What are best of both routes?
The ‘best of both’ entry option may allow for multiple routes to a grade. Some candidates will have previous AS Level results achieved using the school-assessed grades route and also previous AS Level results achieved using the exam route.
When awarding an A Level to a candidate with a best of both entry, we prioritise using actual exam marks. If a candidate has a valid set of AS Level marks that could contribute towards their A Level result, we will use these marks. We will use the best set of AS Level marks, if the candidate has AS Level exam marks from more than one series, to produce the highest syllabus grade.
We look at:
- AS Level marks in all exam series within 13 months.
- whether the candidate has achieved an AS Level grade using the school-assessed grades route within 13 months.
If no valid AS Level marks are available, the candidate will be graded using the A2-only route.
How do I enter a candidate for best of both grading?
Choose a combined AS Level, A2 Level and carry-forward entry option code. You can find some examples on our ‘Examples of carry forward entry options’ page.
How do I know whether to enter candidates for the A2-only route rather than best of both?
Enter a candidate for the A2-only route if:
- there are no AS Level marks from an exam series within the previous 13 months
AND
- the candidate has a valid AS Level grade achieved using the school-assessed grades route within the previous 13 months.
Please note: carry-forward from a March series to a June series in the same year is not permitted.
What happens if the candidate’s previous AS Level credit comes from the exam route AND the candidate needs an AS Level component exemption in the current series? [Applicable from 2022]
From 2022, if your candidate has a full set of AS Level marks from a previous series, we will combine these with their A2 Level marks in the current series to work out their A Level grade. In this scenario, we will not calculate an assessed mark for an AS Level component because exam marks are a stronger piece of assessment evidence.
Therefore, candidates entered for the best-of-both route cannot apply for a component exemption for an AS Level component.
Candidates with AS Level marks from a previous series who need an exemption from an AS Level component in the current series should be entered for either:
- the relevant AS Level carry-forward option, to use their AS Level marks from the previous series
- the linear A Level option, to use their AS Level marks achieved in the current series, including any assessed AS Level marks for exempted components.