less than 30%
U: Unclassifiable
Changes to AS and A-levels
Under the old system, AS-levels would be studied in Year 12, with exams that were worth 50 per cent of your overall A-level qualification.
Under the new system being introduced, all A-level exams will take place at the end of Year 13, with no marks from AS-levels contributing to the overall final grade. AS-levels will still exist, and can be studied for an extra qualification, but these results won’t count towards your A-level grade.
Across the board, there will also be less coursework and fewer practical assessments under the new system, making revision even more important.
Exam Boards
There are a number of different exam boards for A-level subjects, and these include:
- GCE
- AEB (AQA)
- EDEXCEL
- NEAB (AQA)
- NICCEA (CCEA)
- OCR
- SQA
- WJEC (CBAC)
You are unlikely to have any choice as to which exam board your course is on, but you should look to find out, as different boards require different styles and content in their exams.